Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-07-07

the suction of the sinking ship was too
powerful
He and the young woman got into a
boat with many others. waiting for the
sailors to launch it. The boat was finally
capsized and the girl was lost. Nyffler
climbed upon life raft which upset and
five were drowned. for there were too many
crowded on it. The others climbed upon
the raft
Among the survivors are small party
OF Assyrians and Armenians. There were
seyenty-five Assyrians in the party when
it left New York. All but eight perished.
One of the eight lost his wife and two
brothers and other relatives. Another lost
two daughters. Only one of thirteen Ar
nenians survives. The Assyrians were
bound TO their homes near Damascus and
every one had from sI00 to $500 saved. They
lost it all. barely escaping in their pants
and shirts. On board the steamer Grecian
which towed the Cromartyshire with the
survivors to Halifax the Assyrians wept
like children and could not be comforted.
The surviving Armenian tells a sorrowfui
and his family who had got into boat
with some thirty other people. When the
end came, and the boat was abandoned
to its fate by the crew. who made no ef-
fort TO launch it, the priest stood up and,
with uplifted hands. prayed aloud.
Several French priests stood on the deck
| during the sinking of the steamer without
| making an effort to save themselves and
gave absolution to a large crowd Of pas
sengers.
The log of the Cromartyshire. signed by
Captain Henderson. is as follows:
'.On July 4th. at n. m, dense fog; posi-
ton of ship sixty miles south of Sable isl
and, ship by wind on the port tack heading
about W. n. W.. though under reduced can
vas going about four or five knots per
| hour Our fog horn was kept going regu-
| larly every minute.
AT that time / heard steamers whistle
on our weather side or port beam, which
seemed TO be nearing very fast.
I'VE blew horn and were answered by
| steamers whistle, when all Of sudden she
| loomed through the fog on our port bow
| and crashed into us. going at a terrific
liant mast came down. bringing with IL
yards and everything attached.
Immediately ordered the boats out and
| went to examine the damage. 1 found that
our boats were completely cut off and the
| plates twisted.
| "Other ships disappeared through tn,
fog.
However. our ship was floating on hel
| collision bulkhead, SO there seemed no i'm
mediate danger of her sinking. We set Il
work Immediately to clear the wreckag'
and also ship our starboard anchor which
| was hanging over the starboard bow and IL
danger of punching holes in the bow.
| I'VE heard a steamer blowing her whistl,
| on coming back and We answered with oul
fog horn. The steamer then threw up ,
rocket and fired a shot. We also threw vi
some rockets and fired several shots, bu
| We neither saw nor heard anything NOR,
! Of the steamer.
Shortly after. or about $50, the fog lifte,
| somewhat and We saw two boats pulling
toward US with the French flag flying. ",
signaled them to come alongside and foun,
that the steamer was the La Bourgogn
from New York for Havre, and that sh,
had gone down.
I'VE laid to all day and received on boart
about 200 survivors from amongst the pas
sengers and crew, reported to be in al
about 600. Several of the passengers wer,
on life RATS without oars, and called TO
volunteers from among my crew and TIL,
surviving French seamen to bring thes
RATS alongside the ship.
Some of the passengers and. seamel
from the sunken steamer assisted US an,
We jettisoned some thirty-six tons of carg
from our forehoid in order to tighten tn
ship.
AT about p. m. another steamer hov
in sight. bound westward. We put up ou
signals N. c. want assistance). Shortl
afterward the steamer bore down towar
| US.
'-She proved to be the Grecian, boun
from Glasgow to New York The captai
agreed to take the passengers on board
and also agreed to tow my ship to Hall
fax.
"Owing to the condition Of my ship ac
cepted the offer and proceeded at once t
transsiip the passengers and get ready ou
towline. At p. m. we had made a connec
tion and proceeded in tow of the Grecia
toward Halifax. having put sail ever tn
broken bow to take part of the strain c
the collision bulkhead. There was at tina
time fourteen feet of water in the fore
peak"
Mrs Henderson. wife of the captain, wa
on board the Cromartyshire with her tw
children. She tells thrilling story of tn
terrible experience. The weather was fos
gy and she had risen from her bunk at a
: early hour. as was her custom when tt
weather was bad.
Shortly before the vessels came togetht
she detected steamers whistle BLOWN
upon the port side. The Cromartyshire wa
sounding her fog horn at intervals OF OF
minute Mrs. Henderson called the attel
i ton of her husband to the sounding: 81 II
k whistle and minute later the mate, WI
n was on watch, also detected the sound.
:. came nearer and nearer and Mrs. Hende
e son stood near the cabin in order to resc'
e her children should a disaster occur.
: Suddenly the hull of an ocean steam
| loomed up in the mist, going about seve
S teen knots an hour. Almost immediate
i there was a fearful crash and Mrs. Hende
e son rushed below and found her childr'