THOUSAND DIE.
Awful Horror on New York Ex
cursion Steamer.
PISE AND WILD PANIC
Terror-stricken Sunday School Children
Leap Into the Sound.
Spreads with Fearful Bapidity
and Frightful Scenes of Panic Ensue
Majority of Victims Are Women and
Children Hurricane Deck Crashes
Down , Crushing Hundreds Crowds
Jump Overboard , Only to Be Drawn
to Death in the Whirlpools.
Fully 1,000 persons perished in
the burning of the crowded excur
sion steamer , General Slocum , in the
East River at New York Wednesday
morning. The disaster is the most
terrible since the Iroquois Theater fire
horror in Chicago. Like the Iroquois
fire , it was a slaughter of the innocents -
cents , as more than half those on
board the ill-fated boat were children.
The steamer , carrying the Sunday
school excursion of St Mark's German
Lutheran Church , caught fire in the
East River , off Hell Gate , and was
burned to the water's edge.
The excursionists were members of
an Evangelical Lutheran Church. The
trreat triple-decked excursion steamer
which for years
has plied between
New York and
Roekaway Beach
was crowded with
the gay crowd
when it left its
pier. Children ,
women and .a
scattering of men
thronged the up-
ppr decks. The
hurricane deck
was thronged , the
aiiddle deck pack-
-d and the lower
deck filled.
The fire broke
Ak- out just as the ex
cursionists aboard the Slocum had
finally settled down to enjoy their ride
through the picturesque Hell Gate and
up the Sound to their picnicking
grounds. A brass band was clashing
out one of the .latest popular airs and
the children were singing and danc
ing. Flags were flying , from every
staff of the 'great boat More than
one tugboat or steamboat pilot turned
around in his wheelhouse as he swept
by the General Slocum to watch the
gay and joyous crowd.
v
As many of the women and children
as possible were crowded together in
thick , huddled masses on the hurricane
Sl&eck when the flames broke out. The
first sweep of the flames not only cut
off escape from this hurricane deck of
the big boat , but also burned away the
light wooden work on which it was
erected. Many of these people who
nad been sitting on the hurricane deck
must have been burned to death in
the blazing furnace which roared un
derneath.
Within a few seconds after the flrst
burst of flame and smoke the happy
crowds of people were turned into a
mad , fighting mob. Mothers tried to
save their children and were torn from
them by other mothers in search of
their children. Men fought together
and everything was in wild tumult
The excursion boat * wrapped In
flames and smoke and with the people
on board fighting and screaming in
panic and distress , was finally grounded -
ed on the northwest spit of North
Brothers' Island. There some of the
THE HELL GATE
HE whole world stands appalled at the Hell Gate catastrophe. . The
disaster surpasses In the number of Its victims the Iroquois holocaust
in Chicago and parallels it in dramatic intensity and pathos. In
t . the destruction of the excursion steamer General Slocum , as in the
burning of the Chicago playhouse , those who met death or injury were
amusement seekers. The vessel's passengers were the children of a Sunday
school out for a holiday excursion. Shortly after passing Hell Gate on the
way from East River into the Sound , flames broke out near the vessel's
bows and before it could be beached swept back over the decks , burning
many passengers to death and forcing others to jump overboard. As In the
*
Iroquois horror , the victims of the NewYork tragedy were mostly women
and children , whose helplessness made them easy prey to the devouring
flames and swirling waters.
Another parallel lies in the charge that the steamer wasvnot provided
with proper means for saving life. It is said that the vessel was not over
crowded , that it had recently been inspected and found in good condition and
that it was provided with all the life-saving apparatus required by law.
Whether or not this is the case , it is evident that the protective devices
utterly failed to provide protection , especially on a boat whose passengers
were principally children. There were life preservers , but they were of
poor quality and hung out of reach of any child. The fact that the hurri
cane deck gave way soon after the fire started seems to prove that the
vessel was not fit for the uses to which it was put
The General Slocum disaster , as well as "the Iroquois tragedy , shows
how great are the responsibilities of those intrusted with the safety of
human lives. It is to be supposed that both the city of New York and the
Federal officials responsible for the inspection aiyJ regulation of steamboat
service will fix the responsibility for this frightful destruction of human life.
The lesson of responsibility in the handling of boat passengers , especially
in the excursion season , is needed in many parts of the , country , but the
lesson of the General Slocum is a terribly costly one.
beached at the lower end of North
Brother Island off Port Morris.
Even then the passengers were not
in a safe position , for they were some
distance from shore and the boat was
a furnace. Hundreds of small boats
were scattered about and picked up
those who jumped overboard asurapid-
ly as possible.
An eye-witness said that the great
est loss of life was due to the collaps
ing of the heavy upper deck. It fell
with a crash soon after the fire start
ed , crushing hundreds of persons who
had gathered on the lower deck. It
was then that the greatest panic en
sued amid the living stream of per
sons going over the rail into the water.
As far as eye-witnesses can deter
mine , the flames originated" on. the
forward part of the boat Persons
who saw the accident from the shore
say that almost instantly persons who
occupied places on the forward deck
began to jump overboard.
All the boats at North Brother Isl-
THE ILL-FATED STEAMER GENERAL SLOCUM.
passengers managed to make their es
cape.
cape.When the boat was beached it was
ablaze from stem to stern and prac
tically gutted out. What could be seen
f the rails and guards on the decks
the boat showed that they had been
Splintered and torn as the crowds on
board fought in their mad panic. They
showed also that numbers of people
jumped or were pushed from the decks
to death as the boat went up the
river.
Thousands See the Disaster. '
The disaster was witnessed by thousands - ,
sands of people from both shores of
the river , and as rapidly as possible
hundreds of small boats and launches
set off to render assistance. With the
boat b/irning under his feet the cap
tain stuck to his post in the pilot
house and the engineer remained at
his post below deck until the boat wits
in a thoroughly good condition and
ready for the excursion season. Aboard
the steamer was all the life-saving ap
paratus required by law of steamers
of her capacity. The General Slo-
cum's licensed captain is W. H. Van
Schaick , one of the oldest excursion
captains in New York harbor waters.
When police headquarters received
the first vague report of the disaster
every source of succor and aid was
utilized. The hospitals were notified
by telephone and each sent all avail
able surgeons , nurses and ambulances
to the scene. The police reserves of
a half-dozen stations were hurried out
and more than fifty patrol wagons
were sent for ambulance purposes.
North Brother Island , where the Slo
cum was beached , is occupied by mu
nicipal charity hospitals and a con
siderable number of physicians and
nurses were immediately available.
Many of those picked up alive In
the river will die in the hospitals.
Most f them were frightfully burned.
/ " wf / C JJ * * /
rs"-
/r , . j
MAP SHOWING WHERE THE DISASTER OCCURRED.
and were sent to the assistance of the
people in the water and as fast as
they were brought ashore they were
cared for in the pavilions there. The
patients in the hospitals on the island
became almost insane from fright
A large part of the crowd on the
doomed steamer were children , and
there was little hope for them after
they had gone overboard. The cur
rent in the East River at this point
Is very strong and scores of little ones
were sucked in'by the whirlpools at
Hell Gate. One man who went out
in a rowboat said that he saw at least
fifty children perish in these whirl
pools before he could reach them. It
was estimated that the steamer car
ried more than 2,000 persons. She was
the largest excursion steamer in these
waters and could carry 2,500
The excursion was in charge of a
social committee of the church , head
ed by Miss Mary Abenschein. In the
minister's party were the pastor , the
Rev. George C. F. Haas , and his fam
ily , Miss Abeuschein , Assistant Super
intendent Carl Anger , William Schla-
fer. the pastor's daughter , Gertrude ,
his son , his sister , Miss Emma Hass ,
and W. B. Tetainore.
Rev. George C. F. Haas , the pas
tor -of the church which was giving
the excursion , was saved , but his wife
Gertrude and. his daughter Anna are
among the dead.
At the office of the United States
steamboat inspection bureau it was
said the General Slocum was inspect
ed on May 5 and was reported to be
having delayed leaping from the boat
until their clothing was on fire. '
Some died In the improvised ambu-
Ipuces in which they were hurried
from the shore.
Every man on board who could
swim went overboard loaded down
with children. Many of these heroes
lost their lives , because , burdened as
they were , they could make no head
way against the overpowering swirl
of the tide as it rushes from the East
River into the sound.
DISASTERS OF THE PAST.
Boats that Have Been Lost Since 1S41
with Great Loss of Life.
The following is a list of marine dis
asters since 1S4JL involving great loss of
life :
March. 1841. President 130
Dec. 18 , 1S32 , St. George 51
September , 18-14 , Arctic 322
September , ISoG , Pacific 240
November , 18oO , Le Lyonnais 120
February , 185G. Tempest 150
September , IS.jS , Austria 470
February. I860 , Hungarian 237
Sept 8. 1SGO , Lndy Elgin 297
April , 1SG3 , Anclo-Snxon 237
'April , 18CS , United Kingdom 80
January , 1870 , City of Boston 177
October , 1870 , Cambria 190
April. l. 73 , Atlantic r So
November , 1S73 , Ville de Havre 2 ° G
May. 1875 , Schiller 312
December. 1879. Borussla ' iGo
January. 1SS3. Cymbrla 359
June. 1873 , Vicksburg 47
April. 1884 , Dan Steinman lie
April , 1SS4 , State of Florida 103
November. 1SS7. W. A. Scholton 130
August , 1SS8. Gelser 119
December. 1889. Erin 73
March , 1891. Utopia 536
October , 1892 , Bokhart ; 160
October , 1892. Houmnnia 113
February. 1S93 , Nnronlc 74
June. 1893. warship Victoria sco
August , 1003 , Horn Ileud RO
October , 1893. Alvo , GS
January. 1S91 Elbe 301
April , 1893 , City of Haverhill so
May , 1895. Coliinn 171
Jr.uuary , 1896 , Oskan Mnru 08
January , 1890. Copernicus 52
November , 1S9G , Memphis 62
February. 1897. Utopia 72
March , 1S97 , Vllle de St. Nazaine 63
July G , 1S9S , La Bourgogne 549
AWFUL RACE FOR LIFE.
The Run to North Brother Island Was
Horribly Dramatic.
The race to North Brother island was
horribly dramatic. It was made while
the flames , which had been fanned into
a fury by the strong head wind , were
consuming hundreds of persons , old and
young. The scene was one of frightful
panic , with women and children jumping
overboard and being lashed by the chan
nel whirlpools against the vessel's sides.
Women and children were cro'sr&d to
gether on the hurricane deck.
RUSSIA MEETS DEFEAT.
Beporta of Japanese Victories on Both
X and and Sea.
Three Russian armored cruisers , the
Rossia , Gromovoi and Rurik , of the
Vladivostok squadron , have been cap
tured by the Japanese fleet under Ad
miral Kamimura after a running fight
of two days in the * Korean straits , ac
cording to a cablegram from Tokio via
the Cologne Gazette.
The three Russian cruisers were re
ported a terrific battle off Tsu Isl
and , their escape into the outer sea
having been cut off. According to dis
patches from Nagasaki the Russians
were pursued north by four Japanese
cruisers from Admiral Togo's fleet ,
and as they were approaching the
straits leading to the open sea three
other Japanese warships appeared
from the north , thus preventing their
escape.
Russian power on the sea in the far
East is practically , destroyed , if this re
port Is true. The Rossia , Rurikand
Gromovoi are first-class armored cruis
ers. *
All doubt as to the sinking of the
transports. . Hitachi and Sade by the
Russians has "been removed. Three
hundred and ninety-seven survivors of
the Hitachi arrived at Moji and 153
survivors of the Sade have arrived at
Kokura. Details of the destruction of
the transports and the number of the
casualties are not obtainable.
It was rumored at St Petersburg
Thursday that General Stackelberg
had sustained a disastrous defeat at
Vafangan. The battle at Vafangan ,
north of Port Arthur , was in progress
for three days. Losses on the Russian
side more than 300 Tuesday show
that the fighting was of a desperate
character , and General Kuropatkin's
report proves that both armies are de
termined to force matters to an issue.
Operations leading up to the battle
of Vafangan date back to June 11 ,
when two Japanese divisions , one com
manded by General Nozu , advanced
from the Pulantien-Pltsewo line , prod-
ably iprompted by intelligence that the
Russians were receiving re-enforce
ments. A sharp skirmish took place
the night of June 12 at the Village of
Oudpaden , five miles west of the rail-
rofiu and seven miles south of Wa-
fangtien , and another skirmish occur
red on the heights near the Village of
Lidiatun , ten miles east of Oudiaden.
The Japanese were repulsed , but the
Russian advance posts retired. June
13 two Japanese divisions were five
miles north of the scene of the skir
mish , their left wing resting on the
Village of Vafangan. and their right
on the Valley of the Tassa , which
flows parallel with the railroad , going
into the sea ten miles south of Pitse-
wo. After a day's rest the enemy ad
vanced fifteen miles June 14 and at
tacked , the left of the Russian position
four miles south of Vafangan. The
Russians had the best of the first day's
fignt , annihilating a Japanese cavalry
squadron and taking some prisoners.
Wednesday's battle extended over -a
rough country , where artillery was
very effective. The Russian lines ex
tended between the villages of Lan-
chau , near the railroad , and Fafan-
vopen. The Japanese were between
Tafanchau and Hunchau. Stackel-
berg's reserves were held at Sisan , a
short distance from the Vafangau sta
tion. The Japanese reserves were
south of Tafanchau. General Nozu's
artillery began the day by shelling the
Ri ssian right , while his sharpshooters
were busy with the other wing. Stack
elberg was not certain whence the
main attack would be delivered , and
sent out cavalry to the heights of Lan-
chau to reconnoiter. Having ascertain
ed that the enemy was not moving in
that quarter he attacked the Japanese
center and left to drive the enemy
against the railroad. The Japanese
countered by moving up reserves in an
effort to turn the Russian right
PREDICTS A WORLD WAR ,
Officer Says Germany , France and Rus
sia Will Attack England.
Capt. August Niemann of the Ger
man army has written a book , entitled
"The World War , " in which he predicts
that Russia , France and Germany will
engage in a war with England , the re
sult of which will be a fresh apportion
ment of the earth.
"Although , " says Capt Niemann , "the
responsibility of a world war is great
and although the idea of peace of na
tions is very pleasant , valuable acquisi
tions are won only by the expenditure
of blood and iron.
"If the German people intend to par
ticipate in the struggle for the domina
tion of the world it must accustom itself
to the idea of the coming war. In the
course of long years England has grown
great through the dissensions of conti
nental powers. For centuries past Eng
land has reaped advantages from every
war , most of which were instigated by
herself.
"It required the genius of Bismarck
to awaken the German empire to a sense
of its power. . Shall Germany be con
tent to be dependent on England for
light , air and for daily bread , or has she
retained some of the power which won
her victories ?
"Will the three powers which stood
together after Japan's victory over China
to tlwvart England's plans will Ger
many , France and Russia remain longer
idle , or will they combine for their mu
tual benefit ?
"I see hi spirit the" armies and navies
of Germany , Russia and France ad
vancing against the common enemy
England which like an octopus encircles
the world with its tentacles.
"My dreams of Germany bring clear
ly before me the war and the victory of
three great nations Germany , France
and Russia over England , and the fresh
apportionment of the possessions of the
earth as a final result of this mighty
struggle. "
The radium salts closely resemble
quinine.
WAE'DUfilNG WEEK.
CONSTANT NAVAL ACTIVITY AND
LAND MANEUVERING.
Port Arthur Now the Storm Center of
the Eastern Conflict Japanese Now
at the Gates of the Russian Fortress-
Brief War News.
There was constant naval activity
In the far East during the week , but
nothing happened of great dramatic
interest. The Russians had a gunboat
blown up in Port Arthur by either si
Japanese torpedo or one of their own
mines. Admiral Togo sent four of his
gunboats to make a reconnoisance of
Port Arthur harbor. One of the boats
was hit eight times and sustained some
damage. The following night he sent
eight torpedo boats for a similar pur
pose. One sailor and one officer were
killed , but the boats escaped undam
aged.
Admiral Kataoka has been engaged
In clearing Dalny harbor of mines. He
has found and exploded seventy-eight.
He now reports that the first section
of the bay is completely clear. He
also reports that he found two Rus
sian ships under water in the bay , one
of which is believed to be the cruiser
Boyarin.
The Japanese fleet has been bom
barding different parts of the Liaotung
peninsula during the week and is said
not to have missed for a single day
throwing a few shells into Port
Arthur.
Many circumstantial reports from
Chinese sources indicate that there has
been severe fighting for possession of
Port Arthur during the last week. No
definite news of this fighting has as
yet come out , but when the news does
come it will probably tell of the great
est slaughter so far achieved during
the war. The continental capitals feel
confident that Port Arthur will soon
be stormed.
In their maneuvering for Saimatee
the Russians and Japs have exhibited
mercurial mobility. According to re
ports given out by Kouropalkin and
Kuroki the town has been occupied
and evacuated by their respective
forves about three times a week since
the early days of Maj. From last ac
counts Sahmitze is in the hands of the
Japanese and bids fair to remain there
for. some time , owing to the strong
force with which it is now held a bri
gade of infantry , two batteries of ar
tillery , and three squardons of cav
alry.
alry.This
This force took the town after a
little battle. The engagement began
with a conflict between the hostile cut-
posts. Some Russian chausseurs came
up with re-enforcements and pressed
the Japs back , but Japanese re-enforce
ments then came up and pressed the
Russians back , whereupon the Mus
covites , acording to their own reports ,
"withdrew slowly and in good order , '
holding successive positions. " The
Russians acknowledge ICO killed or
wounded and say the enemy suffered
severely. The Japanese acknowledge
twenty-seven casualties. The Russian
contention that the Japs include only
the seriously wounded in their casual
ty reports is probably correct
The Japanese forces which took
Saimatze were of the right wing of
Kuroki's army , being attached to the
Twelfth division. On the same day as
this engagement the advance guard of
the Japanese center also got into a
fight at Chanchiahsih on the road to
Liaoyang. Six hundred Russian infan
try and 300 cavalry held the place ,
but were pushed out of it by an un
known number of Japanese after a two
hours' engagement The Japs say the
Russians lost seventy or eighty , while
they themselves suffered only twenty
casualties. The Japanese in this fight
were probably part of the crack im
perial guards under Hasegawa.
Wednesday occurred the most seri
ous reported engagement of the week
in the neighborhood of Siuyen. Four
thousand Russian cavalry held the
town. A detachment of the Tenth di
vision attached to the second army ,
under Nodza , which has its headquar
ters at Takushan , marched upon the
town from the south.
From the actions at Saimatze , Chan
chiahsih , and Siuyen , it is evident that
Kuroki is beginning a forward move
ment with his entire army.
Shanghai telegrams aver that the Jap
anese third army , under Gen. Uogi , will
assault Port Arthur , while the second
army , under Gen. Oku , ' will co-operate
with Gen. Kuroki.
A dispatch from Gen. Kuroki's head
quarters says that oiily outpost fighting
is going on , and the Japanese are bring
ing up their supplies without
JAPANESE FIELD ARTILLERYMAN' .
One thing that has surprised Euro
pean nations in the war between Japan
and Russia is the effectiveness of the
Japanese artillery. In every battle thus
far reported the Japanese artillerymen
by accurate firing have cleared the way
for the successful charges of the iufan
try. At the battle of the Yalu , partic
ularly , the Russians report that the Jap
anese field artillery simply rained steel
on the Czar's batteries , making it. im
possible for any human force to with
stand the attack.
KINCHOW AND NANSHAN HILL.
Where Moscovites Suffered a Great De
feat at the Hands of the Japa.
The two-column map shows the loca
tion of Kinchow and the position of the
opposing armies at its capture by the
Japanese on May 20. The Japanese hav
ing taken Kinchow. attacked and carried
Nanshan Hill to the south , assisted by
a naval bombardment from Kinchow
MAP SHOWING KINCHOW AND NANSHAN HILL.
bay. After being driven from Nanshan
Hill , the Russians retreated to Nan-
kueling and Sanshilipo. Kinchow , which
is a point of great strategic value , is
situated on the narrow neck of land sep
arating Talienwan and Kinchow bays ,
and commands the approach to Port Ar
thur. Kinchow is , like most towns in
China , a perfect square , with its sides to
the four points of the compass. Previ
ously to its recent capture it was strong
ly fortified and surrounded with walls
forty feet in height. Although within
territorv leased to Russia , it still belongs
nominally to China , having been express
ly excluded from Muscovite jurisdiction
under the treaty that gave the Liaotung
peninsula to the Czar. In the war with
China the Japanese blew up the gates
of Kinchow and captured the town with
out the loss of a single man.
BLOOD WASHES DECKS.
Fearful Slaughter on the Hitachi by
Russian Guns.
Details in connection with the sinking
of the Japanese transport Hitachi by
Russian warships have been received at
Tokio. The Russian ships were sighted
at 7 o'clock in the morning and in re
sponse to a signal the Hitachi was stop
ped , but at 10 o'clock got under way
again and attempted to escape. The
Russians followed and opened a heavy
fire , directed about the water line , with
the evident intention of destroying the
troops on board. The fire was terrific
and in a few minutes the decks were cov
ered with corpses and awash with blood.
One shell which struck the engine
room killed 200 men. The ship began
to fill and sunk gradually by the stern.
At G o'clock in the evening she was com
pletely submerged. Capt Campbell , the
English master of the transport , jumped
overboard at 2 o'clock in the afternoon
and is numbered among the missing. The
chief engineer was killed on the bridge.
The commander of the troops ordered
the flag to be burned and then killed
himself. The second' mate committed
suicide. Many of the crew and the
troops escaped in the boats.
The transport Sade was badly dam
aged. She sighted the Russian ships
thirty-five miles west of Shire island.
Their signals to stop were unheeded , so
the Russians opened fire and signaled
for those on board the Sade to leave
the ship. Upon that the crew took to
the boats and in this way many escaped
when the ship was eventually fired by
the enemy.
Officers of the steamer Tosa , . which
rescued many survivors of the Hitachi ,
confirm the details of her disastrous en
counter with the Russian warships so
far as already announced.
The calling out of the army reserves
in the Kazan , Kiev and Moscow mili
tary districts is announced. This step
is for the purpose of filling the skeleton
reserve corps and to replace the regular
troops who have gone or are going to the
front. It also foreshadows the dispatch
of four Volga corps , predicted in these
dispatches a month ago. The latter would
give Gen. Kuropatkin 200,000 additional
men.
men.Eight
Eight hundred Russians are reported
to have fallen in a fight-near Flilan-
tien. The Japanese led the enemy Jnto
a trap by a feigned retreat
