The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-07


HALIFAX, N. s.. July Gin one Of
she thick fogs which at this time Of the
gear hang like pail over the grand
banks and Sable Island In the North At
lantic, occurred, on the early morning
Of July 4, one Of the most appalling
ocean disasters in the annals Of trans
Atlantic commerce. and in fact, in the
history OF steam sailing OF the world.
without moments warning almost the
great French liner La Bourgogne with
725 souls on board, was run down by
the iron sailing ship cromartyshIre and
sank within half an hour, carrying with
her to the oceans bottom over 500 Of her
Messengers and crew, while the balance
Who were not drawn down by the fear
fll suction, struggled and fought for lie
until 1853 were at length rescued by the
crew Of the Cromartyshire, which snip
survived the collision.
The story OF the fearful disaster from
4he few officers and members OF the crew
who were saved Is yet to be told, but II
the words vt the passengers who were
dragged aboard the Cromartyshlre ana
later brought TO this port by the steamer
Grecian are to be believed, the last IeW
minutes on board the Bourgogne Wit
messed some OF the most terrible scenes
of horror and cruelty that have p!otteo
the history of civilized race.
A CowardIy Crew.
Instead Of the heroic discipline which
60 often has been the one bright feature
Of such awful moments, the crew of the
steamer fought like demons for the few
life boats and RATS, batterlng the help
less passengers away from their only
means Of salvation with the result that
the strong overcame the'weak and the
iigt OF 1853 saved contains the name OF
nut one woman. The disaster occurred
At s o'clock In the morning OF Monday,
iJiiy a. about sixty miles south OF Sable
island, which lies nearly a hundred
miles of this port.
The BourEogne had left New York
bound for HaVre on theprevious Satur-
day, while the Cromartyshire was. on
her way to Glasgow with a crew OF
kwenty-one men.
Although the TRANSATLANTIC steamers
iii have definite course, the Bourgogne
Ras by all accounts, forty miles or more
to the north OF these lanes.
The fog was very dense and the Gro
martyshlre was sailing along with re-
duced canvas and blowing the fog norm.
Suddenly out OF the fog rushed q great
steamer and In q moment there was
fearful crash, the iron prov OF the snip
plunging Into the port side Of the steam
o. Just under the bridge.
The shock was terrific and Tore a ire
nendods hole in the steamer while the
entire bow OF the ship was demolished.
The steamer plunged on in the fog
again, her whistle crying for help ana
der rockets signalling her disaster:
The Cromartyshire was rounded 10
and her master, Captain Henderson was
considerably relieved In finding that she
was Ia no DANCE Of sinking. on to the
eastward could be heard the hoarse call
~ the steamer and as the fog began 10
iIft nil the boats on the ship were
launched.
An Awful ReVelhtion'
Half an hour after the collision the
misty curtain went up. giving clear
view for miles and then 1t was that those
m the Cromartyshlre realized the fear
mi struggle for life. On board the Bour-
1opne the collision had come so sudden
and at such time in the morning that
few besides her crew were on deck, put
fhe shock reused every one ana WIthih
\ few minutes the decks we're crowded
Al flrst II seemed uS IL there was some
httempt at discipline. A Few OF tne
boats were swung of and some OF the
passengers allowed to set into them.
But as the steamer began to settle and
list 10 port the officers lost control OF
the crew and panic ensued. Passen.
gers and crew fought for the boats ana
life RATS.
the women and children being pushed
far away from any hope OF rescue:
Fists, oars and even knives were usea
by some Of the demons to keep their
niaces. The officers seemed to have
been powerleSg before their own men
and only four were saved. The fight for
life on the decks Of the steamer did not
last long for In a little more than half
an hour she gave long lurch TO port
and went down.
In the voFtSz OF Death.
As tho ship sank beneath the surface,
the vortex Of the waters sucked down
everything on the surf side within q
certain radius When the suction
ceased those stiIl alive saw about 200
bodies come out Of the water with a
rush as II the sea were giving up the
dead after having swallowed the ship.
But the struggle for life stiR continued
aftGA the ship went down. Hundreds
Btill floated about grasping for RATS,
boats and wTeckage In frantic endeavor
% keep above Wnter. Even then many
6f those in the boats, II the stories told
are to be believed, showed their bru-
tallty by beating of those who attempts
ed 70 climb aboard.
BY this time the small boats Of the
Cromartyshire had come up and the
work Of rescue began. The crew Of tho
ship worked heroically and saved every
one who hnd managed to keep above
water, but even then scores fell away
from boats, Rats and wreckakge. ex-
hausted, and were drowned. It was all
over in an hour, although for some time
after great pieces OF wTeclsage came
shooting up from the bottom, marking
the spot where the great liner had gone
down. But little attempt was made TO
recover the bodies OF any OF the III
fated passengers or crew and the bnt-
tered hulk NJ ,he bottom Of the ocean
win probably be their tomb
In the afternoon the steamer Grocian
WH0 HightCu coming from the Wntf ~ n I'd