Ship Ablaze:The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum

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Ship Ablaze:The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum

2003 | History & Politics

There were few experienced swimmers among over 1,300 Lower East Side residents who boarded the General Slocum on June 15, 1904. It shouldn’t have mattered, since the steamship was chartered only for a languid excursion from Manhattan to Long Island Sound. But a fire erupted minutes into the trip, forcing hundreds of terrified passengers into the water. By the time the captain found a safe shore for landing, 1,021 had perished. Ship Ablaze draws on firsthand accounts to examine why the death toll was so high and how the city responded. Masterfully capturing both the horror of the event and the heroism of men, women, and children who faced crumbling life jackets and inaccessible lifeboats as the inferno quickly spread, historian Edward T. O’Donnell brings to life a bygone community while honoring the victims of that forgotten day.



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Chris Hooker

Added this item on Dec 30, 2017

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Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated

Dec 30, 2017  
Ship Ablaze:The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum
Ship Ablaze:The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum
Edward T. O'Donnell | 2003 | History & Politics
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6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Timely Tale
This was a good book about a little known tragedy. The General Slocum was a steamer that traveled on the rivers that surrounded New York City. Often these ships were used by groups for excursions to the shore or picnic areas up river. On June 15, 1904 a German church group had booked passage. It was mainly women and children.

As the book title suggest the worst thing that could happen on a ship did when it caught on fire. The early 1900's were still a time of corruption and profit over safety. This helped lead to the deaths of over 1,000 people.

The story in this book is a timely warning to us as safety laws are rolled back for profits. It was a well written and researched tale. We need to heed the warnings of our past so as not to repeat them with larger tragedies.