HOLIDAY TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 140, 17 June 1904, Page 2

HOLIDAY TRAGEDY.

Awful Holocaust. NEAULV FIVE HUNDUKD PERSONS BURNED OK DUOWNED. NEW YORK, June 13. By the burning of un excursiou steamer at New York nearly five hundred persons lost their lives. ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS, BURNING STEAMER CAUGHT IN A TIDE RIP, (Received Juno 16, 10.30 p.m.) NEW YORK June 16. A thousand children and nine hundred adults (chiefly women) connected with St. Murk's German Lutheran Church in New York, were proceeding in the throe-decked steamer "General Slocum" up the East River to enjoy an outing in Long Island Sound, with bands playing and flags flying, when a (ire was discovered. The outbreak originated in the kitchen, and spread wKh frightful rapidity. The Hell (J ate rocks on both sides prevented the steamer being immediately beached, and the vessel was driven ahead at full speed until she could be beached north of the Brothers Island.

It was impossible to lower the lifeboats at first, as the rush of Are and smoke drove back those on the forward deck. Many persons were crushed against the rail or pushed overboard. As the panic increased many sprang overboard to avoid the flames, and dozens of parents throw their children overboard, following themselves; but all wore drowned in the swift waters of the Hell Gate. Dozens of craft pluckily tried to rescue the passengers, some of the vessels sticking by the side of the burring steamer until they themselves took fire.

When the "General Slocum" wus beached the crowded hurricane deck collapsed, precipitating hundreds of struggling human forms Jnto tho flames raging in the 'tween decks. When tho vessel stranded there was a considerable stretch of open water between steamer and shore, and thus many perished within sight of safety.

Captain Venschalk, who was in charge, remained mi board until the ship was beached, when ho leaped, into tho sea with his clothes ablaze. Tho chief engineer perished at his post.

Every man able to swim leaped overboard laden with children, who were mostly drowned in the terrific current running through the gut. Others, again, tied children to chairs in the hope of their being thus saved. Ono man, on seeing his wife and six children lost before his eyes, went mad.

The pastor of St. Murk's wus saved but his wife and daughter were drowned.

Four hundred and forty-seven bodies havo been recovered. The survivors allege that the life belts were rotten, and placed out of the reach of the children, while the fire-hose was decayed.

A man standing on one of the paddle wheel boxes threw women and children into a tug ranging alongside.

The impact of beaching caused tin boilers to burst, when (he iipp..>i decks fell in, crushing hundreds 01 porsons.

Cuptain Venschalk and his pilo! were arrested.

Thousands of people were on tho shore and witnessed the tragedy, but were unable to help.