The General Slocum Disaster, Hell Gate, NYC

On a summer afternoon in 1904, the General Slocum, a supposedly unsinkable ship carrying about 1,300 people bound for a picnic, caught fire and sank in New York City's notorious Hell Gate. The General Slocum disaster was the second-worst maritime disaster in US history and the greatest loss of life in NYC before 9/11. But it's been largely forgotten. When a church group and their neighbors went on an ill-fated day trip to Long Island, they encountered a disaster of unfathomable proportions, bolstered by greed, incompetence, and cowardice. And they would pay for other people's mistakes with their own lives. Over 1,000 people, mostly women and children, died that day, decimating the population of Manhattan's Little Germany and devastating family members who'd been left behind. While this is an upsetting story, it's an important one when looking at the Hell Gate's history, as well as stories of the paranormal in the area. Note: This episode contains stories about many people--including children--drowning and dying in a fire. Highlights include: • Drunk anarchists from Paterson, NJ • What happened to NYC's lost neighborhood of Little Germany • An unsinkable ship that sank 8 years before the Titanic • Heroic rescue efforts by tugboat captains and hospital employees and patients • Guilty parties getting away with, if not murder, then manslaughter • A possibly cursed ship For the shownotes and sources, visit buriedsecretspodcast.com. You can listen to more audio on patreon ($3/month): https://www.patreon.com/buriedsecrets Follow on instagram @buriedsecretspodcast E-mail at [email protected].