The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1904-06-16

ingto the waters edge OF the General
Slocum, a three-deck excursion
steamer, shortly before 10 o'clock
this morning in the East river, at the
entrance to Lond island sound, more
than 600 persons, the majority Of
whom were women and children are
dead. Allwere either burned to death
or drowned by jumping overheard or
being thrown into the whirl pools by
the lurching OF the vessel and the
frantic rush OF the panic-stricken pas
seugers.
1T was one Of the most appalling
disasters in the history OF the city,
tragic in its immensely, dramatic in
its episodes and deeply pathetic in
the tender age of most OF it's victims.
NEARLY 500 BODIES RECOVERED.
Approximately 500 bodies have
been recovered and are now being
tagged at the morgue OF Bellevue
hospital and Harlem. Divers were
still busy at late hour taking bodies
from the hold of the vessel which
they say is choked with the remains
OF human beings, while 4he bodies OF
scores who leaped or we're thrown in.
TO the river have not been recovered.
1t is the season of Sunday school
excursions in New York bay and the
Long Island sound, the latter one of
the most picturesque bodies OF water
in the country.
Great preparations had been made
Tor the seventeenth annual excur-
sion OF the Sunday school OF st.
Mark German Lutheran church, the
congregation of which is drawn from
tie dense population OF the lower
East and West sides, and the General
Slocum had been chartered to carry |
the excursionists to Locust Grove,
one OF many resorts on Long Island |
sound.
ills Tariously estimated thatttere
we're between 800 and $500 per-
sons on board the General Slocum
when it left the pier at Third street. |
East river, though the Knickerbocker
Steamship company, which owns the
Slocum, officially states that the
number Of passengers was Si3, that
oeing only one, third OF the vessels
capacity. 1t is thought, however,
that there were several hundred chill.
dren in arms, for whom fares are not
usually charged On these trips, on
board.
Ibs tre is said to have broken out
In a lunch room on the forward deck
through the overturning OF pot OF
grease. The wind was high and all
efi.6Ssito subdue the fire were futile.
The race to North Brother island
Sas horribly dramatic. 1t was made
while the,s smes, which had been fan
ned ints a fury by the strong head
wind were consuming hundreds OF
persons. old and young. The scene
WIS one of friehtiul panic, with NO.
men end children jumping overheard
ard being dashed BY the channel
whirl pools against the vessels sides.
Women and children were crowded
together on the hurrican deck which
soon burned away and fell and it Is
believed that most OF those on this
deck were burned.
The aiter-rail gave way and the
passenger who had crowded against
1t we're pushed into the river. Moth
ers and children became separated
and irautically sought each other
while in several cases fathers ant
mothers, gathering their children to
eether, jumped with them into thu
water.
Little children holding each othel
by the hand jumped together ant
were aiterward found clasped In eacl
Others arms. 1t is alleged that mel
fought with women TO escape, result
ing in the trampling under foot O
scores OF children.
During its flame envelcped run =
North Brother ieland the Genera
Glocum's whistles kept blowing TO
assistance, but before the whistle
began to blow several tugs, the cap
4alps q which had sesn ths outbrsal