Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-06-17
SIX HUNDRED KILLED.
New York Excursion Steamer Burned
With Picnic Party Aboard.

: one Of the most appalling disasters
In the history OF New York was that
OF yesterday In the East river within
a short distance OF the New York
shore when by the burning to the
waters edge OF the General Slocum,
Ia thiee-d decked excursion steamer
more than 600 persons, the majority
OF whom We're women and children,
We're burned To death or drowned by
jumping overheard, or by being
thrown into the whirlpools by the.
lurching OF the vessel.
Great preparations had been made
for the 18th annual excursion of the
4 Sunday school of ST. Marks Ger
man Lutheran church, the congrega-
| tion of which is drawn from the dense
/ population of the lower east and west
sides and the General Slocum had
been chartered to carry the excur-
sionists to Locust Grove, one of the
many resorts on Long Island Sound.
II is yariously estimated that there
We're between 1900 and $500 persons
ON board the steamer when IL left the
pier al Third street. The excursion
was In charge of the pastor of the
church, Rev. George c. F. Haas. and
the vessel was commanded by Capt.
William Van Shaick, well-known
excursion boat captain
When the steamer reached point
at Sunken Meadows, a fire started in
lunch room on the forward deck,
caused by the overturning of pot of
grease. high wind famed the blaze
into instant fury which could not be
subdued and the captain tried TO
make a landing but could not on ac-
count of the proximity of lumber
yards and oil tanks. He finally
beached the vessel on North Brother
Island where it burned to the waters
edge.
In the meantime the passengers
had become panic-stricken and those
who were not caught by the flames
rushed TO the stern of the vessel,
where hundreds jumped overheard
into the swiftly running water It is
alleged that the life preservers were
too securely fastened to their hold
ings TO be available, but even if they
could have been torn down, they were
too high up for the children to reach.
Il is also alleged that no attempt was
made TO get out the fire apparatus at
the first cry of fire" though Capt.
Van Schaick says that he Immediately
-ang the bells for getting out the ap-
According to several state
nents, no attempt was made to lower
1oats or life RATS. The scene was
me of frightful panic. Tugs and
mail craft followed close in the Slo-
,ums wake and rescued all who
anne within reach of their crews. The
Gene on North Brother Island as de-
cribed by the rescuers was a pitiful
me. Body after body was washed
shore or brought in by boats and
dded to the long row on the beach
FOR hours the bodies of the burned
nd the drowned drifted ashore on the
sland and between One Hundred and
first street and One Hundred
nd Thirty eighth streets in Manhat-
an. About 500 bodies have been re-
overed and are at the morgues OF
hospital and Harlem. Divers
-ere employed to take bodies from
he hold of the vessel which was
hoked with bodies and hundreds VINO
.aped or We're thrown into the river
ave not been recovered. The upper
eek of the vessel fell, half-burned,
many. Men, women and
nildren in the panic, fought fiercely
,r their lives The members of the
'ew have been arrested and are held
5 witnesses.