The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-15
500 DIE BY fire AND WATER

perish in these whirlpools before he
could reach them.
The excursion was in charge of the
social committee of the church headed
by Miss May Abendschien. In the
minister's party, his son said, were
the pastor, Miss Abendschien, Assist
ant superintendent Carl Anger, VIII
liam Schlafer, the pastors daughter,
Gertrude, his sister, Miss Emma Haas,
and w. B. Tetamore.
Inspected May 3.
At the Office of the United States
steam boat inspection bureau it was
said the General Slocum was inspected
May 5, and was reported to be in a
thoroughly good condition and ready
for the exursion season Aboard
the steamer was all the life
saving apparatus required by law of
steamers of her capacity. The Gen
era1 Slocum's licensed captain is Cap
tain w. H. Van Schaiclx, one of the
oldest excursion captains in New York
harbor waters.
Captain Stuck to the Wheel.
The captain stuck to his post at the
wheel and headed the vessel straight
up the river for North Brothers island,
where she was put aground in the shall
low water. Several hundred feet of
open water still lay between the burn
ing steamer and the shore and many
persons perished either in the water
or on the burning vessel after sne had
been beached. 1t was estimated that
the steamer carried more than 1000 per
sons. She was the largest excursion
steamer in these waters and could carry
$500 passengers.
Brothers island. / 8 on the fire boat
Zephyr Mills and II on Rickers is
land. The board of health has sent
1000 doctors and 500 policemen are on
The SIocum sailed from the foot of
Third street, East river, shortly after
8 o'clock. The exact point she had
reached when the fire was discovered
in the forward part of the boat, was
off the "Sunken Meadows at the ex-
treme east end of Randalls island So
quick was the spread OF the names
that the captain of the Slocum could
not turn and was forced to make
head on for North Brothers island
under full steam.
BY the time the Slocum reached
135th street the excursiOnists, driven
to the rail- many of them with their
board by tWos and threes. When
13Sth street had been reached, the
heat from the fire had become so in
tense that men, women and children
plunged overheard by the score. There
was terrific crash when the boat
was beached.
Burned to Waters Edge.
The boat was beached at the reef
at the northern edge of North Broth
ers island, where she rapidly burned
to the waters edge
It is said the fire started in the lunch
counter in the forward part of the
boat When the alarm spread among
the passengers the hurricane deck was
crowded and when off 13Sth street this
deck collapsed. Many persons were
thrown into the water, but hundreds
were precipitated into the lower deck
which was itself a, mass of women and
children.
| A tug of the New York Central rail-
road saved nearly a score through the
/ heroism of some unknown man. This
man stood on the paddle wheel box o.
| the SlOcum and passed women and
| children to the tug until he was driven
| back by the flames. He then jumped
/ into the tug himself. Neither police nOI
hremen when they arrived waited to re
move coats or clothes but jumped over
4 board and saved a great many who
/ would otherwise have drowned.
Many of the bodies were horribly
burned Wreckers say that it will be
hours before the fire in the hold OF
I the boat is out and the bodies there
can be recovered. Both hremen and
wreckers say that the greatest loss OF
life, extending into the hundreds viii
| be found in the hold.
Many Burned Still Live.
/ When police headquarters received
the first vague report of the disaster
every source of succor and aid was
utilized. Inc nOSplIdlS were nOlil1eC
by telephone, and each sent all avail
able surgeons, nurses and ambulances
to the scene
The police reserves of a. half dozer
stations were hurried out, and more
than fifty patrol wagons were SEN
for ambulance purposes.
North Brother island, where the
Slocum was beached, is occupied by
municipal charity hospitals, and E
considerable number of physicians
and nurses were Immediately avail
able.
Many of those picked up alive IL
the river will die in the hospitals
Most of them were frightfully burned
having delayed leaving the boat un
til their clothing was on fire Some
died in the improvised ambulances il
which they were hurried from thu
shore. Every man on board who
could swim went overheard loaded
down with children. Many of thest
heroes lost their lives, because bur
dened as they were they could max,
no headway against the overpoWerini
swirl of the tide as it rushes from
the East. river into the sound
John EdeIl's Experience.
John Edell, p years of age, one o
the survivors of the disaster, gave tn
following account of his terrible ex
perience, his mother and little brothe
being drowned before his eyes:
! when we left the pier the deck