The Van Buren press., 1904-06-18
FRIGHTFUL
CALAMITY
New York Excursion Steamer
General SlOCum Burned
to the Waters Edge.
She Carried Two Thousand Sun
day-School Excursionists.
Hundreds of Them Perished by
Being Crushed to Death.
Burned or Drowned.
The Boat First Seen to Be on Fire
When Passing He'll Gate.
Panic at Once Seized the EXcur-
SiOniStS and the Harvest
of Death Began.
Hundreds of Small Boats Went to
the Rescue Immediately.
Between Fire and Water l. is Be-
lieved That Upward Of Five
Hundred Perished.
Panic ut Once Seized the EXcur-
siOniStS and the Harvest
of Death Began.
Hundreds of Small Boats Went to
the Rescue Immediately.
Between Fire and Water l. is Be-
lieved That Upward Of Five
Hundred Perished
Graphic Account of the pisnster By
Survivor.

New York, June 1G,--Fiyo hundred
persons, mostly children, perished by
the burning Of the excursion steamer
General SloCum near Hell Gate in the
East river.
The SloCum, with the annual Sunday
school excursion OF St Marks German
Lutheran church Of this -ity on board,
was proceeding up the river to one Of
the Tany resorts Of Long Island sound
When near One Hundred and Twenty
fifth street, persons on shore saw
smoke and flames spring from the up
per part Of the crowded steamer. A
panic ersued on the boat almost in
stantly. The crowds on the forward
deck began to spring overheard or to
crowd to the after part Of the boat The
screams Of the terrified passengers
could be heard on shore and hundreds
of small boats Immediately put off TO
tSo rescue.
impossible 10 Beach Her.
Owing to the rocks on either side Of
the channel at this point, 1t was
impossible to beach the vessel, The
captain stuck to his post az the wheel
and headed the vessel straight up the
river for North Brothers island where
she was put aground in tie shallow
water Several hundred feet of open
water still lay between the burning
steamer and the shore, and many per-
sons perished either in the water or on
the burning vessel after she had been
beached II was estimated that the
steamer carried more than 1000 per
sons She was the largest excursion
steamer in these waters, and could car
ry $500 passengers,
III. iil-Fntcd Excursion.
The excursion was in charge of the
social committee Of the church, head
ed by Miss Mary Abcnschein In the
minister's party, his son said were the
pastor Rev. George A. +. Haas, Miss
Abends2hcin, Assistant Superintendent
Carl Anger, VIM Schlaier, the pastors
daughter, Gertrude; his sister, Miss
Emma Haas and w, h, Tetamorc.
At ne ONCE Of the United States
steamboat inspection bureau II was
said .ho General Slocum was Inspected
on MAJ s and was reported to be In a
thoroughly good condition and ready
for The excursion season Aboard the
steamer was all the lifo-Slying appara-
tus required by law OF steamers Of her
capacity,
Thc siocum's Commander,
Tho General Slocums licensed cap
tain Is Capt W, H. VanSchick, one
Of the oldest cXcursionist captains in
New York harbor waters
The Slocum sailed from the foot of
Third street, East river shortly after
nine o'clock The exact point she had
reached when tho flames were dIscoy-
cred In the forward part Of the boat
was of the "SUnkcn Meadows" at the
extreme east end Of Randall's island
So quick was the spread Of the llames
that the captain Of the Slooum could
not turn, and was forced to make
head-on fo2 North Brothers island una
der fun steam by the time the Slo.
cum reached ono Hundred aud Thirty
hrth street the cycursloulJs. driven
70 the rail, many OF them with their
clothing on IRE, began to jump over
board By twos ana lhroes.
went overheard ~ the score,
when one Hundred and Thirty
eighth street had been reached the
heat from the fire had become 80 in
tonse that mon, women and children
plunged overheard by tho score, There
was a terrific crash when the boat was
boached at the reef Of the northern
end Of North Brothers island whore
che rapidly burned TO ths waters edge,
It Is ald the IRE started In the lunch
counter In the forward part Of the
boat when the alarm spread among
the paaJeHgcr8 the hurricane deck was
crowded, and when of one Hundred
and Thirty.eighth street this deck col
A.p.@t