Evening journal., 1904-06-17
EIGHT HUNDRED
KNOWN TO Be DEAD
The Latest Estimate Of Loss
In He'll Gate Disaster.
BODIES RECOVERED NUMBER 5e2

Heartrending Scenes In New Yorl<'s
Lower East Side.
New York, June 1T.-That 800 per
sons perished in the disaster 10 the
General Slocum is the belief of the off
cials who are caring for the dead and
ministering TO the injured. Five hun
dred and sixty-two bodies have been
recovered.
The list Of the missing is about ESQ,
but it is probable that this will be re-
duced by Identification of those not
yet recognized and by others reporting
safe, for in the terrible confusion and
excitement following the disaster many
went to their homes without relieving
the anxiety Of friends.
There are forty-nine injured in the
several hospitals, and most Of them
are in a fair way of recovery. When
the grand total Of the dead is made up
the probabilities are that it will not
fall far short Of SO0-the most appall-
ing loss Of life recorded in the history
of marine disasters on the Atlantic.
Many families have undoubtedly been
wiped out for whom no inquiry has
been made and Of whom there is no
record in the list Of missing.
Many Will Mover Be Found.
1t is quite certain that the bodies of
a large number Of the victims never
will be recovered. Scores have been
so burned and mutilated that only frag-
ments of them can exist. Scores more
have been swept away by the swift
tides that swirl through the race of
Hell Gate, asd their bodies have been
carried NJ into the sound or driven
down the East river and borne sea-
ward The hull Of the burned steam
boat is believed TO have been cleared
Of most of its CHASTITY cargo.
The inquest into the disaster will be
opened on Monday. No member of the
crew except those obtained Wednesday
can be found by the coroner, although
he sent a special request 10 the Knick-
erbocker Steamboat company, which
owns the Slocum, to produce these
men.
So far as the investigation into the
accident has progressed it was evident
that much has yet to be made clear
concerning the inspection Of the steam
boat. The men responsible for this
very important duty insist that they
had done their work faithfully, but
there appear 10 be discrepancies in the
various statements. One point TO be
cleared is found in a contradiction con
cerning the life preseryers. The pres
ident Of the company owning the Slo-
cum asserts that new life belts had
been purchased recently for her, while
the manufacturer positively asserts
that the preservers furnished by bis
concern were for the Grand Republic
and not for the Slocum Coroner Berry
declares that life preservers examined
by him We're in poor condition. the can
vas tearing easily and the cork falling
out.
That the responsibility for the affair
will be properly placed is the deter
mination of all officials, federal and
municipal. Mr.. George B. Cortelyou
secretary OF the department of com
merce and labor sent imperative or
ders for an exhaustive investigation in.
to the causes of the accident and par.
ticularly into the condition of the life
preservers.
The Captain Erred.
1t is agreed by q majority of the sur
vivors that Captain Van Schaick made
a desperate and heroic effort TO save
the lives of his passengers. but ex
perienced rivermen are of the opinion
that the suddenness Of the fire and the
fright and confusion which followed
upset bis Judgment and caused him tC
do the very thing which he ought moi
to have done. II has been pointed out
that there are at least three points
whore he might have run the craft in
to shoal water and been within reacl
of help from shore and close to 6
fiotilla OF boats that were rushing tC
the rescue. but either dazed by tn,
situation and out of his head entirely
or believing that the only salvation
was to reach North Brother island hs
passed Wards island after the fire was
discovered. made no attempt to ruT
close to the Astoria shore and steereC
away from the sunhen meadows. which
the Seawanhaka sought twenty-foul
yeaEs ago. losing less than thirty oI
her passengers.
Scenes that wrung the heart anC
tried the soul were enacted in the dis
trict Of sorrow on the lower east sid'
from dawn until dark yesterday. Th'
waillng Of those who had found thei
dead blended with the laments of thosl
who were mourning for missing love,
ones Of whom they could obtain n,
trace.
Mourning In Hundreds Of Homes.
From hundreds of thresholds fiutter
ed the insignia Of death. Is some in
stances It was somber black and il
others black and purple. but in ma
jority of cases it was black and white
showing how deeply the flames on thl
General Slocum had cut into the child
hood Of that part Of the cay and how
pitilessly the chill waters Of Hell
Gate had dealt with those who haC
plunged into them TO escape death b!
burning. Flags were at half stat
everywhere, aud most Of them were
draped heavily. The fronts Of club
houses were hidden by black draperiei
that evinced the sympathy OF theii
members for those who had been be
reaved Throngs were massed all da,
IN front OF the center Of information
Woe and sympathy were apparent ev
erywhere.