The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-04-25
SAVED LIVES or CHILDREN
Salvation Army Worker Who Has Been
Active as Life Saver Comes to Ken
osha to Aid in Work Being Done b,
Salvation Army in This City.

wreck which occurred on June Is,
1904, at which time the steamer Gem
eral Sloeum was burned Mrs. Mar
guerite MINES, the wife of Captain
LEI. @. MINES of the Salvation Army,
who is now with her husband in Ke-
nOsha, gained wide note for her
heroic action at the burning of the
Sloeum and she was personally help
full in the rescue of some of the people
from the burned boat Mrs. MINES
is a modest little woman, but she has
not forgotten the terrors of the burn
ing Of the Slocum although the acci-
dent occurred nearly eight years ago.
Speaking of the Slocum disaster,
Mrs. MINES, after giving a graphic
description of the horror, in which she
laid stress on the poor life preservers
and the undisciplined crew, and their
eowardiee in trying to save themselves
regardless of the woman and children
on board the i'll fated steamer, said:
Although the fire had gained con-
siderable Roadway when discovered, !
managed to go through the crowd to
the railing of the boat. The boat was
sinking fast. / saw no help so took
a desperate chance and jumped over
board, and | had no sooner gotten in
the water when woman weighing
close to $50 pounds, seeing | could
swim, grabbed me and we had Sc
we're struggle for life. j finally man
aged to free myself from her grasp
and started to tread water.
There was a life boat near by but
it was of little rse. Seven members
of the crew were in it, but they made
very little effort to render assistance.
L managed to grasp one little baby as
it was sinking and holding its clothes
in my teeth swan towards the life
boat Because Of the water becoming
heated from the fire it was necessary
for me to swim out of the way. Fin
ally when on the verge of exhaustion,
I was picked up by boat about
mile aud half from shore. My faith
Ter who was also on the boat at the
time, jumped overheard soon after the
explosion and succeeded in reaching
shore ahead of me. He vas caring for
others when reached the shore.
Due to my good fortune of having
learned to swim when a child / man
aged to keep afoat until rescued. By
this time, however, / was exhausted
and the skin had peeled from my
body some because of the intense heat
Of the water at the time. Some of
the scenes witnessed were horrifying.
One could hear the cracking of the
bones OF the little children as the
mothers threw them overheard think
ing some one would pick them up,
Others were trying to get to the
life boats and as they chung on to
them knives were taken out Of the
pockets and fingers cut off while they
tried to cling to the boat. Many
more appalling scenes were witnessed
which are too numerous to mention y
Speaking Of her swimming, she said
that when eleven years of age, she
swan from the Battery, New York, to
the Statue Of Liberty aud slso swan
across the Narrows from TT. Hamil
ton to TT. Wadsworth, receiving sew
eral medals for the feat.
Three years ago, after thel slocum
horror, Mrs. MINES figured IN another
fire holocaust. She was then employed
in the Ingieside Home as mafron and
nurse. x FIRE started at 4:30 p. M. in
the laundry and gained rapid head
way. 4 lady, ST years Of age, was
OF the second floor of the building at
he sinle al the fire. Fire escapes
Tere being erected or the building at
TIC iiins, but we're not yet completed.
Finding i bidder nearby and the fire
department net having arrived as yet
u cell for soianteers was given and
Mrs. MINES, placing the ladder up,
\
against The bailaine, went up
The faues were shooting up all
aroua.i ne, said Mrs. MINES, but
1 egaa.ed on the window sill through
ali opea window, found the old lady
ara told her he place was on ere.
She refused 30 heed me so i grabbed
her. Al shis she began to realize her
danger and / finally managed to drag
her through the window and down the
ladder to safety. While ascending
the ladder my foot caught IN the
rungs and ! sustained a severe injury
which laid me aside for two FEARS
Several lives were lost II this ire
and several others injured. Il
Try wait I'D.