Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-06-18

uf Graft al NESG 70 It.s cat
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 passengers from
the water. but these were only
small number OF those that ,!ere seen
struggling in the swift current
On the Slocum the first sweep OF the
flames cut off escape from the hurri-
cane deck, where a great many OF the
women and children were crowded To-
gether. and soon burned away the
light wood OF the uprights, which
came down with a crash on those be-
low.
Ii is thought that most OF those on
the hurricane deck were burned.
AS the FIRE Increased the struggle to
gain a point of vantage at the stern
became frightful.
Women and children crowded
against the after rail until it gave way
and hundreds were pushed OF into the
river. After this there was steady
stream Of persons who jumped or were
thrown into the water.
In the wake OF the SlOtuul shN
hurried up stream was line OF little
black specks, marking the heads ana
bodies of those who had sought TO es-
cane the roaring furnace on the ship
by throwing themselves overheard. =.
Few Of those saved by the small
boats had on life preservers. At no
time during the progress of the fire
was there an opportunity to either
lower the lifeboats or to get the life
preseryers from underneath the seats.
This. perhaps. gives an idea OF the
rapidity with which the flames swept
the decks.
II was an experience narrowing and
terrible. and that any escaped alive
seems wonderful.
Through all the wild panic. during
all mat inferno. vita fire and smoke
surrounding them, the officers and
men Of the doomed boat remained az
their posts. but they were powerless
TO avert the catastrophe.
The General Sloeum got within fifty
feet Of the northwest point of North
Brother island and there stopped in
the shallow water
II 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 soon after parts OF the second
and third decks also cayed in. but be-
fore this happened the tug Walter
Tracey had come alongside the burn
ing steamer and lashed to 1t.
Many of the passengers were taken
on by the crew OF the Tracey. which
Q Hat4ft
the tugs pilot house took fire.
The point where the Sloeum beached
was Just on the scarlet fever ward. on
North Brother island.
The patients, who had been out on
the porehes and lawns watching the
approaching steamer. were ordered in
doors, and the physicians on the island
fastened 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.
The scene on North Brother island.
as described by the rescuers. was a pitt
ful one Body after body was washed
ashore or brought in by boats and add
ed to the long row on the beach. Fifty
three persons died there while the doc
tors were attending them.
As the bodies OF the living and the
dead were taken out Of the water.
those alive were taken to.the hospitals
On the island. or sent across the river
to hospitals in Manhattan. Here am
hulances from almost all the hospitals
| in Greater New York and every other
sort of conveyance which could De
found we're 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
aid Thirty-eighth street in Manhattan.
Some came ashore still alive. Many OF
these died. but others will recover.
The scene was pitiable in the extreme
as the living and the dead were
brought in Rows OF bodies were
stretched along the beach.
Hysterical women and frantic men
went along looking at one after an
other, searching for children and
/ friends.
Women with disfigured faces. their
clothes partially stripped from them.
were carried to the improvised emerg-
ency hospital. crying for children who
had been torn from them in the mad
rush when the boat took fire.
4 Meanwhile the Slocum burned to the
waters edge. At 1925 O'Clock, two
hours and twenty-five minutes after
the fre was discovered. she sank.
! II is estimated that there were then
nearly 100 charred bodies on her decks.
Just after the steamer sank the water
near by was black with bodies.
! The tug Fidelity succeeded In pick
ing up eighty-eight charred corpses in
Hunts cove. on Riker's island, and
carried them into the sound None OF
these bodies, It is thought, can ever be
| identified
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES