Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1881-05-27
NE W DOMINION.

The Victoria Disaster-scenes ON the
Homeward Trfp-PIayfu1 Rollicking
that Tipped the Boat-A Remarkable
Forevvarnfng of the Accident.
LONDON, Ont, May 26.-The unclaimed
bodies of the victims of Tuesdays disaster
are enclosed in shells and removed to the
drill shed, where they can be visited by
friends in search of missing Ones The
number on board the vessel on the return
trip is estimated at seven hundred-a burden
out of all proportion to her strength and ca
pacity. Soon after passing Woodland ceme-
terry the boat began to rock, and the crowd
surged from one side to the other with each
oscillation, rather enjoying the motion in
stead of being in any way alarmed. One of
the passengers said that a number of youths
on the upper deck took delight in keeping up
the rocking motion by moving from side to
side, while others shouted gleefully, 'Let
her sink Wen only have to wade ashore"
1t is said by some, though denied by others,
that the officers in charge endeavored to in
duce the passengers to remain quiet, but
their efforts were unavailing. The crowd
surged from side to side, and with each
movement the vessel took an increasing
amount of water on the lower deck, to the
terror of some and the delight of many more
of those below. Few seemed to foresee
danger. Suddenly the position became
alarming, when nearly opposite Cove Bridge
The water to the depth of foot or more
rushed in on the south side of the boat, and
the crowd surged again to the north, the
boat slowly following the movement by list
ing over to that side. This time the vessel
almost turned on her edge, and the deck
floor became elevated to an angle not far
from the perpendicular All at once the
supports of the upper deck gave way with a
terrible crash on account of the unnatural DO.
sition and the great weight imposed over the
ratings. The people tumbled into the deep
water, and to make the terror more terrible
the whole of the upper deck and supports
went crashing down upon the victims, tear
ing and bruising them. The scene which
followed was terrible. Scores were strue-
Cling toward the shore. Many who were so
stunned by the crash as to be unconscious
sank without an effort. The work of recov.
ering the bodies was then begun, and has
been continued ever since. The steamer
Princess Louise came alongside in few min
utes, and in a short time both her decks and
every available inch of space was taken up
with dead bodies
Meanwhile the tidings had been conveyed TO
the city, and crowds focked to the scene to
learn, if possible, the fate of those on board
who were dear to them. Many of the bod
les were terribly mangled from the crash of
timber which came down from the upper
deck, and in many cases the features bore
evidence of the desperate struggle which
must have taken place. A visit to the scene
shows the Victoria to be a complete wreck.
1t is said on good authority that her boiler
was not properly secured.
Capt. Rankin, who had charge of the
steamer, said he tried his best to have part
of the crowd remain on shore, but only few
listened to his warnings. He said he saw a
sand bar only 200 yards from where the &C
cident happened, and he intended to beach
the vessel there, because he saw that the
steamer never could stand such heavy bur
den. He thinks if the passengers had re.
NAMED quiet he might have reached the bar.
Mr. Parish manager of the company, says
that the accident was the result of overload
ing the vessel. He had not been able to as
certain from the number of tickets sold about
the number of passengers who were on board,
but he estimated them at from five hundred
to six hundred. The vessel, which cost
about 1000, is a total wreck and good for
nothing, and as the insurance policy covers
loss by fire only, it is not applicable to this
case.
settled gloom reigns over London, Ont
The city council met Wednesday, and passed
resolutions of coincidence. Almost all bust
ness.is at a standstill and crowds on the
streets are discussing the sad calamity. A
solemn stiffness prevails in the city; flags are
at BALI mast and the bells are to11ing funeral
knell So far over 238 bodies have been re-
covered, and it is believed there are several
yet beneath the wreck. An official statement
bearing on the inspection of the steamer
was forwarded to Ottawa to-day by
Samuel Risley, government steamboat in
spector of Toronto. He looked on her as a
safe boat for river traffic. She was inspect
ed twice last year, first in May and again in
October.
singular story, and, what is more, tue
one. is told by gentleman who, it is neces-
sary to state for the purposes of the nara
tive is a leading member of Protestant
church. On Sunday last the corner stone
of the new Roman Catholic cathedral here
sisted by Archbishop Lynch and Co-adjutor-
Bishop Mahony, of Toronto; Bishop
Gremin, of Hamilton; Bishop Jamot, of
Northern Ontario and very large number
of clergy from this diocese. After high
mass. which followed the ceremony, this
Protestant gentleman. while returning from
his own church, met priest with whom he
about the weather and >othsr topics and at
last fell to talking about the growth and
prosperity of the city. 81 have many warm
friends here, ''said the priest. "and God send
that no harm befalls them" ssWhat does
your reverence mean ?" asked the layman.
''Well," replied the priest sadly, you
have known me long enough to believe
that am not superstitious. but for week
past I have been haunted by an impression,
call it dream if you like, that great ca
lamity is about to fall upon London. Don't
think it is either biliousness or mere fancy
1 cannot shake it off l seem to have fore
warning that hundreds of lives are about to
be sacrificed. The Queens birthday is near,
and it is just possible that may have been
led into this gloomy way of thinking from
days human life is of no account in the eyes
of steamboat and railroad companies. But,