The Evening World from New York, New York • Page 3

7 i 1 I L1 I 1 Si tf i I I THE WORLD WRDNKSDAY EVEWING JUNE 15 lOOt FUL STORY OF DISASTER TOLD BY SURVIVORS SCENE ON NORTH ROT JER ISLAND THE BEACH STREWN WITH BODIES Prom Photograph Taken for The Evening World by Photographer Curtis I LWwo I aI 1 III1 11IIIII1lo I I 1 Ft ft X1I oH4 HHI IIIIIIIHHII IIIiJiH 144 rH I I I HHt 1HIIt11 I 1 IHHI iIf1H i wfiuttfitkr fiL atk Sdfi tdkt FtI ttA 4R4 When The Evening World reporters reached North Brother Island tho been sward was covered tflh the dead nnl lescied Women and children who a few minutes before were enjoying the prospects of a happy holiday RESCUED TElL HOW I LIVES WERE SAVED i Many Deeds of Heroism Described by 1 Excursionists Boy oj 13 Shields a Little Girl with His Own Small Body fJr When People Fell on Them ta 1 i i George Gray thirteen years old of No 309 East Fourteenth street one I of the survivors tells the following story of his experience i I was sitting on the rear of the upper deck with my two friends Otto Fans of No 310 East Fourteenth fctireot and Albert Greenwall of No 326 East Fourteenth street The boat was just passing out of Hell Gate and going toward an Island when I smelled fire I I said to Otto and Albert Hey boys theres a lire and we jumped upon a seat and tried to pull down some lifepreservers i A lot of them were rotten and all the cork came out of them Women 1 and children around us were yelling something awful Walls we were pullIng i at the lifepieservers a big cloud of smoke and dame came right up out of the centre of tho boat Then the boat seemed to stop and the women began jumping overboard and I saw some of them throw their babies In the UJ water and Jump after them 14 After the lire came all up around the deck the boat got started again 1P1 but the people kept Jumping over There wasnt any tug boats near us ti then but soon Paaw a lot coming for us I was afraid to jump over and 1 I 1 got Otto and Albert to stay with me Wo all had got life preservers for ourselves and for three little girls I who we hold on to when they tried to jump WATER FILLED WITH STRUGGLING PEOPLE While we were working getting the lifepreservers the tugs were lt coming at us fast but all back of us In the water I could see men women and children going down Most of them couldnt swim at all and went I I right down as soon as they jumped over The first tug that came to us was the Director It was a big boat and came right up near us as we were going toward the Island ii I jumped onto the boat and then a whole crowd of people Jumped on top of me Half of them that jumped on the boat fell Into the water between JIi tween the side of the tug and the steamer hr is MAN FLINGS BABY OVERBOARD I I Prettysoon there were so many on her that her rear end was way down In tho water and her bow way up Ih the air but they kept on JumpIng INJ and slipping Into the river and going down I got a hold of a little girls leg who was falling over pulled her up and sat on her so as to Keep her from being pushed over 9 As I was on the boat I saw a man on the upper deck take a baby and throw It Into tho water Tho babes hair was all on fire and she fell In the water near the tug and a man jumped over and got her and brought her onto the Director BOATS PICK UP SEVEN GIRLS As the tugs came around the boat everybody that was loft tried to Jump on them and they jumped on top of each othor lots of them rolling off the decks of tho tugs Into tin VatlrI saw a Tot of young girls swimming towards the Island who were picked up by rowboats 1 caw two little girls who hadnt lifepreservers on but who oould swim Ink when a wave made by one of the tugs rolled over them The women and nho kids were crying and yelling so that you couldnt hear the shouts of the men who had come on tho tugs to rescue us I saw about ton men Jump overboard long before the tugs came and 11 i riot ono of them could swim Tlioy were scouting for help and they all went down After the Director had BO many on her that I thought she woe going to sink or turn over sh steomedfor the Now york shore whore i wo got oft nnd a lot of us were taken In wagons to the Elevated road BRAVE BOY SAVES YOUNG GIRL John Tlahner thirteen years old of No 404 Fifth street another Bur yivor describes his experiences and hlllre cue as follows i I I was down on the lower deck with Ida Wousky fourteenyears old swho llyealn 91Iamel house ivjth meyio were eating Ice cream Fhenito krneeiburstout rlghkpear ua Everybodjr om dtobo yelling fire and I Ji 1 3 i iJib i ti i i i i were luslilng back and forth across the ind crying and calling for friends or lost ones The scene on HIP Island was most heart rending Workmen on the Island had abandoned their labors to aid In comforting the stricken ones saw a lot of women with their hair and dresses burning Jump Into the water long before any boats came near us My friend Ida Wousky was going to faint but I kicked her In the shins and waked her up Then I got a lot of life preservers most of them rotten and after a long time I got ono on Ida The tugs wore coming near us then and I told her to jump She wouldnt Jump and I pushed her over Then I Jumped In the water myself and I got hold of her hair and held her up until the tug came and we wore pulled out WOMEN THROW BABIES INTO WATER I guess I saw more than two hundred people Jump over on my side of the boat ten minutes borore the tugs rowboats and launches clime anywhere near us I couldnt see on the other side of the boat but I could hear them screaming and I could hear tho splashes In the water as the jumped overboard After I first saw the smoke and flames there was a terrible rush of people to the rear of tho boat They were pushing and pulling each other until those near the ruillnr were crowded over In the water falling on top of i each other as they landed In the river I saw a lot of women throw their I babies overboard and then fall after them Most of these women were I drowned I lot of iriy frlens tho boat Some of them I i There was a on were res cued and some of them I didnt see after we got ashore Harry Gamblch ner of No 404 Fifth street Mrs Gross George Gross and two little girls of I No 00 First avenue were eating Ice cream together when the fire started I I saw George Gross getsome life preservrs for them and then when the smoke canto up that was the last I saw of them GIRL SWIMS ASHORE WITH BABY Another friend of mine Paul Knsner fourteen years old who liven on First mvomte between Ffth and Sixth streets was near me when the tire started I saw him get a lifepreserver and Jump off He was picked up by a tugboat I saw a lot of girls thaiJlvTrt near get lifepreservers and Jump Into the water long before the tugs came They were all swimmers and got i ashore One of the girls I flaw swim all the way In with a baby I guess I saw fifty babies In the water before the tugboats came and tha men and women were jumping In all top of them When they got tho tug to the now York shore a man took me In a buggy to the elevated station and I went home and told my mother that I wasn drowned GIRL SLIDES DOWN POLE TO WATER Miss Marie XCreuger of No 451 West End avenue who was rescued and token to the Harlem Hospital said I was sitting on the upper dock when there was a cry of fire Men came among us and told us to be quiet The women and children were panic stricken I slid down pole to the water and held on by a rope on the side of the boat The flames began to shodU out of the portholes and I had to let go A little boy was near me holding to a life preserver A coal barge wan near and a deck and threw us a rope which we got and were pulled aboard the coal barge I saw my cousin and sister but they disappeared An ambulance with Dr Krauskopf of Harlem Hospital come along and broughttis here William Payne the colored man who had charge of the lamps said They are trying to put the blame on me but I will not stand ff It I worked for two hours In tho lamp room before the lire but I was not smoking I didnt have smoke since last night While I was working In the lamp room two of the deck hands came Into tho room I dont know whether or not they wore smoking I GIRL LOSES MOTHER AND BROTHER Lucy Honcken fifteen years old of No ICO South Second street Brook lyn who lost her mother and brother In the disaster tells the following thrilling story of her experience When tho fire started I wan sitting with my mother In the rear of the boat My brother was on one of the lower decks As soon as we saw thu smoke and heard the tries of Fire my mother asked me to go below and find my brother When I got down the stairway I found the crushed bodies of three I little babies who had been trampled upon In tho terrible scramble They werenil still living and I carried them up to my mother and put them on her lap Then I went blow again to find my brother I saw him for a moment and then ho was swept away from mo In the surge of men and women who were rushing from the flanks I succeeded In getting back to the upper deck but when I went to look for my mother and the thren babies I had rescued they were gone With my mother and brother Bono from me I dldnTwnnt to live any longer eo Jumped In As I tuna gains down a man on the tugboat Theo caught me with a boathook and dragged me on the dock of the boat BOY RECOVERS GRANDMOTHERS BODY Charles Schwartz seventeen year old of No 141 ESt Third street was saved but he lost hlr mother Mrs Louise Schwartz and hla grand m6therwho was sixty eight years old lIe says of hs experience When the flre started was sitting with my mother and grandmother Jon the upper deck My mother ran from me sayIngeke would look after herself end bidding mo care 1formy grandmother i I carried my grandmother to the rail to await for the approach 3ItIIHI HHHIHIH HH I I I I I IIifII JHo Mothers huddled their children about thorn and boys and girls who had lot their parents in the tire or water ran frantically hither and thither among the rescued gazing into every face In the hope of finding a loved i one These children even went to the heartrending extent of examining some boat but suddenly the rail gave way end with scores of others we were dumped Into the water In the struggle of the mass who were fighting to keep up my grandmother was torn from me and drowned before I could reach her I swam around looking for her body until I was picked up by a tug I was taken ashore to North Brother Island As I was standing on the shore I saw a number of bodies floating toward me Thereupon I undressed and swam out Among the bodies I found that of my grandmother and brought It ashore I fear my mother was drowned with those who were swept Into tho water when the rail gae way I TAKEN FROM STEAMER BY TUG Mrs Kate Grlngle one of the survivors who resides at No 139 East lolls ton street gave lihis version of the harrowing story to an Evening Vorld reporter on North Brother Island She Mid Tho lire seemed to spring out of the fore part of the vessel and the shout went round that the bow of the ship had taken tire I could see the first evidence of It In the smoke which ptJhred from the forward hold I I saw the captain and heart him too shouting to the crow to man the fire lioso and he directed the efforts of his men In fighting the fire which ho told them was In the forward hold I heard that distinctly I was among 1the lot taken from the boat by tug and I never shall forget the moments lof anxiety when the tus was coming alongside to take us off I I never shall forest the sight of panicstricken women and children I It was dreadful I cant toll a connected story I lost some of ny own In the lire I don know what nar become of them I beard Just now that thin lire was started In the lump room and they are all blaming a colored potter for behig responsible TWO SIFTERS RESCUED Among those saved were Miss Florence Wets of No 307 East Klghty noventh street and her sister Mrs Nichnla Schumacher of No 620 East Eightysecond street Miss Wels said Ve were on tho stern of the boat and the first we knew of the lire we saw passengers In the water They had jumped from the forward part of the boat ItostCmed only halt a minute later that the tire was sweeping over the upper part of the vessel and we found ourselves In danger of being burned There was a constant stream of passengers jumping from the boat from the time It caught fire until It WaR beached Hundreds of them went over the Elda and musfnavr keen swept away before assistance arrived Pretty soon a boat camo alongside and my sister and 1 were thrown onto It I dont know how After we had got Into tho rescue boat some ono Jumped on top of me and Injured my head 1 BOTHER AND BROTHER DROWNED IN HIS SIGHT John Ell fourteen years old one of the survivors of tho disaster gave the following account of his terrible experience his mother and two brothers being drowned before his eyes to an Evening World reporter I left the Third street pier at 9 oclock I my mother and my little brother Paul made ono of a large party from our district With us were John Fishman of No 401 Fifth street John Gray of No 309 Host Fourteenth street Albert Greenwall of No 26 East Fourteenth street and Otto Hans of No 310 East Fourteenth street When we left the pier the deck was packed to the limit of Its capacity The band was playing the children Vere frolicking about and we were all having a fine time As we neared Hell Gate children were called down to tho lower deck where Ice cream and soda water were served Tho children were falling all over each other In an effort to get to tile tables which held the refreshments With my mother and my little brother Paul I wont to the engine room to watch the machinery I was standing there with John Oray Albert Greenwall Otto Hans and a number of children Suddenly and without the least note of warning there was a burst of flame from the furnace room that rushed up through the engineroom and flashed out about us The flame spread with the rapidity of an explosion setting fire to the clothing of tho women and children who were grouped about tho englnerocai watching the machinery CHILDREN SCREAM IN AGONY My mothers dress nn4 ny little brothers clothing caught lire and I grabbed thorn and started to rush for the side of the boat There was the most terrible panic as the burning women and children rushed out among those surrounding the Ice cream and soda water tables screaming and yelling with pain In the terrific scramble my mother and little brother were swept from me and carried toward the side where the children and women with their clothes burning bad begun to jump Into tho water The flames spread In bursts that soon had the entire deck enveloped The crew were helpless render anYl assistance make efforts to check the advance of the tire We were just paislng out through Hell Data when tho tire started Tho captain headed the boat toward North Brother Ji HIIIHI ItIrI11i I hiiII iHIHHIf i the faces of the line of dead fearful that numbered among them were i those for whom they sought Tho police arrived with remarkable promptness I i on the Island and with the assistance of citizens and laborers did all Iin their power to comfort those on the Island i Island and the pilots who were with him yelled frantically to us to stay aboard until they beached the boat WOMEN LEAP INTO WHIRLPOOLS Hut In a moment after the names had burst from the engineroom great numbers began to Jump overboard The women were wild with fright and snatching their children to hem leaped Into the whirlpool that carried them toward the rocks on both shores When she was grounded thn flames had spread over the entire upper and lower decks There were only a few spots on the boat untouched by tho flames and In these were plied up women who had fainted and falling plnne 3 others to the deck The men from the tugs who could get near the steamboat shouted fur those on board to jump and then the small boats picked them up by th score Many charred and burned bodies were floating In the wake of that I General Slocum as she made for North Brother Island I remained on board as could not got to the side to leap over bt4 cause of tho mass of wreckage and burned bodies of children piled tai front of me My face rnd band as you see are badly burned As soon as I reached shore I rushed for the elevated road to i rand notify my father of the disaster SAVES HIS SWEETHEART LOSES FOUR SISTERS With hU arm about the sweetheart he had saved Henry Iden ageit nineteen of No 100 East Fourth street came ashore with the last load of 1 survivors His four sisters reported had been lost They were Annie aged twelve Etta nine Minnie seven and Grace five His swebtheart Amollai Swartz eighteen years old of No 141 East Third street was brokenhearted at the loss of hormother Mrs Louisa Swartzaged fortythree her grandmother Mrs Anna Elizabeth Durkhurdt aged flftynlnc her aunt Mrsj Christina Burkhardt and the latter threemonthsold daughter Mabel Art elghtyeaiold Ron Adam bad been seen running about the Island seeking wildly for his mother HOW HE SAVED HIS SWEETHEART I was sitting on the lower deck with Miss Swartz when tho tin broke out related Irtrn We hat swelled smoke for about T8ur minutes I but thought it came from the kitchen where clam chowder was belntf cooked I Suddenly I noticed4 xjple on shore waving their arms and I could hear them shouting Then I saw the flue I got two llfepresenrere anJ put ono on Miss Swartz an btc other on myself Wo crowded to the r4gel stiycl tcrn until the boat sent agrouotf when over we went The firs wag so hot that I kept ducking Miss Swart under water every minute or so aud lid the same myself After awhile were pulled aboard a tug The faces of both idea and Ills Swartz were blistered PASTOR HAAS SAVED WIFE AND SON MISSING ho Rev Dr Hans pastor of St uMrks was on the boat with Ms vrlfd and tn eh oyearold boy His nssistant Rev Schurz was also with him When the panic began Dr HIs his wife and boy wen thrown overboard He held on to them for a while and was guiding them to safety whet 1 some persons frantically took hold of till group and separated them I Er Haas was rescued at North Brother Island and Is now at Lebanon Hospital He saw no more of his wife and child and It supposed they WeT drowned According to Pastor Hans the fire started In the kitchen on the lower deck near the engineroom He says that he vas looking In the door of the kitchen when he saw a big pin of fat on the stoe catch tire The cook ran out yelling Flro1 says Ir Haas and almost before I knew It the whole kitchen was ablaze Th flames leaped along the deck and by the time I got to tho forward part the whole side of the boat was in flames Joseph Ella a musician attached to the Metropolitan OperaHouse orchestra ohestra came ashore on CIO steamer Massabolt and told a heort rendl story of tho loss of his wife and twelveyearold daughter Elsie He said they were on the lower deck when fie upper part of the Gen Slocum feir and they were pinned to the burning deck Ho made every effort save them and several men helped him but then were finally all driven back by the names and forced overbowrd There Is no doubt In his mind that botfc mother any chlld were lost Ella was frantic with grief Over a score of burned and halfdrowned persons were rescued bytke employees of the Do La Vergne Manufacturing Company which has a Uf plant at One Hundred and Thirtyeighth street and the East River As soon as the employees of the factory saw the predicament of the excurtjJF fIts they put out In small boats and did good rescue work For over4i 4 hour work In the factory was practically at a standstill A 1 riK I 0 4.