Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-07-07


the condition Of my ship l accepted the
offer, and we proceeded at once to trans
snip the passengers and get ready our
toWllne. AT p. m. we had made
connection and proceeded in tow of the
Hreclan toward Halifax, having put a
sail over the broken bow to take part OF
the strain off the collision bulkhead.
There was at that time IA feet Of water
in the forepeak
Mrs. Henderson, wife of the captain,
was on board the Cromartyshire with
her two children. She tells a thrilling
tale of the terrible experience. The COL
lision occurred at a. m. on the 4th inst.
The weather was foggy, and she had ris-
en- from her bunk at an early hour, as
was her custom when the weather was
thick. Shortly before the vessels came
together she detected a steamers whis-
tie blowing on the port side of the YES
sci. The Cromartyshire was sounding
her fog horn at intervals of one minute
Mrs. Henderson called the attention of
her husband to the sounding of the whis-
tie, and minute later the mate, who
was on the watch, also detected the
sound. it came nearer and nearer and
Mrs. Henderson stood near the cabin in
order to rescue her children should a
disaster occur.
Suddenly the huge hulk of an ocean
greyhound doomed up in the mist, 60
ing about II knots an hour. Almost i'm
mediately there was a fearful crash,
and Mrs. Henderson rushed below and
found her children awakened by the
shock. She dressed the little ones as
quickly as possible and removed them
to the deck, expecting to see her own
ship go down any minute. Captain Hen
derson had, as soon as the collision oc-
CURED, ordered the boats to be lowered
and the damage to be ascertained AS
it was found that the Cromartyshire
was in no immediate danger the Brit
Usher was put about. The vessel with
which they had collided was at that
time unknown. A few minutes later
her whistle was heard, and several rock
cts were sent up. Captain Henderson
replied in like manner thinking the
steamer was offering assistance, but in
a few minutes all was quiet, and those
on board began to realize the awful re-
suits of the collision.
Work of Rescue Begun.
At $50 the fog lifted, and two boats
were seen approaching with only men
on board. Later the weather cleared
still more, and men were to be seen In
every direction clinging to wreckage
and floating on life RATS. 1t was a ter
rible scene. No pen can picture the APP
pallng sight revealed to the onlookers
when the curtain of mist arose. The
work of rescue was commenced without
lo1o nd 10
were picked up and taken on board the
ship. Mrs. Henderson, who had ample
opportunity Of interviewing those who
were rescued, expressed her belief from
what she heard that there had been no
effort to save the women. There were
many foreigners on board who fought
for places in the boats. 1t was fully ten
minutes to a quarter of an hour before
La Bourgogne went down. and during
that time there was ample opportunity
offered to rescue at least some of the
women and children. AS it was only
one woman, Mrs. Lacasse, was saved,
and she has been on board ever since.
She is the wife of A. D. Lacasse, Ian
guage teacher Of Plainfield, N. j.
The crew Of the Cromartyshire ex-
pressed the belief that there must have
been some foul play, considering that
only one woman was saved out OF 200.
Every one of the first class passengers
were lost those saved being steerage
and sailors. Lacasse and his wife were
in the water eight hours clinging to a
raft before they were picked up by a
boat from the Cromartyshire. They lost
everything but what they stand in, in
Guiding money and valuables. One pas
senger was going home to France with
his two children his wife having died a
month previously. He was saved, but
his two babies went down with the Ill
fated ship. Mrs. Lacasse says the OFF,
GERS gravely staid by their posts, go
ing down with the ship. The only off,
GER saved was the purser He went
down with the ship, but, being a strong
swimmer managed to save himself.
Lacax.c's Awful Experience.
When the ship struck, they were on
Cane Sable. The passengers, with the
sole exception of Professor Lacasse
were below decks. Without warning
came the terrible shock. Lacasse rush
ed in haste to his stateroom, on the sa'
loon deck, got his wife out of 'Ad ano
partly dressed. They fastened On deck
to he precipitated into the water on
reaching it. They We're not long in the
water however. when they found
nartly submerged raft, on to which La
casse lifted his unconscious Wife anc
then chung to it himself. Some OF the
boats, Lacasse says, capsized, ana al
on board were drowned. The spasmodit
struggles, swishing water and terrible
screams made the situation an awe in
epiring one never to be forgotten. One
man on board the Bourgogne when she
sank went out of his mind and jumped
to a watery grave.
Third Mate Stewart of the Cromarty-
shire SAYS that the Frenchmen evident
ly thought they were another ship anc
that they (the Bourgogne) had sunk the
colliding vessel. At the time Of the col
lision Mr. Stewart says the Bourgogne
must have been going at the rate OF Il
or 10 knots yer hour through dense
fog. shutting out everything not less
than 90 y..rG. away. About three hours
after the Cr martyshire picked up the
survivors the Allan liner Grecian was
sighted and took the CromaStyshire ir
tow About s o'clock that evening three
miles away Third Mate Stewart heard
Guns and saw three rockets go up and {
blue light, the signal of distress burn
ing. The Grecian sgnaled to the Gro
martyshire that she was going to assls
the vessel signaling. In few minutes
however, the light disappeared. and M
more guns or rockets were discharged
the vessel certainly having sunk. Pro
lessor Ia1asse, one of the survivors, /:
of the opinion that there was a thire
vessel in the collision, as he saw thu
Bourgogne sink within ten minutes ait
err the collision.
Description of the Vessel.
La Bourgogne was 4So feet long. D
feet 9 inches in beam and 81 feet l incl