New-York tribune., 1904-10-17
THE GOVERNMENT ACTION
Commission Made Thorough In
UeStigdtiOn.

NNobess URN"
On June 23. 1904. eight days after the disaster.
she FEDERAL Commission OF Investig gation upon
the disaster 70 the steamer General slocuul"
vas appointed by George 3. Cortelyou. then
Secretary Of Commerce and Labor. The COM
mission WAS constituted as follows; Lawrence
o. MURRAY assistant Secretary Of Commerce
and Labor lerbert Knox Smith deputy COM
Enissi0re- lt corporations. George Chler, super
vfsing inspector general OF the Steamboat In
guecrion Service; Brigsdier General John NJ.
wilson, L s. A. retired and Commander Cam
eron ALcR. Winslov. L. S. n. Mr.. Murray vac
na1>eG as chairman Of the commission: Mr..
Enith was chosen secretary
The commission was directed by Secretary
Co-tzlyou 10 make q thorough investigaion OF
the disaster 70 the General slocum and of other
matters bearing upon the safety ot passenger
traf5e on The nsvigable waters Of the United
States. and 10 make a full report. accompany
ing such report by recommendations for such
6epzrtuenraI or legislative action IS might be
REQUIRED for The better protection Of life and
property. After is appointment the conrrlis-
sion was at work almost unlnterr1ptedly The
hearings before the commission were held prin-
cipauy il NewzTork City. but much OF It's work
was done IN Washington. The testimony in the
case covered about 2O00 typewrirten pages. and
included more than forty exhibits. The com
MISSION Nl0--J WITHOUT --L2lhl-~-SoL9 h'ff-9
70 inforce the attendance Of witnesses for the
production Of evidence. This condition proved
al times q serious hindrance 70 the progress Of
the work.
The report of the commission Is elaborate and
exhaustive, consisting OF q pamphlet Of sixty
TWO printed pages. containing about $1,000
words. Il is divided into i've chapters, in which
are considered the appointment and proceedings
of the commission. the disaster; departmental
action as 10 the SIaa mboat Inspection Service
previous 70 the SIocum disaster; the Steamboat
Inspection Service, and the recommendations Of
the commission As an appendix 70 the report
statement IS made by the Department OF JUS
tice OF the criminal proceedings connected with
the Slocum disaster and the life preserver cases
CHARACTER OF THE VESSEL
In the account Of the disaster 1t is shown that
the slocun was owned by the Knickerbocker
Steamboat Company. q Sew-Eork corporation,
which also owned the steamer Grand Republic.
The company has paid no dividends during the
last six years. The SiocUm was inspected last
BY Henry Lundbsrg and John ". Fleming. Nay
=. 1904. and the current certificate Of inspection
at the uIne OF the disaster was Issued on May
e By James A. DUrnOnC. inspector of hulls. and
Thomas A Barrett inspector Cf boilers, the
board or lOca- Inspectors al the port OF New
1rk. Ar elaborate description Of the 6locum
IS given, IL the course OF which Il Il IS stated:
All the upper works OF this vessel were con-
EJrICJed OF light wood and had been painted and
Furnished many times and were, therefore. IN
a highly inramuable condition. In the con-
strucrcn Of the vessel there were no safeguards
against nre other Than compliance with the
regulations as regards the proximity OF wood
work 70 boilers The vessel had no frsproof
hatches or oulkheads and was built entirely q
wood"
The General Slocuru was built TO carry a
large number Of excursiorists &. 500 allowed by
law. and in her design there was apparently
no consideration whatever given - the question
of inhammabiliry In such a vessel a Ere once
nh ~-f ~-s-Gr rrf IL
rrolled and the vessel would be quickly con-
Eurued. as eEemplffed in the case or the General
slocunl- There are many similar vessels doing
s1IF-ee N me waters OF The United States, the
construction Of which is quite IS dangerous as
mat ot the Slocurn and unless this kind Of con-
h-fuc-on sHal oe proh1Dlted or modified by law
me safety Cf -aEgs number of passengers car
rleQ Dy excursion steamers and steamers plytny
On the inland waters Of the United States can
10y oe assured Ia the narrative Of the dis
sster long consideration is given OF the origin
- ne nre ana ot the probable place Of its first
s5-sCoFefy. On board The vessel, al the time Of
a1I.slgenL exclusive Of officers and crew,
Nsre Loue Passengers. not over 10 per cent OF
---il we're mel The rest We're women and
N-----f Kenmore children than women.
l1e nrs started in the Sorgard cabin So
-a-iec BENG The third compartment under the
----tA Geek from the bow. and probably origi-
nared IN barrel containing packing hay which
Vas 70 thzt compartment one Of the barrels
gbea Ior bar glasses and brought on board by
--e ctarterers- Fire was probably communi-
cElec 10 this barrel through the carelessness
o. some unknown person"
VIZ nlanfnable material. a large amount Of
OF 1eng among its contents. II was lighted
Dy e-ecIrlclry, but lamps were filed and burned
t-- e-- tle crew frequently lighted matches
Z. me compartment. On the morning Of the
disaster Walter Payne the colored porter. filed
ne amps IN the cabin As there was not SUI
lclenL light IN the cabin. lie lighted 2 1arp
uslCga match he blew the match out and threw
y on me bench" Later. an oller from the en-
slne room entered the abin. using as a light
A. open torch The commission saws on this
point: The condition Of this cabin with the
purpose for which II was used, constitutes one
OF tie essential facts OF negligence contributing
u the disa.ter."
POOR MEANS OF FIGHTING FIRE.
The apparatus Of the vessel for fighting fire
Is described al length. The forward waive OF
ne standpipe which was nearest TO the place
q the origin Of the fire. was about thirty feet
nom the entrance 70 the forward cabin. This
-orEaro valve and standpipe were supplied with
1S1-foot length Of cheap Unlined, linen hose
costing probably less than twenty cents a foot
- unknown, but probably several wears old
tae rest Of the FIRE apparatus on the main deck
p-lslEted Of the after valve Of the SAID stand
ppe two hand fire pumps. located respectively
ln lne bow and IN the stern and some tvyer4yy
IRE buckets IN the forward gaugway None
= y this remaining apparatus used and rba
IRE buckets were empty"
Upon the discovery u the FIRE by the crsv,
ne Eo-called mate. Edward Flanagan in
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