The Topeka state journal., 1898-07-08
$50 DROWNED.
This is the Final Figure on the Bour-
gogne Disaster.


Boston, Mass, July 8-The Plant
line steamer Halifax has arrived here
having on board 1872 survivors of the
French steamer La Bourgogne which
was sunk in a collision with the ship
Cromartyshire, off Sable island last
Monday. On the passage from Halifax
La BOurgOgne's passenger list was
carefully revised and it was shown
there were ia souls on board the
steamer of whom $50 were lost and 164
saved. OF the saved u were second
class, At steerage and the remainder 106
were members Of the crew.
On arriving here the ships wrecked
men were given every necessary atten-
ton. Each was provided with a ticket
for New York.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press who took passage on the Halifax
for the purpose Of learning from the
survivors more of the details of the
disaster than had been possible in the
short time between their arrival at
Halifax and their departure for New
York during the trip to Boston had op-
pOrtunity to come in contact with very
many of those who escaped. Their
stories of experience were thrilling, and
many of them gave hOrrifying details
of brutality, if not of murder, possibly
never equalled in the history of the
merchant marine.
Among the survivors there were a
few who. could speak English WELL but
most of them could communicate with
the correspondent only through an in
terpreter. There were Swiss, French,
Germans, Belgians, Italians and Arab
ians. Some of them showed the marks
and bruises received during the terrible
struggle for life. Among those on
board the Halifax, not one could be
found who was on dech at the time the
collision occurred. The only man saved
from La BOurgOgne who was on deck
when the ship struck was Mr.. Lacasse.
Lacasse with his wife left Halifax by
rail
The survivors agree that when La
BOurgogne was struck by the CrOmar-
tyshire, the shock was not great. There
fore it is believed that many of the
passengers never awOke. The state
ments as to the time Intervening be-
tween the collision and the sinking OF
La Bourgogne vary greatly. Some say
ten or fifteen minutes and others say
so or As minutes, while one man was
certain it was a full hour.
The blow struck Ia BOurgOgne was
one that could not have been provided
against by water tight doors.
Among the remarkable escapes were
those of three stOkers of La BOur-
gOgne, Louis Lejulien, Jean AlVany
and Francois MelOy. They were in the
stoke hole when the accident occurred.
Their story in substance is as follows:
The engines were stopped after the col
GsiOn and subsequently were started
in the hope of beaching the steamer on
Sable island. About five minutes after
the crash the water began to come into
the boiler room and soon rushed in in
great volumes. The pumps We're tried
but to no avail. The water put the fires
out and the engines stopped. The chief
engineer gave orders to close the water
tight doors, but even when they we're
closed the water came in almost as fast
as before Then all hope was abandon
ed and the engineer blew twice on the
whistle, the signal for all to escape
who could do so. There was a rush but
about Is men were drowned in the
stoke holes and the engine room. The
three men who succeeded in getting out
found that all of the boats had left and
they at once plunged into the sea- They
were picked up later and taken on
board the Cromartyshir