The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-06-16

5 The blaze spread aft with almost light
ming rapidity. Captain Van Schaik, in
the pilot-house. had been Informed of the
outbreak of the fire. and. realizing the
danger to the hundreds of excursionists,
decided to send his vessel to shore at One
Hundred and Thrty-fourth street. At
this point there are a number Of lumber
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 imperil scores of
people who had already been frightened
into a state of uncomfortable excitement
Changing the big steamers course
slightly, he headed her for North Brother
Island. half mile away.
By this time the flames were rushing by
leaps and bounds from the forward part
of the ship aft
DECKS OFFER CLEAN SWEEP.
The great open decks. built for excur-
sionists, with little obstruction from bow
TO stern offered a clean sweep for the fire.
As the Slocum dashed forward the flames
caught stanchion and cabin woodwork,
eating and tearing their way across the
vessel
The excursionists, but a few moments
before in the full enjoyment OF an ideal
summers day on Long Island Sound were
driver to the after part of the steamer to
escape the heat, flames and smoke that
We're constantly increasing.
Policemen and deckhands aboard the
boat struggled hard to quiet the panic.
but their efforts were In vain The wild
disorder increased as frantic mothers
sought to find their children. who had
been at Dlay a haIt the decks
WOMEN AND CHILDREN JUMP.
The steamers whistle was blowing for
assistance and tugs and other nearby
crafts answered to the call Before 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 num-
Der Of those that were seen struggling in
the swift current.
On the Slocum the first sweep OF the
flames came from the hurricane deck,
where a great marry women and chill
dren were crowded together. and soon
burned away the light wooden uprights.
below. 1t is thought that most of those
on the hurricane deck were burned.
AS the fire increased the struggle to gain
point Of vantage at the stern became
frlghtful. The women and children crowd
ed against the after rail until it gave way.
and hundreds were pushed off into the
river. After this there was steady stream
Of persons who jumped, or were thrown
into the water
WATER FULL OF BODIES.
The wake OF the slocum as she hurried
upstream was a line of little black spots,
marking the heads and bodies of those
who had sought to escape the flames of
the roaring furnace on the ship by throw
ing themselves. overheard. The few of
those saved by the small boats had on
life preservers At no time during the
progress OF the. fire was there any oppor-
tunity to eithe- lower the Hfeboats or get |
the life preservers out from underneath
the seats. This gives idea of the |
rapidity with which the flames swept the !
deck.
1t was an experience narrowing and |
terrible, and that many escaped alive |
seems wonderful. !
Through all the wild panic during all |
rounding them. the aofficers and men Of |
manned at their posts, but they were pow |
erless to avert the, catastrophe.
STOPS IN SHALLOW WATER.
The slocum got within fifty feet OF the |
northwest point OF North Brother Island, |
and there stopped IN the shallow water. !
1t was Just before she beached that the |
hurricane deck. the supports of which had |
burned away, fell with its load Of women |
and children. adding to the panic and |
horror OF those on the deck below. Very |
scon afterwards parts of the second and |
third decks also caved in.
But before this happened the tug Walter
Tracy had come alongside the burning |
steamer. and had been lashed to II. Many
of the passengers were taken of by the
crew of the Tracy. which remained along
side the steamer until the tugs pilot house
took fire.
The point where the Slocum beached
was just on the scarlet fever ward on
North Brother Island. The patients who
had been put on the porches and lawns
watching the approach OF the burning
steamer were ordered indoors, and the
physicians on the island hastened to the
assistance of those who were being
brought ashore through the shallow
water. Many of those who leaped from
the slocum were carried away by the cur
rent. even after she was beached. and
were drowned.
PITIFUL SCENES ON ISLAND.
The scene on North Brother Island as
described by the 'rescuers was pitiful
one. Body after body was washed ashore
or brought in by boats and added to the
long row on the beach. F'ifty-three per-
sons died there while the doctors were
attending them. As the bodies Of the liv-
ing and the dead were taken from the
water. those alive were taken to the hos
pitfalls on the island or sent across the
river to hospitals in Manhattan. Here
from almost all the hospitals
In Greater New York and every other
sort of conveyance which could be found
were put into service.
For hours the bodies of the burned and
the drowned drifted ashore on the island,
and between One Hundred and Thirty
first street and One Hundred and Thirty
eighth street In Manhattan. Some came
ashore still alive. Many OF these died.
while others viii recover.
q RUaf aAnTuED