The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-06-15

55s5fe
NEW YORK, June. 15.-The most
horrible holocaust that has occurred
sins New York harbor in years, TOOK
place this morning in Long Island
sound when, the tripple-deckz steam
boat General s1ocum, belonging to the
SSnickerbocker Steamboat Company,
carrying about 1,500 excurslonists,
,ocstIy8 women and children, was burn
sad to the waters edge. At noon the
8 best estimate placed the number OF
those who lost their lives at between
Two hundred and three hundred
About fifty bodies had been recovered
at that time, and the police, tug
S:Y,o3tS and stea mers and small boats
were out in the sound looking for
others. A dozen ambulances, score
s.pf persons, a nurse and all the police
reserves in the city were on the scene
TO rescue the bodies Of the dead and
ssuccor the living and injured.
The SIocum had been engaged for
sunday IS chooI excursion by st.
2Marls.s Lutheran Church., located on
East Sixth street, between Second
avenue and the Bowery. As usual
with affairs of this kind, the party
was largely made up OF women and
children. AT z O'Clock this morning
the boatwas moored to the pier, and
soon after the happy stream OF moth-
sers with their children, made Their
way aboard the capacious steamer.
Nine O'Clock was fixed as the sailing
sine. and when that hour came cap
tain SyanSchack, a veteran among nav
SIgatorss in New York waters, gave the
signal and the boat pulled: away from
the pier. It was planned to spend
several hours at Locust Grove, pic
mic resort on Long Island Sound, ana
the Slocum headed up the East river
towards Long Island Sound. All went
well unt1Izthe boat had passed through
Hell Gate, and was nearing North
Brothers Island. Then the JOY and
ssInerriment was: quickly turned TO
panic by the cry of fire.
FLAMES had been discovered among
i1he life preservers, but how and
when they started no one has as yet
been found who can say.
The burning life presewers We're
torn from their resting places ana
tshrown overheard in an endeavor TO
smother the flames.
This fact added greatly to the loss
INF life. as it was remarked afterwards
that the bodies recovered from the
water, not even in a case, was wrap
ped in this life saving apparatus
The flames spread with terrible
I. rapidly while men, women and emil
-dren We're running about in WIG 1ear
and shrielling in tears, seeking ma
ven of safety. Mothers, as the names
y grew near, gathered their children
into their arms and leaped into the
water Others seemed too dazed to
move, and the flames licked up ana
about them, and burned them to death.
The great bulk stood by the boat
until she neared the shores OF the
island where the water was shoaler,
thinking that here they might find a
chance for life.
eye witness states that as the
boat neared the shore, she was sur
rounded on all sides by the floating
& bodies of her passengers who had
Jumped for life. On North Brothers
island, is located the Hospital fol-
Contagious diseases, and some other
city institutions. The employees and
few other people on the island did
what they could with small boats
sgrap1ing hooks and RATS, they pulled
q ashore scores of people, many OF them
3 bIackened by the fire. The city was
teIephoned to for aid, but it was more
than an hour before the first relief
arrived
The steamer Massasoit and a few
Il IS tug-b to be in the yicin
s1ty and t1sy saved a number of people
who had jumped overheard. Later
55Sthe Massasoit was pressed into ser
vice by the police and took from North
Brothers Island a number Of the dead seil
ID ured and others saved, and hur ,'rrr
sried to the New ork * side 5 81 s'i
the riVsfs z landing t hem at the foot fcoee
Df one Hundred and IS Ih iglhhtth gslhrt