Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-06-16
Today's Telegraphic News
THE LATE MARINE DISASTER

steamboat General SIocum had been re-
covered. The horror grew during the
night. The total number of dead, it is
now estimated will reach at least 800.
Some estimates put it as high as 200.
Griefstricken crowds thronged the NOR
CUES. the vicinity of st. Marks Church
and the shores near the wreck all night
looking for loved ones. The serious
charge is made by survivors that the
steamboat was supplied with rotten life
preservers. The authorities are inyesti-
eating these charges. About two hum
bred and fifty feet from the New York
shore, off what is known as Hunts
Point, the upper part of paddle box,
two smokestacks, scorched flagstaff and
some twisted and bent ironwOrk, all
sticking out of the water at an angle OF
forty-fve degrees, lie the remnants cf
the Inflated General Slocum. Today
there are grave murmurings and charges
that this terrible sacrifice of life was
needless; that the officers Of the boat,
though their bravery is admitted, erred
when they drove the burning vessel
for half a mile before Bleaching her;
that the life belts were rotten and
unservicable and that the construction
of the upper works of the boat was
faulty, inasmuch as they were all OF
wood and gave a free sweep to the
a .1,,,Nl,snt - teaa
of steamboats, all over the country. On
the shore, during the night, there was
always a crowd of anxious fathers and
other relatives of The dead. Half a
dozen divers were at work this morning
As a diver brought body to the surface
a graphing hook was placed under it
and it was raised to the deck of the tug.
Generally, these bodies were burned be-
You'd recognition. When several bodies
were recovered a tug would steam along
side and the dead were transferred.
There corner would tag and number
the corpses, after which they were
placed in plain, white wooden boxes.
When n load was secured the tug would
steam to the foot of east 26th street,
where the pier had been transformed in
to a temporary morgue.
The number of dead, even now, can
only be estimated. Five hundred bodies
had been recovered up to half past nine
O'Clock this morning and every half hour
was adding ten and more to the list.
1t is known that nearly fifteen hun
dred persons boarded the Slocum when
she left her pier at the foot of east 23d
street yesterday morning. Less than five
hundred have been accounted for at the
hospitals and at home. The others are
dead. OF the bodies recovered, one hun
drsd and a few odd had been identified
up to this morning.
District Attorney Jerome has engaged
Fire Marshal Freel to assisthi in max
ing an investigation into the causes of
the accident. 1t is openly charged today
that the life preseryers on board the
General Slocum were worthless.
President Baruaby, of the company
owning the Gen. Slocum, this morning
declared that il any loss of life was due
to defective apparatus the blame rests on
the oyernmentinspectOrs. Barnaby said
that the boat was turned over to them
three weeks ago, after thorough over
hauling, and the government inspectors
reported at that time that everything
had been done to make the boat sea-
worthy and safe. Supervising Inspector
Brodie said this morning that within a
few days an exhaustive inquiry into the
disaster would be held. He said that his
records showed that the boat was proper
ly equipped.
The were many heartrending scenes.
this morning as the dead were recognized
by relatives.
One woman, Mrs Lena Rosski, of No,
337 east Fifth street, after an all night
search among the dead, found her ten.
year-old daughter at the morgue early
this morning. With a wild cry she
dashed for the river and was about to
throw herself over into the water below.
She was seized by policeman. The woman
drew a vial of carbolic acid from her
pocket and was about to drink it when
the bottle was knocked from her hands.
Her wild eyes and action quickly con-
WINGED the doctors that she had lost her
reason and she was taken to the insane
pavilion at Bellevue, where she was
placed in a straight jacket. The woman
IS raving mad and her condition is
hopeless.
A man named Demesch found his
daughter Lena in dying condition at
Lebanon Hospital He hunted all day
for his wife and finally found her among
boat load of victims at the morgue
His wife's body was burned beyond
recognition but he identified her by
means of ring. Crazed with grief he
ran to the, edge OF the pier and was
about to throw himself overheard when
he was seized by morgue attendants.
let me go" he pleaded. 'Let me
die. | am left without all that was
dearest to me in life. must die with
them" Demesch was Overpowered by
police and taken home by an officer.
Picked up burned aud apparently
drowned Miss Clara Hartman, young
woman. was taken to the temporary NOR
que at the Alexander avenue station.
She was found by a launch near the
wreck floating in the water and was tow
ed to the Bronx shore. Her body was
wrapped in a tarpaulin sheet and taken
to the station house. Fully three hours
had elapsed from the fire until Miss
Hartman was brought to the station
house. While waiting to be removed TO