The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-05-31 00:00:00

TERRIBLE STEAMBOAT ACCIDENT IN CANADA.

LOIN Ow HORS THAN 200 LIT=

LONDON (owrszto), Meader night.—At six o'clock
this evening the stesnair Victsris, returning fr on
Springbank, four miles from Lou hion, with over 600
excursionists on board, capsized at the point one mile
down the river, in t velve feet of water, and became •
total wreck. All the passengers were instautly
plunged into the steam. Tte total loss of life is
estimated at 175. Up to the present 150 bodies have
been recovered. Many prominent citizens have
psrished in the disaster, and terrible dist-ess prevails
here. the accident is attributed t the extreme over-
crowding of the vessel.

-
Further ace iunts say :—As the bait swung out from
the Cove It 'Broad Bridge, eh, herle.l a little t one
side, and the excursioui.te, numbering about six
hundred, rush id to the iither side. The boat gave •
lurch, and sluk almoit immediately. going completely
to pieces. 'the small boats and hie belts were in good
order, but the vretel capsiz id so suddenly andsmashed
so quickly that they could nt be used.
Boma at once put out from the shore, and the
crews of a few skiffs lying in the river hasteuei to the
reecue, and saved I numbers. Toe Victoria was
lyin; almost on her side, ad the people were chniog
to her, an I the wreckage was floating about the river.
At Cove Bridge the water is tlfirteen feet deep, ani
the current very swift, so that many t.diee were
swept away. The evening was title, but somewhat
foggy. Men made desperate effort,' to save their wives
aid childre.., but the conftviion was so great that it
was difficult to.. opire faces. The air wi, a) full i.f
,hrieks and CtiOS that voioescould not be distinguished.
Tne maj icity of the droweed were dithers and tuAliers
and tram children, who clung tether.
When night fell the rivtr banks and the bridge were
crowthd with people. The who.is city emptied itself
there. Fires were lighted, and petroleum barrels and
torches blazed all stook; the river banks. Two boats
reached the scene at 8 o'clock. ru I took away the
both' sas fast Se they were rec 'yore I. One hundred
and fifty hid been recovered by midnight, and nearly
• hundred pirson. were missing, at least half of whom
it is believe I were dr.iwiled. About one thotmand
families were represented among the e•carsionists of
the rteamer,

The scenes alopg the river were heartrending, and
the air was tilled op every aide with waila of suguiih,
.me aft.r anothe: of the Wiles were brought
whore.

TQ accident appear. to have been du to gross
cue° mess, as the boa; w..s.h.gracef ally overcrowded.
The tnauager. Ge l's rid), was rem oustrated with
by BeVer.4l persons at Springbank, and urged not to
let the Wet go out in such a dangeroas Re
is said to have replied, " All right. I know my
business.

Mr. William Duffield, chairman of the London Gas
Company, giros the following account:—" I saw that
the upper deck wag too full, but bad no ide the lower
One was in the same c mcfitlon. I afterwards noticed
that odlo th decks people were standing thick sa my
fingers. There was not rooms:sough betweeo them for
one to move from one end of the boat to the other.
The lower deck was bunk to the wator's level, and in
the heaving motion the water rolled in Among the
people'a feet, causing them to change thiir places, an
thus increasing the lurchin, motion. At the fat el
moment the bust gave a lurch that displaced the boiler,
whic.b was set on the lower deck without other support
or fastening than a rod coon- ction fore and aft. When
th s Ist cirsensd the boiler and the connections slid
01 into th • w .ter, rutting sway the timbers supporting
the upper deck, a.td tarrying it along. There was just
oae great screech, mingled with a hissing sound am the
boiler went .1 ..vu, a al .g ai en.te ensued."
Thu \ Irtouja was registered at 52 gruel tons, and
coat 5,0.10 dollars. She ass 80. t. long, 23ft. bosun,
a,'i lit, 10in• &Pat of hold. She was built to carry
400 passiugers, bat had on boar I be .wean tidi) and 700.
The great loss of life was -mused by the crashing of the
upper deck dewn upon the ibwer, wedging the people
under water. At the fatal moment the dick floor
stosiid aVmost perpendicular for an instranf., then the
, support. on he uoper (Vet gave way, and the whole
mass of people above came crashing down on those
below.

The Common Council of London voted on Wednes-
day 2.000 dollars for the reii,f food.
Loan ,N (Osranto), May iith.—Che ingut on the
bodies of pinions who perish in the recent disaster to
the pron.-Jon steamer Vietotii wai opened to- lay.
The eviience giien we of a damaging character for
the officers of th steam ihip cAnparly to which the
Victoria bilunged.