The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-09-24
inspectors Make Lengthy State.
ment Of Findings on Slocum
Disaster of Last June.
IGNORANCE COMPETENCE
Loss Of Nearly One Thousand
Lives Attributed 10 Lack Of
Discipline and Common
Sense.

port has just been made public OF an
investigation by the local board OF
steamboat inspectors into the General
Slocum steamer disaster which oc-
CURED In the east river last June and
cost nearly 1000 lives The report is
signed by James A. Dumont and
Thomas II. Barrbett and IL addressed
TO Supervising Inspector Robert s.
Rode. II concludes by announcing
upon authority vested In the board by
the federal statutes the revocation Of
the officers licenses OF those aboard
the Slocum ms follows:
William H. Schaick. master and pilot;
Edward Van Wart pilot, and BenJa-
min +. conklin. chief engineer.
Briefly summarized the principal
points Of the boards report are:
"Thut the fire was discovered at the
upper end Of the sunken Meadows and
that North Brother island was the near
est available point TO beach the steam
ship.
THAT life preserving appliances in
the vessel were inadequate but had the
Slocum been supplied with a greater
number not another life would have
been saved because OF tho ignorance
and incompetence OF the crew.
THAT there was an absolute lack OF
discipline on the part OF the crew be-
cause OF the negligence OF the master
and OF the pilot.
"That fire drills had been neglected
and that had the crew been trained az
the law requires such a disaster would
have been almost inconceivable.
THAT one OF the crew In his ignor-
ance. added to the IncIpient flames by
throwing thereon an empty bag which
had contained charcoal.
THAT the chief engineer was gross
ly negligent when notified of the fire
In that he did not see that the hose
had been connected and the water
turned on"
The investigation began July and
was delayed considerably by the in
juries of Captain Van Schaick, which
confined him to the hospital. Under the
law the board only took up the con-
duct of the vessels licensed officers.
The other phases OF the disaster were
Investigated by a special commission
appointed on the request of President
Roosevelt and consisting of General
Wilson of the army. and Commander
Winslow OF the navy. This commission
has not yet made public its report. The
inspectors say they heard 2S wit
nesses. Twelve others were subpoenaed
but failed to appear, among them Cor
oner Berry. The report reviews evil
dence given by river captains and ex-
pert East river pilots and continues;
"a few minutes after the master was
made aware through the speaking tube
In the pilot house that the Slocum was
on fire he gave orders to the pilot tc
beach the vessel on North Brother ISL
and. That order was obeyed and the
steamer was beached probably with
In three minutes.
in the face of the evidence we car
not In justice arrive at any conclu-
sion on this point other than that the
unfavorable criticism passed upon
Captain Van Schaick for not having
beached his steamer at some other
point than where he did was wholly
unmerited."
The second engineer Brandow,. Is
highly praised for remaining at his post
and manipulating the machinery. Cap
tains and crews OF river craft who aid