The General Slocum tragedy is considered the darkest hour of the brother islands as a massacre of over 600 people.
1,358s member of Saint Marks's Lutheran Evangelical Church were on the General Slocum boat for their annual picnic trip Huntington, Long Island.
The boat was at one point, the best of the best, but after years of usage, it began having it's issues, which led to slow business. So, the church got it chartered for a cheap price.
On the day of thee tragedy, they departed from the 3rd St Pier and began their journey up the east river. After they passed Ward's Island, people began to smell smoke and soon enough, it was declared the boat was on fire.
People intially did not believe the boat was on fire, but once crew was dragged to the actively burning storeroom, action began. The captain ordered full steam ahead towards N. Brother Island.
The boat had seen much negligence. Fire drills were never administered, the life boats were peremanently attached to the boat, 90% of life preservers were expired, and fire hoses didn't work. Eventually one lifeboat was broke free, but a frantic crew member jumped aboard from the burning ship and capsized the lifeboat.
The sight was gruesome, non-swimmers grasped onto swimmers which brought them down, some lifesavers has ironer (which was cheaper at the time) in them instead of cork to meet weight regulations which just acted as a stone bringing victims to the floor of the river, with a sharp turn of the boat hundred of people were flown into the boiling and speedy river, a boy was thrown into the boats propeller, and people were burned alive.
Once docked, scavengers began raiding corpses, one person even noted that when they came to, someone was calmly going through their body.
Some hero stories include: Thomas Cooney who saved 11 people, then drowned attempting to save one more
Samuel Berg rowed from 144th street to save 2 women and a child.
John Wade took his personal vessel towards the boat directly, saving more than one hundred people.
The boating company (Knickerbocker Steamboat Company), the unliscenced first mate (Van Schaick), and the inspector that approved the boat a month earlier (Henry Lundberg) were all found guilty and faced federal criminal charges.
Van Schaick was pardoned by President Taft and bought an upstate farm from contributions and donations from his supporters. He lived their until he died at 90 years old.
1,021 people died that day (from the congregation), however some say that number could reach 1,331 people. This number includes 100 students. 600 families lost someone and 100 people committed suicide in the aftermath.
This tragedy destroyed little Germany and the East Sixth Street Congregation.
2 Memorials:
Lower East Side in Tompkins Square Park
Lutheran All Faith's Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens.
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