Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-05-26
THIRD EDITION.
THURSDAY EVENING. NAY 20, 1854.
THE CANADA DISASTER.
A WHOLE CITY IN aOUxNlNo.


A WHOLE CITY IN MOURNING.
Twelve Score of Lives Lost.
The terrible calamity near London, Ont,
has put nearly every household of that
city into mourning. It is believed now
that in the aggregate 241 persons were
drowned. Long before the Identification
of all the ITO bodies recovered up to last
night their decomposition, from the hot
sun shining on their upturned faces, rem
dered necessary their removal to drill
shed. Investigation shows gross careless
ness in overlooking the boat and reck-
less jollity among the passengers, lead
ing to the rush of the crowd and
weight from ono side Of the deck to
the other. When the pressure caused the
supports of tho upper deck to give way
the people tumbled in hundreds headlons
into tho water thirteen feet deep, and to
make tho terror more terrible the whole of
the upper deck and supports went crash
ing down upon the wretched victims, tear
ing and bruising tho struggling people,
who thus became cooped as it were be-
tween two deaths. The river is usually
high just now, being swollen by recent
rains and where the disaster occurred the
current runs swift and black at ali
times. The mist of escaping steam in
tensified tue confusion. One man was
nearing the bank, with child under each
arm, when woman clutched at him and
the four sank. A woman with babe at
her breast clung to it and was being
hauled ashore by sturdy swimmer when
a falling beam killed tho infant and tho
river swallowed it. Another woman
twice lost and twice recovered her boy. At
midnight when the bodies were recovered
they were laid out in rows OH the grass by
the river side, all in their holiday attire,
and with the aid of torches their faces
were eagerly scanned by hundreds of anx-
iOus friends who were looking for their
missing ones. Walls Of sorrow followed
recognitiOns; and when all hopes Of safety
for friends ended in despair many surviv-
ors were with difficulty restrained from
burying themselves in tho black flood.
Details OF tho Dlsastcr.
LoNDON. ONT. Nav 26--The number
of passcnrers on board the Victoria at
the time of the disaster is now estimated
at 7OO-a burden out of all proportion to
the strength and capacity Of the vessel.
Shortly after passing Woodland cemetery
and when the boat l,eoan tn rock tho crowd
surged from one side to the other with each
oscillation, rather enjoying the motion.
of the nassenoers stated that a number of
Youths on the upper deck took delieht in
keeping up the rocking motion by moving
from side to side willie others shouted
gleefully: sIet her sink wen only have
to wade ashore - It is said by some. though
denied by others. that the officers I'm
charge endeavored to indnoe the Dassen-
GERS to remain ouiet. but their efforts were
nnava;l;nc The crowd snroed from side
to side and with each movement the vessel
took in an increasing amount of water on
the lower deck. to the terror of some and
the delight of manv more. of those below
few seemed to foresee danser. Suddenly
the position became alarming. When
nearly opposite Cove Bridge. the water
to the depth of a foot or more rushed in
on the south side of the boat and the
crowd surped again to the north. the boat
SLOWLY following tho movement by fitting
over to that side. This time tho vessel