Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1904-06-18

Steamer
Burned.
1000 People Aboard.

|
by the burning of the excursion steamer
General Slocum, near Hellgate in the
East river.
The General Slocum, with the an
nual Sunday school excursion of st.
Mark s German Lutheran church of
this city, on board, was proceeding up
the river to one of the many resorts of
Long Island sound.
When near One Hundred Tweny fifth
street, persons on shore saw smoke and
flames spring from the upper part of
the crowded steamer.
A panic ensued on the boat almost
| Immediately.
The crowds on the forward deck be-
gan to spring over board or to crowd to
the after part of the boat.
The screams of the terrified passen-
gers could be heard on shore and hun
dreds of small boats Immediately put
off to the rescue.
Owing to the rocks on each side of
the channel at this point, it had been
impossible to beach the vessel.
The captain stuck to his post at the
W IiCSi anu bIIO N0DSOl blIdlRuI
up the river to North Brothers island,
where she was put aground in shallow
water. Several hundred feet of open
water still lay between the burning
steamer and the shore and many per-
sons persisted either in the water or on
the burning vessel, after she had been
beached. .-.-.,-..---.ss -
1t was estimated that theIs steamer
carried more than 1000 persons.
1t is estimated that from 800 to 500
persons persisted in the flames or were
drowned ,.-...- 6 $3.50 sa,,s.
The disaster is the most appalling
that has ever occurred in New York
harbor, and is made more distressing
by the fact that most of those who lost
their lives were women or children of
tender age.
She wasHthe largest excursion steam.
er in these waters and could carry $500
passengers.
Before she was beached the crowded
hurricane deck gave way and precipi-
tated hundreds into the fiery furnace
between decks, already checked with
a struggling, panic stricken mass of
women and children. The continuous
blasts of the Socum S sireens brought
dozens of tugs and small craft to her
side, and the work of rescue was quick
and daring. Some of the tugs stuck to
her sides until they themselves were
afr or were driven off by the leaping
flames.
When the steamer was beached quite
distance of open water lay between
her and the shore and here many per-
sons persisted, either by the flames or
were drowned in efforts to reach shore.
At the office of the United States
Steamboat inspection bureau it was
said the General Slocum was inspected
May and was reported to be IN a
thoroughly good condition., ready for
the excursion season. Aboard the
steamer was all her life saving appara-
tus required by law of steamers of her
capacity.
The General Slocum's licensed cap
tain is Captain W. H. Van Setback
one of the Oldest excursion captains in
New York waters.
The disaster was witnessed by thous-
ands of people from both shores of Rthe
river, and as rapidly as possible hun
dreds of small boats and launches set
off to render assistance. With the boat
burning under his feet, the captain
stayed in the pilot house and the engi-
neer stayed at his post below deck I'M
til the boat was beached at the lower
| Of Mouth 81
Morris. Even then the passengers were
not in a safe position, for they were
some distance from shore and the boat
was a furnace.
Hundreds of small boats were scat
tered about and picked up those who
; jumped overheard as rapidly as posi-
BILE. 1t is estimated that between 400
and 800 persons sprang into the water
An eye witness said the loss of life
was due to the collapsing of the heavy
upper deck. 1t fell with crash soon
after the fire started, crushing hum
dreds of persons who had gathered on
the lower deck. 1t was then that the
greatest panic ensued amid the living
stream of persons going overheard into
the water.
As far as eye witnesses can deter
mine, the flames Originated in the for
ward part of the boat. Persons swho
saw the accident from the shore say
that almost instantly persons who &C.
cupied places on the forward deck be-
gan to jump overheard.
Policemen in the Bronx and Harlem
saw the blazing boat steaming up the
| rixrars nd In, 1li nf o1.