Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-18
FILLED WITH BODIES
Diver Makes Gruesome Dis
covery in Search Today.
RIVER HOLE rs PACKED
REPORT SHOWS 5es VICTIMS Re-
COVERED TO DATE.
Number of Missing Estimated at $50
Hospitals Contain SO Sufferers
-Hearses Occupy Streets.
RIVER HOLE Is PACKED

NEW YORK, June 1S-More than sew
entytwo hours after the smoldering wreck
of the big excursion steamer General Slo-
cum had sunk off Hunts Point, In tho
East river, the full extent of the disaster
| to the st. Marks Lutheran Sunday school
picnickers had not been learned.
Out of the nearly sixteen hundred pleas
ure-seeking women and children who board
ed the steamer on Wednesday morning the
| bodies of 08S have been recovered, while
more than 900 others are In the list OF
missing, and the search for them is con-
tinued along the shores and on the islands
| of the East river, while divers regularly
relieve each other in the sunken hulk and
wherever under water there seems a possi-
bilty of finding any victims of the disaster.
The relief funds will have a large addi-
ton from the city treasury, resolution
| for the issuance of $4,000 In bonds for the
succor of the distressed victims OF the
accident having been introduced today,
action being deferred because of the alb.
| sence of the required number of alder.
men to pass such a resolution.
Mayor Mcclellan today authorized the
police commissioner TO contract with
wrecking company to raise the hull OF
| the General Slocum, thereby ending the
| dispute which had arisen between the un-
derwriters in charge Of the wreck and the
| wreckers. Work will be started at once,
| and 1t is believed many more bodies will
| be recovered. At the same time the disA
| trict attorney hopes to learn more def.
| nitely whether there any culpable
negligence on the part of the owners or
| crew OF the steamer
| A Divers Story.
A diver who, today renewed the search
for victims of the steamer General Slocum
| disaster, found deep hole in the bed OF
| the river practically filled with bodies.
| Within an hour after the search was begun
| eight bodies Lad been brought to the sur
! face and when he was forced to abandon
work for a time because of the swift cur
| rent he stated that between thirty and
fifty bodies still remained in the hole.
| The diver searching along the river
bottom, and had reached point near the
foot of the sloping lawn on North Brother
Island, where the bodies OF the nrst Vlc-
| Tins of the tragedy were laid last Wednes-
| day, when he found several bodies lying
| together, and at first the diver supposed
| there were no more than half dozen In
| the pile. but upon removing several he
| found a great hole in the river bed literally
packed with dead.
He says that no less than thirty moro
| bodies will be found when the tide again
| turns and permits resumption of work.
| This number he says, may be greatly ex-
ceeded. One of the bodies taken from the
water today that of a woman, wrapped
| or entaRgled in a large American flag
Number of Dead and Missing.
After the lapse OF tHTee DAYS siICe tIo
| disaster, the most carefully collected data
show that five hundred and sixty-eight
| bodies have been recovered up to this time.
Based on the same data the list of miss
| ing today was estimated at 800, while fifty
| three victims of the disaster were in hos
| pitfalls slowly recovering from their injuries.
Elaborate arrangements had been made by
| the police fer the handling of the crowds
| that were expected to attend the many
! funerals in the stricken district today. SO
| far as could be learned plans had been
| made for the burial of III bodies from
| homes in the vicinity of st. Marks Church.
| The arrangements include services In thlr-
| ty-seven churches of all denominations IN
| that neighborhood.
Twenty-three sergeants, ten roundsmen
and 400 policemen were detailed to attend
| the funerals, ten policemen, in charge or 3
sergeant and roundsman, being stationed
| at each church. Commissioner McAdoo had
| issued instructions that the police use as
| little force as possible in handling the
| crowds, and they did not carry the batons
which usually form part OF their accou-
| termentS.
Undertakers' Difficulties.
Considerable difficulty had been expert
enced by the undertakers who have con-
tracted for the burial of the bodies in Sc
curing a sufficient number of hearses and
1t became necessary to call on Jersey CITY,
Newark, Hoboken and various places In
Westchester county in order to supply the
demand.
In accordance with the German custom.
the people who were obi ged to be out OK
doors passed through the streets In the
stricken district with barred heads. Busi-
ness was practically suspended and nearly
every store was drapcd In black The
streets were literally filled with hearses.
The funerals began at an early hour, ana
at times the streets were completely block
ed and traffic of other nds was imposst.
BILE Every church in the vicinity was nlled
| (nar xFyrN.aH
of the greater city have left their own con-
Rregations and come down to the bereaVeo
district to do what they could to give spir-
itual consolation to the afflicted.