Orphan Train Tragedy

by Rachel Wesson

  After the horrible event, the church where Reverend Haas preached was seen as a focal point for outpouring of grief. People came in huge numbers to grieve for the victims like the gentle Mary Abendschein and the members of the band who died.

  Frieda and her family aren’t real people but those around them were. Frieda and her brother Hans were modeled on some children who did save the lives of others. Few adults never mind children knew how to swim in those days. The real tragedy is that the loss of so many lives was totally preventable. If everyone had done their jobs, the General Slocum would never have been deemed fit for service. The only person who went to jail was the Captain. The rest including the crew members who did nothing to save the passengers, the inspectors who had inspected the boats and lied about their inspections and the owners got off scot free. Why do relatively few people know about this tragedy, especially as it was the greatest loss of life in a single event prior to 9/11? Was it because it was mainly women and children? Or was it the fact they were German? Possibly all of the above. Within ten years of the sinking, Germany was at war and it wasn’t seen as a good thing to be German in the USA or Great Britain or most other places outside Germany.

  I haven’t been able to discover if any orphans traveled the orphan trains as a direct result of losing their parents in the General Slocum tragedy. I imagine some did. The neighbors and friends who may have taken them in, had all either died or suffered horrendous losses themselves. People could no longer face living in Little Germany, and many moved away to Yorkville, Brooklyn or further afield. The repercussions of the tragedy were felt for many years after the event. Unfortunately, with the outbreak of war and the hatred shown towards those from German background, the suffering continued. But mainly in silence.

  Also by Rachel Wesson

  Hearts on the Rails

  Orphan Train Escape

  Orphan Train Trials

  Orphan Train Christmas

  Orphan Train Tragedy

  Heart of Disaster - Titanic

  Trail of Hearts - Oregon Trail Series

  Oregon Bound (book 1)

  Oregon Dreams (book 2)

  Oregon Destiny (book 3)

  Oregon Discovery (book 4)

  Oregon Disaster (book 5)

  12 Days of Christmas - co -authored series.

  The Maid - book 8

  Clover Springs Mail Order Brides

  Katie (Book 1)

  Mary (Book 2)

  Sorcha (Book 3)

  Emer (Book 4)

  Laura (Book 5)

  Ellen (Book 6)

  Thanksgiving in Clover Springs (book 7)

  Christmas in Clover Springs (book8)

  Erin (Book 9)

  Eleanor (book 10)

  Cathy (book 11)

  Mrs. Grey (book 12)

  Clover Springs East

  New York Bound (book 1)

  New York Storm (book 2)

  New York Hope (book 3)

  Writing as Ellie Keaton

  Women & War (World War II fiction)

  Gracie

  Penny

  Molly