The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-06-02
TERRIBLE CALAMITY.
Loss OF an Excursion Steamer at London,
zS Ontario.



Ing on board about six hundred, and just be-
lore reaching her dock, from an excursion to
Spring Bank, the boat suddenly collapsed like
an egg-shell, becoming total wreck, level
with the waters edge. All the passengers
were Immediately plunged into the water,
more than half of them being buried beneath
the fallen debris.
4 Up to midnight over two hundred and thirty
bodies had been recovered, and the search
constantly revealed others. 1t il thought
that not less than three hundred lives were
lost. The city was at once thrown into the
deepest mourning, as among those on board
s'Kere some Of the foremost citizens.-~ The boat
was disgracefull} overcrowded, and the man.
ayers of the line were expostulated with by
several passengers for allowing so many to
get on board but did not heed the warning The
accident was undoubtedly the result of the
grosscst criminal carelessness.
The Story Of the Disaster,
as given by competent witnesses
who were on boaId, shows that the ill-fated
vessel was on her last trip, and that Oh set
ting out from Springbank to return to the
city, she had nearly all her passengers on the
way AO"HJ anu Ill u large UumDcf
who were waiting on the wharf to be convey
ed home. The number on board on the re-
turn trip is estimated at zoo, burden out OF
all proportion to the strength and capacity of
the vessel. Shortly after passing Woodlawn
cemetery the boat began to rock, and the
crowd surged from one side to the other,
while Others shouted gleefully.
"LET HER SINK,
We will only have to wade ashore" It is
said by some, though denied by Others, that
the officers In charge endeavored to induce the
passengers to remain quiet, but their efforts
were unayailing. The crowd surged from
side to side, and with each movement the ves-
sci took in an increasing quantity of water on
the lower deck, to the terror of some and de-
light OF many more of those below. No one
seemed to foresee the danger. Suddenly the
position became alarming. When nearly op-
posite Cove bridge Water to the depth OF one
foot or more rushed in on the south side Of
the boat, and the crowd surged again to the
nerth. The boat slowly followed the move
ment by listing over to that side This time
the vessel turned on her beam ends and the
deck floor became elevated to an angle not far
from perpendicular. All at once tie supports
Of the upper deck gave way with a terrible
crash. On account OF the position and great
weight imposed over the ratings, the people
TUMBLED IN HUNDREDS HEADLoNG INTO THE
DEEP WATER,
and to make the situation more terrible, the
whole Of the upper decks andJ supports went
crashing down upon the wretched victims,
tearing and bruising the struggling mass OF
humanity, which thus became enCulfed in q
dreadful watery tomb. The scene that fol.
lowed beggars description. Between the
wreck and shore could be seen scores of human
beings, who had become liberated from the
mass of debris, and were battling with the ele-
ment into whose cruel grasp they were so sud-
denly thrown, and slowly but surely yielding
to the power. Many, who were so stunned
by the crash as to be unconscious, sank with
out an effort. The work Of
RECOVERING BODIES
was then begun, and has con ntinued ever since,
The steamer Princess Louise came alongside
in few minutes, and In a short time had both
her decks and every inch Of space taken I'D
with dead bodies. fears came into the ewes
OF many man OF iron nerve, as he gazed up
on the bodies of boys and girls, as they were
taken from the river, clad in their holiday at
tire, and were carried in sympathizing arms
aboard the Princess Louise. Meanwhile It'd
ings We're conveyed to the city, and crowds of
ANXIOUS ones Hooked to the scene, TO learn if
possible, the fate of some one on board who
was dear to them. Many of the bodies were
terribly bruised and mangled, from the crush
of timber which came down from the deck,
and in many cases the features bore evidence
OF the fearful struggle which must have taken
place. A vsiit to the scene shows the Victoria
to be u complete wreck, being literally an ill.,
constructed vessel broken into splinters.
1t is said, on good authority, that
her boileri was not properly secured, and it
shifted with the rocking of the boat Hardly
any portion OF the vessel is aboye wa cr.
CAPTAIN RAGKIN,
who had charge Of the Victoria at the time of
the disaster, makes the following statement
We were on the last trip for the day, having
made three trips previously. We had not a
very heavy load going down as there was
plenty Of room on board, but when we got to
the wharf at Springbank, there was large
crowd waiting and before could get the pas
sengers off the boat, the others rushed on the
after part, jumping and climbing in every di.
rection. l ordered them down off the top
deck and main deck, and threatened would
not leave the deck until midnight if some of
them did not get off. One gentleman, Mr..
Powell, OF London, said to me, ''you are not
going to put ME off, are you ~ and said,
"you had better get off," He did SO and is
now alive. Very few paid any attention to my
off the boat. After we started number OF
people on the lower deck began moving
around. Presently noticeda slightly differ.
ent action on the boat, and being unable to
leave my post at the wheel, sent a boy down
to the engineer to ascertain if there was any
danger.
The boiler left the deck before l left the
wheel. The stanchions from the main deck
were the main support of the upper deck. She
was well sanctioned, but there were no
braces. Had
LIFE SAVING APPARATUS
for 400 persons. The boat was going up slow
" and syphOn and pony pumps were both work
ing. Iattribute the disaster to the fact that
the vessel1eaked, because when sent the boy
down the engineer said there was half an arm g
length of water in the hold. was PRAYING
that we might reach the sand-bar- where I in.
tended to beach until We could get help. I
spoke to the people on the upper deck to keep
quiet and they were tolerably agreeable. On
the lower deck the purser and a son of Mana
ger Parish had the greatest difficulty lie came
up and told me there was lot of young fel-
lows below making trouble.
The engineer then sent up word that had
better try and get the crowd to 60 aft, because
water was coming in. Just then the crowd
made rush to the port side, and as they did
so the vessel just took lurch and went port
bow down. Then the boiler shifted from its
position and went through the side believe
the boat would have recovered herself only
for the boiler going over, and as it went it
carried away the main, and that let down the
top deck with the crowd above.
another Version.