New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-17

Officials Charge Yan Schaick 1rith
NegHgence in Not Stopping.

Naval and revenue cutter service officers arc
severe in their condemnation OF the way IN
which Captain Van schaick handled the Gen.
eraI Slocum after the fire broke out Had he
done. they say. what common sense and the
regulations Of the naval and revenue cutter SER
vice demand. brought his boat n t1N stop
until the FIRE had been extinguished. not life
would have been lost. Under specified heavy
penalties for the breaking OF the regulation the
commander Of every government boat. when a
fire Is discovered on board. must bring his vessel
TO a full stop until the fire is extinguished or
beyond control This order rigidly adhered to
in the service, has saved the lives OF hundreds
Of sailors
Captain Van schaick did the most senseless
thing man could do when he jammed the
General sIocum ahead full speed said an Of
fcer in the revenue service yesterday "A man
OF his experience should have known better. In
one of HIS length Of service such an action was
criminal. With the strong wind blowing OF
the Sound directly over the bows Of the Slo-
cum, and the boat rushing against IT. he could
not have destroyed the boat quicker had he
wished to do so. He has been criticised for
beaching his boat where he did. but that was
about the only place where he could have done
it. But whether he beached the Slocum on
North Brother Island or could have done 1t else
where is not the question. The place where he
beached her is not what ne should be criticised
for. but he should be made 70 explain why he
ran the steamer a mile or directly into the
teeth of the wind. Had he stopped with the
fire fighting apparatus on board. which the
steamboat Inspector had Investigated and ap-
proved and which must have been in good
condition. he could have easily extinguished the
small fire forward. Instead of that he put on
full speed. with the wind rushing the flames AFT
along the dry woodwork and creating a draught
that fired the whole steamer in five minutes
No other term than criminal can be applied TO
I such course
| Next Tuesday there will be an investigation
| into the burning of the Slocum in the office Of
the Board OF United States Steamboat Inspec-
tors in the Whitehall Building Yesterday
| Nevada N Stranahan. Collector of the Port.
| sent communication TO General Dunont. SUI
pervising inspector of steam vessels In this porr
asking for a conference to-day for the purpose
of making more rigid and effectuaI the inspec-
tion of excursion steamers in regard TO the num-
ber Of passengers carried. The collector OF the
| port has nothing do with the examination OF
the vessels his duty being to enforce the penal
ties for the violations of the laws regarding the
! safety Of the passengers. In hts letter to Cen
eral Dumont. Collector Stranahan said that he
| did not wish to interfere with the duties of the
| inspectors. but that he wanted them to at once
report 20 him any failure to comply with the
United States statutes that they may find in
their investigation of the burning of the SIocum.
in order that he might enforce the penalties
provided by law.
| Robert S. Rode. supervising inspector OF the
| second district. which includes the Port of New
York, visited the wreck as soon as he learned
| OF the accident. to make superficial examina-
! tion. AS he returned he sent detailed
statement TO George Uher supervising inspec-
tor general at Washington, giving the condition
| of the steamer when inspected May 6 by In
spector Henry Lundborg, who had been in the
service only about two months. and the circum-
stances. as he understood them. which led to
the appalling loss Of life.
4 Yesterday morning Mr. Rode said that every