The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-06-03
fRiGllrfUL CALAMITY.
SINKING or A PLEASURE STEAMER.

A despatch from London, Ontario,
dated May 2lth, gives the following nc.
count of the sinking of the steamer
Victoria, plying between London and
Springbank, on the evening of that day:
sit was the first day of the season for
the excursion boats to run regular trips,
and this circumstance, taken in conncc
ton with the public holiday 0he Queens
birthday, naturally drew large crowds
| OF pcasure-seekcrs to the river. Trips
were made down the river, distance of
about four miles to Springbank, place
OF popular resort, where the city water
works are located, and three or four To-
cal steamboats, took down large loads of
| eXcursionlstS mt regular intervals through
hout the day
About four o'clock in The afternoon
the steamer Nictoria,o the Thames Nav
| igation Company Line, started from the
dock on her fourth and last trip for the
day, with Il large load of passengers of
all ages, variously cstimatcda at from four
to six hundred in number. All went
well on the down trip, though the boat
| was so heavily laden that she shipped
water in small quantities, occasionally
when the crowd would happen to surge
to any particular side. Ga the return
trip, when more than half way home, a
slight commotion on the boat, said by
some to have been caused by the play
iul prankS OF number Of youths on the
lower deck and by others ascrbrd to the
| boat strlklngon II snag, caused the crowd
out OF curiosity to rush to one side, and,
rs the side of the boat sank with the nd
ditona weight, u volume of water foot
or two in depth poured in upon the lower
deck, which was crowded with passen-
gers. Instantly the crowd on both decks
rushed to the opposite side and their
weight, together with that of the water
shipped by the boat, caused lurch from
the opposite direction. Then it was that
the disaster occurred The side of the
boat sank in the water TO the depth of
one or two feet, and while the crowd OH
the lower deck were struggling to save
themselves from slipping down into the
river, the stanchions supporting the up.
per deck suddenly gave way and the
whole structure, with its load OF human
beings, came down on those who were
below, crushing them on the deck and
rendering escape impossible.
The scene that followed cannot be de
scribed. The boat continued to settle on
its side deeper into the water, taking
with it many of the passengers who were
stunned by the fail of the upper deck
| a. =, 70 h,1 : l,n
selves. Scores sank into the water with
out consciousness of their fate, while
many Others who were precipitated into
the river unhurt rent the air with then
vain appeals for that succor which those
of the passengers who were safe were
pOwerCSS to extend to all i'll u moment
The utmost eXeltions were put forth tC
rescue as many of the drowning ones a,
possible and many were in this way saved
from Tatery grave
As,soon rs possible help was secured
and the work Of rec )ycring the bodie,
from the river and from the wreck wa,
proceeded with. The bodies were placed
on the steamboat Lol,iSc rs fast as the,
were brought up and then taken to the
company's docks, for identification.
The accident occurred ut about quar-
ter past six, and it was midnight bcfor,
the bodies so far recovered were brough
back to the city Here most heartrcnd
ing scene cnsusd, The bodies, as fas
rs they were transferred from the steam
er, were laid out in rows on the grass by
the river side, all in their holiday attire
and with the aid of torches, the face
were eagerly scanned and hundreds o
anxious friends looking for their misSin!
ones. a goodly portion of the drowne'
are men in middle life, and many ar
children of tender years. Many wer
the walls of sorrow which followed III
identification of a relative. Perhaps it i
Il mother who discovers her child, or tn
child Il parent One man was heard il
quiring for four children. As fast n
the corpses were claimed they wer
taken in charge by their friends. an
removed to their homes.
Almost all business is nj stand still
and crowds line the streets discussing tn
sad calamity. Solemn stiffness prevail
in the city, Flags are at half mast an
bells are tolling. At the time of wrtin
23S bodies have been recovered. 1t
believed that there are several yet b,
meath the wreck "