General Slocum Newspaper Clippings, 1894-1954 | Historical Collections

This collection is comprised of newspaper and magazine clippings regarding the tragic burning and sinking of the ship the General Slocum on June 15, 1904. The content of these clippings range from biographical information, obituaries, photojournalistic images to technical specifications and scientific qualifications, court proceedings, opinion pieces, and anniversary articles.The biographical information involves personal accounts of the disaster, as well as brief anecdotes about General Henry Warner Slocum, the Civil War general for whom the infamous ship was named. The obituaries within this collection are for the heroes and heroines who rescued the members of the sinking General Slocum. The earliest clippings come from just a few days after the tragedy and include photographs of the burning ship, bodies that washed up on the shore, rescue missions, and the gathering of bystanders around covered bodies to identify their deceased loved ones.

Also included are articles which discuss the malfunctioning elements of the ship’s safety equipment including faulty life jackets and boats, and articles which contain scientific and technical explanations for the disaster. Other clippings remark on the negligence of the crew and captain and describe the court proceedings and eventual arrest of Captain Van Schaik.

The collection also includes lengthy opinion pieces concerning the complete accountability of the captain and crew and corruption within New York City’s regulations committees. Within the collection there also exist many articles written as commemoration and anniversary pieces, which recount the disaster and pay homage to the dead. These anniversary articles were written on the 20th, 30th, and 50th anniversaries. Lastly, there are a few small clippings containing information about the annual memorial held in Queens.

This collection arrived at Green-Wood in the same box as several other folders of newspaper clippings regarding Cunard Line ships, the Mauretania, Carpathia, and Caronia. In addition to information about specific ships, the collection also has folders dedicated to the business history of the Cunard Line.