The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-07-06
AWFUL LOSS Of LIFE ATTENDS THE BURNING
Of THE STEAMER GENERAL S0CUM

wheelhouse and jumped to the deck
below. He did what he could to calm
the passengers and to get his crew in
shape to fight the fire. But the hous'
ing of the big three-decker burned like
finder, and there was no stopping the
spread Of the flames.
Policemen, deck hands, Pastor Hass
and men aboard the boat struggled
hard to quiet the panic that seized the
mob of women and children. For a
minute it looked as if the fight against
fire and heat would be successful and
the boat would be beached. Women
strained their babes to their breast
and prayed. Men wept for their very
helpleSsness.
One little boy who had become sep
arated from his parents stood near the
starboard wheelhouSe and was roasted
alive. 1t was a relief to the others
when that section of the deck collapsed
and the little fellow fell in with it into
the vortex of fire beneath.
With relentless fury the flames con-
tinued their sweep aft. 1t was more
than humanity could stand. Those in
front pushed backward, and those in
the real were against the rail and as
far as they could go without jumping
overheard. So great was the jam that
many who would have taken their
chances in the water were prevented
from doing so. They were wedged in
tight, and became merely part of the
sea Of agoniZed faces, some turned to-
ward the wall of fire and some toward
heaven.
The lifeboats hung in their davits
useless. Because Of the crowds, the
fire, and the fact that the Slocum was
under a full head of steam, it was i'm
possible, the crew said, to get them in
the water. Many who got life.preser-
yers did. not know how to put them
on or found them snatched from their
hands.
Finally the panic-stricken passengers
began leaping overheard. to struggle
in the wake of the ire-swept steam
boat. A woman with a baby held high
above her head led the way and dog
ems followed them. Men who realized
there was absolutely no hope of saving
the steamboat from destruction actually
picked their wives and children up and
threw them into the river, preferring
they should drown rather than remain
on board and suffer the slow torture
of being roasted alive. Many Of these
husbands followed their loved ones
and did what they could to keep them
afoat. In many instances entire fam
lilies were wiped out before the rescu-
ing craft, which were hurrying from
all directions, could reach them. Doz-
ems Of those who were in the water
safe in the possession Of li~fe-preserv-
ers were drowned ~ others who, fran
tic from fright, grasped them and
dragged them beneath the water.
In this pitiful crisis came the first
disaster. Strained by the weight Of
hundreds pressing against it the after
rail gave way.
A human avalanche swept into the
river.
Then chaos reigned aboard the boat.
With awful cries hundreds went down
to death. The cries were of despair
and rage. Mothers fought like furies
to save their babes. Husbands fought
for wives.
The trembling crowd stood with
eyes glued on the shore. Anguished
cries for rescue rent the air and were
heard far away. Those far in the rear
struggled with demoniac strength, but
were helpless to save themselves from
being swept into the water. The
scene beggared description.
From the river bank the onlookers
saw the blazing steamer rushing for
ward, leaving in it's wake a black trail
of death. The river was overspread
with black. spots like dancing corks.
Every speck meant a drowning woman
or child. Then echoes to the cries of
horror aboard the boat went up from
those on shore. A fotilla Of craft put
out from either bank to the work Of
rescue.
Hundreds were still aboard the boat
upon the brink of death. They were
huddled on the hurricane deck. A po-
liceman on board said every one was a
raving lunatic. In front of them was
q wall of fire. Behind a tail of drown
ing relatives and friends in the river.
Beneath a blazing furnace.
Frenzied mothers, looking into the
river below saw their children drown
ing beneath their eyes. Many threw
themselves into the water. The deck
was pandemonium. Then it was an
inferno.
While men stood helpless, women
prayed and all eyes turned hopefully
to the fast approaching shore, death
in it's most horrible form-death by fire
came upon them.
Eaten out by the raging flames be-
meath the hurricane deck gave way.
An awful cry and a rush of hundreds
and then everything was enveloped III
q fiery cloud as the deck went down
into the seethins furnace beneath.
With the collapse Of the hurricane
deck the death list from burning and
drowning was swelled appallingly.
Many were shot into the furnace be-
low and others slid off into the water.
The Massasoit ran so close beside the
Slocum that many of the passengers
succeeded in leaping to the safety her
decks afforded.
Many were the individual acts Of he
roism and self-sacrifce. Louise Gail
ing. twelve years old, of Nutley, n. j.,
had gone on the excursion with Mrs.
Gertrude ErkliRg. When the cry OF
fire was raised Mrs. Erklipg was sep
arated from her baby, two years old,
and the Calling girl. Realizing some
Lynched. But Alive.