The Saint Paul globe., 1898-07-07
AN APPALLING DISASTER AT
SEA ON JULY 4
FRENCH STEAMER LA BOURGOGNE
SANK I'M TEN MINUTES
BUT ONE WOMAN AMONG THE PAS
SENGERS SAVED

La BOurgOgne Was In COLLISION
with the British Vessel CrOmar-
tyshfre Crew of the French
Liner Acted Like Maniacs and
Fought Helpless Women to Save
Their own Lives-StOries of Sur
yivors Reveal Scenes That Wit
nesses VIII Never FOrget-Iist
of Passengers and Those Who
Were Saved.
HALIFAX. N. s., July Elm one of
the thick fogs which at this time of
the year hang over the grand banks
and Sable island, and in the North
Atlantic, occurred in the early morn
ing of July one of the most appalling
water accidents in the annals OF At
lantic commerce, and. in fact, in the
history of steam sailing of the world.
Without a moments notice the
French liner, La Bourgogne, with i52
persons on board, was run down by
the iron sailing ship, Cromartyshire,
and sank within half an hour, carry
ing with her to the bottom over 500 of
her passengers and crew, while the
balance who were not drawn down by
the fetrful suction struggled and
fought for life until 1853 were at length
rescued by the crew of the Cromarty-
shire, which ship survived the col
lision.
The story of the fearful disaster
\ @f ANY
who were saved is yet to be told, but
If the words of the passengers who
were dragged aboard the Cromarty-
shire and afterwards brought into this
port by the British steamer Grecian,
are true, the last few minutes On
board the Bourgogne witnessed some
of the most terrible scenes of horror
and cruelty that have blotted the his
tory of a civilized world. Instead Of
the heroic discipline which so often
has been the one bright feature of such
awful moments. the crew of the steam
er fought like demons for the few life
boats and RATS, and drove the passen-
gers away, with the result that the
strong overpowered the weak.
The disaster occurred at 5 o'clock In
the morning of Monday, July 4, sixty
miles south of Sable island, when lies
20 miles from this port. The Four-
gogre had left New York bound for
Havre on the previous Saturday. while
the Cro,nartyshire was on ner way
from Glasgow with a crew Of thirty
one men.
THE COLLISION.
All of the transatlantic steamers
Rave a definite course, but the Bour-
gogne was by all accounts forty miles
or more to the north of these lanes.
The fog was very dense and the Gro
martyshire was sailing along with re-
duced canvas and blowing the fog
horn. Suddenly out of the fog rushed
8 great steamer and In III noment there
was a fearful or'sh, the iron Prov IF
the ship plnnging into the port SIDE IF
the steamer just under the bridge. The
shock was terrific and tore n tremen-
dous hole N the steamer, while the
whole bowsprit Was demolished. The
steamer ploughed on into the fog
again, her whistle crying for help ard
her rockets signaling her distress. The
Cromartyshirr was rounded to and her
master, Capt. henderson, was conSid
erably relieved IN finding she was III
no danger of sinking. Off to the east
ward could be heard the hoarse call Of
the steamer apI as the fog began t.
lift all the boats of the ship were
launched. Half an hour after the col
lision the misty curtain went up, giving
01a XyiayV for q Y1d
those on the Cromartyshire realized the
fearful struggle for life.
On board the Bourgogne the collision
had come so suddenly and at such an
early hour that few besides her crew
were on deck, but the shock reused
everybody, and in a few minutes her
decks were crowded. At first there
seems to have been some attempt at
discipline. A few of the boats were
swung off, and a few Of the passen-
gers were allowed to get into
them, but as the steamer be-
gan to settle and list to port, the
officers lost control of the crew and
a panic followed Passengers and
crew fought for the boats and life
RATS. The strong battered down the
weak, the women and children being
pushed far away from any hope of
rescue. Fists and knives were even
used by some of the demons to keep
their places. The officers seem to have
been powerless 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