Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-06-18
900 PERISH
IN BLAZING
STEAMBOAT
New York Sunday School Picnic
Comes to Horrible End When
Boat Catches Fire.
FRlGHTFUL PANIC FOLLOWED

Hundreds of Others, Crazed With
Fright. Leaped Overheard and Were
Drowned-Pitiable Scenes Along
the Beach.
New York. June 16.-One Of the
most appalling disasters in the his
tory of New York. tragic in its i'm
mensity. dramatic in its episodes and
deeply pathetic in the tender age OF
most of its victims. took place in the
East river at the entrance tn Long
Island Sound. within a short distance
of the New York shore and within
sight of thousands of persons. the ma
jority of whom were powerless To mini
mize the extent of the catastrophe.
BY the burning to the waters edge
OF the General Slocum. a three-decked
excursion steamer. the largest in these
waters. more than COO persons. the
majority of whom were women and
children. were burned to death or were
drowned by jumping overheard or by
being thrown into the whirlpools by
the lurching oil the vessel and the
frantic rush of the panic stricken pas
sengers.
Approximately 500 bodies have been
recovered and are now being tagged
at the morgues of Bellevue hospital
and Harlem. Divers were still busy
this morning taking bodies from the
hold of the vessel. which they say Is
choked with the remains of human be-
ings. while the bodies of scores who
leaped overheard or were thrown into
the river have not been recovered.
The General Slocum left Third
street East River. having on board the
annual Sunday school excursion of st.
Marks German Lutheran church. To-
Gated in Sixth street. Her destination
was Locust Grove. one of the many re-
sorts on Long Island Sound. The ex-
cursion was in charge of Rev. George
c. +. Haas. pastor of the church. The
vessel was commanded by Captain
William Van Schaik. one of the best
known excursion boat captains in New
York harbor. The number of eXcur-
sionists on board is variously estimat-
ed at from 1900 to 2OOO
The steamer proceeded up the East
River. all three of her decks being
crowded with merrymakers. Bands
played and the great side wheeler was
decorated with flags from stem to
stern.
Flames Spread Rapidly.
The Slocum had reached point near
the Sunken Meadows OFF 135th street,
Manhattan when fire broke out in n
lunch room on the forward deck. The
blaze was caused by the overturning
of a pot of grease The headway of
the vessel and high wind almost in
stantly famed the insignificant flame
into fury. Efforts were at once direct
ed to subduing the fire. but they were
futile The blaze spread aft with al
most lightning rapidity. Captain Van
Schaik in the pilot house had been in
formed of the outbreak of the fire. and
realizing the danger TO the hundreds
of excursionists. decided to send his
vessel To shore nj 13ith street. At
this point there are n number of lum-
ber yards and several huge oil tanks.
and the captain was warned that to
attempt To land at this point would
endanger the property. and perhaps
further imperil the scores of people.
who had already been frightened into
a state OF almost uncomfortable ex-
citement.
The excursionists. but a few mo-
ments before in the full enjoyment of
an ideal summers day on Long Island
Sound. were driven tn the after part
of the steamer To escape the heat.
flames and smoke that were constant
ly increasing. Policemen and deck
hands aboard the boat struggled hard
to quiet the panic. but their efforts
were in vain. The wild disorder in
creased. as frantic mothers sought for
their children who had been al play
about the decks.
Women and Children Jump Overheard.
The steamers whistle was blowing
for assistance. and tugs and other
nearby craft answered to the call. Be
fore any OF the boats could reach the
burning steamer. however. the frantic
women and children began To jump
overheard. The current was strong and
there are many whirlpools in the
channel The boats that always
abound In the vicinity picked many
persons from the water, but these were
only small number of those that
were seen struggling in the swift
current.
On the steamer tho first sweep of
the flames cut of escape from the
hurricane deck. where great many
(Coutinued on 1d pape)