Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-05-27
SAFETY OF THE VICTORIA.

SAFETY OF THE VICTORIA.
TORONTO. May 26.-The official papers
bearing on the inspection of the steamer Vic
toria, which collapsed at London, were for
warded to day by Samuel L. Resley, govern
ment steamboat inspector, this city. lie
looked on her as a safe boat for river traffic.
She was inspected twice last year, first in May
and again in October
HOW THE DISASTER OCCURRED.
LONDON, Ont, May 26.-The bodies still
unclaimed are being enclosed in shells and re-
moved to shed where they can be visited by
friends in search of the missing ones. The
story of the disas ter as given by competent
witnesses who were on board, shows that the
ill-fated vessel was on her "trip, and that
on setting out from springbank TO return to
on the way down, and in addition large
number who were waiting on the
wharf to be conveyed home. The num-
ber on board on the return trip Is estimated at
700, burden out of all proportion to the
strength and capacity of the vessel. Shortly
after passing Woodlawn cemetery the boat be-
gan to rock, and the crowd surged from one
side to the other, while others shouted glee-
fully,
we will only have to wade ashore. 1t 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 unavailing The crowd surged from side
to side, and with each movement the vessel
took in an increasing quantity OF water on the
lower deck, to the terror of some and delight
of many more of those below. No one seemed
to foresee the danger. Suddenly the position
became alarming. When nearly opposite Cove
bridge water to the depth of a foot or more
rushed in on the south side of the boat,
and the crowd surged again to the north.
The boat slowly followed the movement by
listing over to that side. This time the vessel
almost turned on her ends and the deck floor
became elevated to an angle not far from per-
pendlcular. All at once the support of the
upper deck gave way with terrible crash. On
account of the position and great weight im-
posed 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 and supports went
crashing down upon the wretched victims,
tearing and bruising the struggling mass
of humanity, which thus became en-
quilted in a dreadful watery tomb. The scene
that followed 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
element into whose cruel grasp they were SO
suddenly thrown, and slowly but surely yield
ing to its 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 continued ever since.
The steamer Princess Louise came alongside
in a few minutes, and in short time had both
her decks and every inch of space taken
up with dead bodies. Tears came into the eyes
of many man of iron nerve, as he gazed npon
the bodies of boys and girls, as they were
taken from the river, clad in their holiday
attire, and were carried in sympathizing arms
aboard the Princess Louise. Meanwhile It'd
ings were conveyed to the city, and crowds
of anxious ones focked 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 visit to the scene shows the Victoria
to be complete wreck, being literally an i'll
constructed vessel broken into splinters. 1t is
said, on good authority, that her boiler was
not properly secured, and it shifted with the
rocking of the boat. Hardly any portion of
the vessel is above water
CAPT. RANKIN,
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
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 wharf till midnight if some did
not get off. One gentleman, MIR. Powell, OF
London, said to me, "you are not going to
put me off, are you" and said "you had bet
ter get off," He did so and is now alive. Very
few paid any attention to my orders, and only
about fifteen or twenty went off the boat At
ter we started a number of people on the lower
deck began moving around. Presently no
ticed slightly different action on the boat,
and being unable to leave my post at the wheel
| sent a boy down to the engineer to ascertain
il there was any danger.
The boiler left the deck before | left the
wheel. The stanchions from the main deck
were the main support of the upper deck. She
WIS Mcll UuG tuClC NClO hO
braces. Had
LIFE SAVING APPARATUS
for 400 persons. The boat was going up
slowly and syphon and pony pumps were both
working. attribute the disaster to the fact
that the vessel leaked, because when l sent
tae boy down the engineer said there was half
an arms length of water in the hold. l was
praying that we might reach the sand-bar,
where l intended 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 Manager Parish had the greatest diff
Guilty. He came up and told me there was a
lot of young fellows below making trouble
The engineer then sent up word that I had
better try and get the crowd to go aft, because
water was coming in. Just then the crowd
made a 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. l be-
lieve the boat would have recovered herself
only for the boiler going over, and as it went
ii carried away the main, and that let down
the top deck with the crowd above.
ANOTHER VERSION.
R. Montgomery, leather merchant of this
city, one of the passengers who escaped from
the wreck, gives version of the disaster thai
differs in some particulars from those already
published. Montgomery says the steamer wa!
fIr,o He NO on tho n