Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-16

10 De All eAplOSlOll. EFefyDOuy SCIedAHeu
and some men assisted women to put
on life preservers, while others APP
peared to be excited and were unable
to do anything.
81 got on one side of the" he said,
land tried to quiet people in which l
succeeded to an extent. A few minutes
lates the upper deck gave way and 1
way carried down with the others in
to the water. 1 managed to swim to a
dock on North Brother island"
Patrolman Kill had a similar exper-
fence. He said he tried to quiet the
passengers on his deck. but could not
and when the decks gave way he fell
into the water with them, swimming
to the dock. where he and Van Tassel
pulled number of persons from the
water.
Rev. George G. F. Haas, the pastor
of the church, was saved, but his wife.
Gertrude, and his daughter, Anna, are
among the dead. Mr. Haas told this
story Of the disaster:
THE fire started in the kitchen in the
forward part, when we were off 134th
street. I understand that some fat that
boiled over started the blaze.
"At that time most of the women and
children We're damned in the rear end
of the boat where the band was playing.
''Why the captain did not point the
boat for the Meadows l do not under
stand. He kept on and the fresh wind
from the Sound drove the fire back
through the decks with lightning ra-
pidity. In three minutes from the time
the fire started all the decks were
ablaze.
"Such scenes as followed don't think
We're ever witnessed before. I was in
the rear of the boat with my wife and
daughter. Women We're shrieking and
clasping their children in their arms.
Some mothers had as many as three or
four with them.
when the fire shot up the top deck
and drove the crowd back the panic
was terrible to witness. The women
and children chung to the ratings and
stanchions, but could not keep their
holds 1, with my wife-and daughter
were swept along with the rest.
Il believe that the first that fell into
the water We're crushed over. When
they went there seemed to be general
inclination to jump. The women and
children went over the ratings like
flies.
I'm the great crush many women
tainted and fell to the deck. to be
trampled upon. Little children We're
Knocked down. I got my wife and
daughter out on the rail and then we
went overheard. l was in such an eX
pit a1 fat th1t 7 p1hpr
whether we We're pushed over or
jumped. When I struck the water 1
sank, and when l rose there were
scores about me fighting to keep afloat.
One by one l saw them sink around
me. But I was powerless to do any
thing.
" With n great effort I managed to
keep afloat, but my strength was about
gone when man on one of the tugs
picked me up"
The following Geographic message
from President Roosevelt has been re-
ceived by Pastor Haas:
Accept my profound sympathy for
yourself, your church and your congre-
CATION.
(Signed) Theodore Roosevelt"
The surging crowd, tonight, is
held back by police lines, form
ing about the city morgue at the
foot of East Goth street. The crowd
began to gather as soon as it be-
came rumored about the city that
the dead would be brought to Manhat-
tan from North Brother Island and
other places where at first they had
been taken. When the Massassoit came
to dock with S. dead the work of re-
moving the bodies from the steamer
proceeded slowly until no more room
was found inside the morgue and the
autopsy room was cleared and the
biackened and distorted bodies were
placed on the floor there.
When finally the morgue authori-
ties allowed the crowd to enter the
mOrgue, n scene ensued which was
narrowing in the extreme. In some
cases first identifications would be
found to have been erroneous, men
laying claim to bodies they afterwards
discovered were not those of their rela-
tives.
At the entrance to the Charities Pier
Ut tne lou OIL I4dSC Z3tn StTeeC tlt
crowd, tonight, tried to push past the
police and a riot resulted. At the
height of the trouble a man who had
learned that his wife was among the
charred dead. tried to stab himself.
Inside the pier the bodies were ar
ranged in three rows extending the
entir length of the pier, or $50 feet.
There is hardly a German family on
the middle east side of the city that
is not mourning a dead. an injured
or missing friend or relative.
Charles l.. Storms. who owns the
lumber yard at hath street and the
East River says that the loss Of life
on the General Slocum could have been
averted had the captain steered for
shore when he first discovered the fire.
Il saw the flames on the boat as
she passed 12Sth street, said Mr..
Storms. land I signalled for her to
come ashore. At the same time turn
ed in an alarm and almost Immediate
ly there were engines at the foot of
East 122nd street. If the Slocun had
sv, 1nt