Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-05-27
THE VICTORIA!
A Visit to the Wreck OF
the Victoria.
The Captains Graphic Description
of the Disaster.
All Business Suspended an
London, Ont.
4 Statement Made by some Of the
Passengers.

LONDON. Ont. Nav % Bodies still I'M
claimed are being enclosed in shells and re-
moved to the drill shed. where they can be
visited bv friends in search of missing ones
Competent witnesses who were on board state
that the Inflated steamer was on her last re-
turn trip. and that the number on board was
estimated at seven hundred, burden
out of all proportion TO the strength and
capacity of the vessel. visit to the same
shows the ''Victoria" complete wreck,
being literally an il-constructed vessel. brnk-
en- into splinters. 1t is said on good authority
that her boiler was not properly secured to
the deck, and that it shifted with the rocking
of the boat. Hardly any portion of the yes
sci is visible above the water.
Captain Rankin, who had charge of the
Victoria at the time of the disaster, makes
the following statement: 1--WE were on the
last trip for the day. 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 passen-
gers of the boat others rushed on the after
part, jumping and climbing in every direc-
ton. / ordered them down off the top deck
and threatened that would not leave the
wharf till midnight if some of them did not
get off. One gentleman, Mr.. Lowell of Lon
don, 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 orders and only
about fifteen or twenty went off the boat, and
after we started number of people on the
lower deck began singing and moving around.
Presently noticed slightly different action
on the boat. and being unable to leave my
post at the wheel, | sent boy down
to the engineer to ascertain If there
was any very serious danger.
She was listing some to starboard and as
/ was getting more anxious, / sent the boy
down again. He returned with word from
the engineer, that unless we could
straighten the boat there was danger. was
king forward to a sand-bar. about POO
yards ahead, on which intended to beach
the boat. That was my determination, be-
cause | was beginning to get anxious. Just
then couple of row boats came alongside.
the occupants of which were racing, and the
crowd rushed to the sido of the boat, to see
them. The engineer then sent word that we
must get the crowd aft. because the water
was coming in. Just then the crowd made a
rush to the port side, and as they did so, the
vessel gave a lurch and went to port. bow
dom. Then the boiler shifted from its po-
sition, and went through the side. l believe
the boat would have recovered herself. only
for the boiler going over. As it went, it car
ried away the main deck, and that let down
the top deck, with the crowd above. There
was not hundred people on the lower deck.
as the space below is largely taken up with
the boilers and machinery.
The after part of the boat went down. but
the fore part came to the surface, and the
80. s H.. "f..
Ie:u'. /" a. .',a' nay paso ~. WI" ~,
p ii:yeu - VI. - u .@ .pp 80,
" hS,'..L;.. .,, s. e.. o-' Wv!
~ - sfs -,
-. ,:'I.:', - - -: ~, '
49,. IN :os vi .ne , o"s ueoN' mus
erushins IL Io"h anu sno'hering 'nose un-
ueinea.h: lsscueu oie MAJ, WIN ''au 'pfen
u"uei .his ue1h io y" 'ii''u,es oeiore IL went
w" n' anu u'u al e:u'u ~ pre.ent peo-
Pr Pn, ~ ss -" ~ 60 nun n
- ~, ~ - :. a., ,' IL ~ o1' mn. .,.
~. sne az te sc. y. .nu, anu III 'lis
way "ele sa'eu' III *" minutes al VINO
w. mus mp, isoneu "eie uio""eu, anu l
ian " '"e 'ho'e' anu Se"' " 'he Guy
VIII, IN an speed.
Inc tonnage OF the boat was about nine
Teen TONS one was nat ootom,
SEQ" shapeu at Dotn ehus' ana registered
" carry foo "u"ureu passengers 40 not
'i'nN We ''ao more 'hah foo, because tnere
was "o' S'a"oii,s roo',' on 'he ooat LOT 'hat
III, mu'''peI; at elsh. lhches lor each person
ine poiie e,,, 'eit 'he oeck oeiore itie the
"heei. Inc stahchlons from the mann deck
are the man supports OF the upper decks.
She was well stanchioneo, nut there were no
braces. we nad llfe-saVlng apparatus for
4Uo persons. Inc ooat was going up slowly.
ne syphon ana pony pumps were both work
ing attrioute tne oisaster 10 the TACT that
the Vessei leaked, because when sent
the BOY down, the engineer SAID there was
half an arms length OF water in the hold.
was praying earnestly that we might reach
the sand bar, where ! intended to beach her
until we could get help-
LONDON, Ont, May ~. To-day this is
city OF the dead. Business is practically
suspended; except such branches as are con-
nected win the arrangement OF funeral mat
tiers. In the poorer quarters the city OH
erals have been giving away collins. Medi-
zeal men have nobly responded to the calls
made upon them. The mayor and city au-
thorities have put forth every effort to meet
the emergencies, ana so far as money and
friendly ald can mitigate grief, nothing will
De lacking.
LONDON, ont-, May 20. FIVE additional
dead oodies nave been recovered. Many
strangers are on the streets from the country
ana neighoofing towns. In some cases