New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-20
FEDERAL INQUIRY IS ON
NO SLOCUM FIRE DRILLS.
Deckhand Says He Didn't Kno7o
Hoe to Use Life PreserUers.


is to Investigate the Slocum disaster was held
yesterday morning in the offices of the local steam
boat inspectors in the Whitehall building. The
of those composing the commission were
printed in The Tribune of yesterday. On Monday
, the commission went the course taken by the
Slocum and in the afternoon inspected the hull of
the steamer In the Erie Basin.
The first witness called Yesterday was Edward
NJ. Weaver. second pilot of the General Slocum
He said he appointed pilot In May 1900 and
since then had filed various positions aboard ship
Before signing the General Slocum. he said he
had superintendent oVerhaulng the vessel. During
the winter. he said the life preservers that were
slowed in exposed positions in summer placed
under cover.
Commander Winslow's questions brought the
fact that the compartment forward of the wheel
house, where the fire started used a store
room for paints. oils life preservers and all sorts
Of old junk. The witness said that. far he
knew. there were orders against the smok-
ing In or near the compartment Questions by In
spectQr General George Uhler developed the fact
that there orders against the officers or
crew drinking while duty.
we couldn't get a drink at the bar" Weaver
said, in answer to Uher. unless paid for it,
Then you got what you wanted. If you nad the
money!
Certainly
NO FIRE DRILLS ON BOAT.
Weaver testified that the fire drills the General
Slocum consisted simply in lowering one boat from
the dav!t TO the water. He never had seen
stream Of water thrown, the hose taken
down. There had been no fire drill this year he ad-
mitted, although he asserted that the drills had
been held weekly last year
He said further that he never had any in
spection, although he had seen inspector on
board once twice. After laying out the course
of the Slocum a chart. he excused
Daniel O'Neil. Of No. I46 Cherry-st.. a deckhand
the General Slocum who was board the
time o: the fire. declared that he never had seen
a fire drill or a United States inspector on the
steamer He said his tally OF the persons who
board the day OF the disaster showed
that ss2 went on the steamer When the fire was
discovered. the witness said, he to the forward
standpipe and after unreeling the hose, turned on
the water The hose kinked and burst a minute
later. Flanagan. the mate. ordered him couple
another hose but before the could do II. the
flames drove him away.
IGNORANT OF DECKHAND DUTIES
O'Nen said he did not put on a life preserver.
because he did not know how 10 adjust II. He
jumped into a boat which capsized. and later was
pulled out on North Brother Island, where he said
he helped TO rescue eighty a hundred persons.
O'Neil said he employed put life preservers
in the racks before the opened. He said he
found many OF the belts In bad condition and
threw them away In his opinion. those in the
racks were In good condition.
do you mean to say" asked Chairman Murray
that put up those life preservers and that II
never occurre1 to you that might have to show
some how put them on and never learned
how yourself?'
II never learned"-
Mr.. o'Nein. what did you do before going on
the slocum?" Interrupted Mr. Murray Were
you ever a bOat?"
mo. sir
DID he ask YOU what experience Hon Fan had,
Al told him had worked for the Bridgeport
81! what capacity? A.-Truckman
place to 20? A.-No sir
CAPTAINS JUDGMENT SUPPORTED
After recess Weaver was called again TO the Wit
ness chair and questioned by Secretary Smith
about the course taken by the slocum after the
nre was discovered. He testified that he hrst
learned OF the fire when Just east OF the sunker
Meadows. The captain. Weaver said went down
10 see what the fire amounted to- and on return
ing ordered her beached North Brother Island
Q-H0w long would It take you to 20 from tho
place where the fire was discovered to the beach?
4-The tide with your Ayes
On the Il toa X0 Kills, a@yf 5@HsP to put the
sQ-ForeVer? Why: A.-She would have burned
2mIf she hadn't burned. how long would it have
beached other than at North Brother Island!
judgment, Any opinion is that he did the very
best thing possible.
Michael Lee. a fireman for two seasons on the
Slocum. stated that the forward compartment
tanned four barrels of OIL and was the habit
Of the men going down to All their lamps 10 stand
them first a greasy table while they drew the
necessary oil. The witness In the flreroom at
the time the flames discovered, and said he
first saw the flames coming of the forward
cabin on the port side. When he reached the main
deck after the boat beached no was sur
rounded by a shrieking crowd. calling him TO
get life preservers for them.
I took down forty fifty life preservers." he
said. but fast pulled them down they tore
open and the cork spilled OUT
Did you pun the wires down that held up the
asked Secretary Smith.
The wires wouldn't come down. and I pulled tho
life presarVers out
The hearing will be resumed this morning
NO SL0CUM INDICTMENTS YET