Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-06-17

List Of Victims Of the Disaster to General
Sl0cum Double the First Estimate. !

1g - l,
maidens anu youths Of tender years,
each contributed their part to the roll
OF heroic acts. There were rescues III
the face of almost certain, death and
useless but exalted self-sacrifice. The
credit for the greatest saving Of life
10 due to the hardy tugboat men ano
other followers of the river, who
brayed flames and held the noses of
their boats against the fire wrapped
steamer until driven OF by the awful
heat, scorched and choking Dead
bodies OF women were found with their
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 darker side limited at
along the river front, where are told
stories that seem to be the inevitable
accompaniment of all great calami.
ties There has been no evidence of q
character specific enough to fasten it
upon individuals and permit of pun
1shment, but survivors and eyewit-
nesses say that some brutal acts Of
selffshness and cowardice on the part
of the s1ocum's crew were seen and
that distress signals from the burning
boat were disregarded by passing craft.
One man AYERS that 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 few
the pennan: of the New York Yacht
club. ~ 7
Even more horrible than this and
03roi1or octc IF irorod}h1o ool1nucroces
Is the story of Miss Martha Weirk,
the water boat drew alongside of her
and that the occupants, 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 supposed to have in
his pockets not a cent was found.
OFFICERS AND CREW FAILED
TO MEET THE EMERGENCY.
There is open criticism of the failure
meet the emergency and as yet no for.
NAL action has been taken by either
the municipal or federal authorities.
Captain Van Schaick and the two
pilots are under arrest, but are held
only as witnesses.
That there was terrible failure to
meet the responsibilities is undoubted.
No effort as far as can be learned was
made to launch the liferafts or boats
and no concerted attempt made to-
ward equipping the helpless women
and children with life preservers. But
few of those rescued and few of the
bodies recovered from the river had
ON life preservers and, according to
several statements, most of these sup
posed instruments of safety were prac'
tically worthless, either coming apart
when attempt was made to use them or
not possessing the buoyancy they are
supposed to have. ,Z.5.5 .>s5%
There is very general criticism OF
the captain and pilots for their failure
% turn the vessel ashore the moment
they were tnforme ed that the. fire had
gained Roadway. Captain Van Schaick
has made several statements, varying
In detail, but none of them is consid.
cred as satisfactory. Il Pilot Van Wart.
however, said that he could not dock
the vessel because all of her hawsers
We're burned. @:5S$$$$%
The scenes at the bureau of infor.
nation, which has been established in
st, Marks Lutheran church, were
pathetic, in the extreme. There is a
constant stream OF people and now
and again, as some one is informed
that the loved one for whom he or she
Is seeking IL among the dead a cry of
grief is.heard.
The wreck of the General Slocum
lies about 300 feet OF Barettos point,
with the bow pointing to the south.
west and only a portion of the one
paddlewheel box above water. Two
floats are made fast to the bow of the
boat and divers are continually going
down into the water. Later In the
day they will so under the wreck
when the tide turns, and it is thought
they will find great many victims
there, as this was the side on which
the crowd was. Eli j.: !. ..:>
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