Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-17


New York, June 16.-When the
dreadful details of the Gen. SlOcum
disaster is fully told-when the last
blackened body has been taken from
the burned hulk and the swift waters
Of He'll Gate give up their dead, the
catastrophe will take it's place as the
most appalling that has ever occurred
in the inland waters of America. Def
mite figures on the loss of life cannot
yet be given. That more than 500 per-
sons persisted is horrible certainty
but how much in excess of that num-
Der the total will run will only be
known when the missing" column is
finished.
All during the night and through the
early dawn of Thursday the sad work
of exploring the Slocum's hull went on
and from dock to mOrgue the sad pro-
cession of ambulances, each with it's
pitfful load wound it's way from the
river to the morgue at the foot of 26th
street, until at noon 504 bodies lay
on the slab. ~
Most of these came from the wreck,
Jul lhC might iciie3 peitioi VI thO "dtCio
OF East river added it's CHASTITY quota.
There are many bodies still in the
hold of the burned vessel according to
the divers and wreckers, but the river
| is looked to to complete the list. How
| many, preferring death by drowning to
the agony of death by fire, went over
| the rail never to rise again, during the
| mad race of the vessel for the beach
will probably never be known for the
| treacherous waters of Hell Gate do not
| willingly give up their victims.
Unlike the Iroquois theatre and other
great catastrophes of recent years
| " here the woe of the disaster reached
throughout the land, the blow Of the
Slocums mortality falls practically
| upon one little neighbOrhOod of great
city. st. Marks parish, which fur
nished nearly every victim, lies within
10 crowded blocks of the middle East
side and therein there is hardly Il house
| that is not one of mourning. The MEM
bership of the little Lutheran church is
practically German or of German
descent and all of them comparatively
well-to-do class.
In the 10-minute race of the burning
steamer from the moment the fire was
discovered until her bows crashed on
the shelving beach of North Brother is
land there We're many deeds of hero
ism which make the one bright chapter
in the heart-rendering story. Brave
men, devoted mothers and even maid
ems and youths of tender years each
contributed their part to the roll of he
Thnrn in the
| face of almost certain death and use
less but exalted Self-Sacrifice for dear
ones.
The credit for the greatest saving of
! life is due to the hardy tugboat men
and other followers of the river who
braved the flames and held the noses
of their boats against the fire-wrapped
steamer until driven off by the awful
heat scorched and choking. Dead
bodies of women were found with their
! burned arms clasping close the pitiful
forms Of little children and babies were
found, their tiny arms enfolding each
other in the stiff embrace of death.
But there is a darker side limited all
all along the riverside where there is
told stories which seem to be the inev-
table accompaniment of all great ca
lamities There has been no evidence of
q character specific enough to fasten
| it upon individuals and permit of pun
ishment, but survivors and eye wit
nesses say that some brutal acts of
selfishnesS and cOwardice on the part
of the Slocum's crew were seen and
that distress signals from the burning
boat were disregarded by passing craft.
One man AYERS that a big white yacht
passed the Slocum when the bodies of
women and children were going over
board and did not even slacken speed.
According to this man the yacht flew
the pennant of the New York Yacht
Club, but she also flew the absent pen
nant, indicating that the owner was
not on board. After passing the Slo-
cum the yacht steered over to the west
ern shore and hove to, while on her
bridge a man in uniform with binocu-
lars to his eyes watched the vessel
burn.
Even more horrible than this and SIM
ilar acts of incredible callousness is the
story of Miss Martha Weirk, who says
that while she was struggling in the
| water a boat drew alongside of her and
! the men on board after stripping her of
her rings and other jewelry pushed her
back into the water. The body of the
steward had been rifled when found and
of several hundred dollars he was sup
posed to have in his pockets, not cent
was found
There is open criticism of the failure
of the Slocum's officers and crew to
meet the emergency but as yet no for
NAL action has been taken by either
the municipal or federal authorities.
Capt. Van Schaeck and the two pilots