The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-06-21

city of mourning tonight. On hun
dreds of door knobs fiutter in the
southeast breeze flimsy s;reamers of
crepe, in many instances decked with
white or purple indicating to the pass
ing crowd that the dead within were
brought to an untimely end at the
very threshold of life. But it is not in
the homes where the dead are stretch
ed within their collins that the pangs
of grief are felt most. 1t is instead
in the homes where there are still
missing the happy, lighthearted ones
who left such a short time ago gay
In the belief that they we're to enjoy
a days pleasure on the steamer Gen.
eral Slocum and who have not been
heard from since the fearful holo-
caust which left that steiner a burn.
ing hulk on the rncKs at North Broth
or island
To those whose lost ones have been
recovered the suspense is over, they
have their sorrow and 1t is indeed
deep, but what of the hundreds whose
hopes are still in the East river, or
among the charred remains at the
morgue? Their hearts are dead and
their souls bowed in despair that is
fast maddening many.
Mere words can express but little
of the scenes In many homes in that
small section of the city in which liv-
ed the communicates of St Marks
German Lutheran church whose Sun
day school excursion must go down in
history as the greatest marine horror
of more than half a century. Where
once there were whole families, In
many cases now there Is but one or
two-a sorrowing parent or single
orphaned child. The piteousness of
the tragedy has touched all hearts
and even the toughest denizen of the
east side of the city, awe-struck, sor-
rows with those who sorrow, weeps
with those who mourn.
The story of today so far as the
Slocum disaster Is concerned is a rec
ord OF the deepest pathos. With the
first faint streaks of dawn the search
for bodies began again and tonight still
continues OF those discovered and
landed during the day, the majority
were children and many were so bad
~ CudIIcu 40 W Well uISn UNI SCOShlE-
able
The scenes at the temporary and
permanent morgues can be indicated |
but not told. Men and women, crazed |
by their grief tried suicide 20 end |
their misery; the mayor of the city |
was forced to leave the ecity OF dead" |
almost completely unnamed by the |
sobbing Of those who had Identified |
their loved ones among the mass OF |
victims; divers were overcome with |
the sights they witnessed beneath the !
rushing waters and even the strong !
nerved policemen and coroner's assist
ants, accustomed as they were to !
scenes of terror had to hold them.
selves under stern control to avoid |
breaking down.
CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE
There is little doubt now that Grim
inal negligence was responsible for
this appalling disaster. Just who is
to shoulder the blame will not lie
known for many days, but searching
Investigations are already under way
and the authorities promise that |
neither wealth or station will be per.
mitted to interfere with the ends of |
justice It is thrilling and amazing
story that the mate of the ill.fatcd /
steamer, Edward Flanningan tells.
He swears that he tried to put out |
the fire that he and his subordinates
stretched the three lines of fire hose
with which the Slocum was provided |
and that plenty of water was at hand,
but that the moment the pressure was
applied the lines burst throughout |
their entire length almost absolutely |
worthless. 1t was new hose, he claims
and should his story prove true. some
one Is to blame for fitting this big |
steamer, which daily carried hundreds |
OF unsuspecting passengers, with wa
ter lines that were worse than |
worthless 1t is alleged, for they had |
apparently deceived the sworn agents J
OF the government whose duty it was |
TO inspect "all necessary appliances |
for the safety of passengers" That |
the life belts provided were in most |
cases worthless is the claim of river !
men, some of whom have been sub
poenaed, They claim that many were |
old, the straps had rotted while the
canvas ripped at the touch. Instead |
of being OF solid cork they were, so it.
is@said, what Is known as Compressed |
cork otherwise cork sawdust press.
ed irto cakes and with little natural !
tnoyancy. but the agents OF the
Knickerbocker Steamship company
say they were passed by the govern
ment inspector" and this seems to
have bcen so. If the inspector was
derolict In his duty he will be punish
ed A searching inquiry will be made
by Secretary of the Department OF
Commerce and Labor Cortelyou ard !
he says every responsibility will be