Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1898-07-13
A SEA DISASTER.
Tremendous Loss of Life by Sinking Of
French Steamer Off Sable Island.
Women and Children Had No show for
Their Lives-Men Fought Like Wild
Beasts for Places In the Life
Bosts-A sad story.

steamer Grecian. came into the har-
Dor early Wednesday with her bow
stove in and partly dismasted. She
had been in collision with the French
steamer La Bourgogne off Sable island.
The latter sank with 7s5 people. Two
hundred were saved.
La Bourgogne sailed from New York
July for Havre. A large number of
her passengers were Americans
Only one woman survivor is among
the saved. The only officers saved
were the purser and three engineers.
Thirty men belonging to the crew
were also picked up. The remainder
of the 200 saved are passengers.
The collision occurred at o'clock
in the morning of July 4. A heavy
fog prevailed and the crash came al
most without warning. Most of the
passengers were in the staterooms. So
quickly did the vessel founder that a
number of these did not even have
time TO reach the deck and died in
their staterooms.
The woman saved was Mrs. a. d.
Lacasse, of Plainville, y. J. She was
picked mp by her husband and placed
on life raft. She chung TO the raft
until picked up. Another woman was
with her, but was washed off the raft
by the seas and drowned.
Capt. De L'Oncc stood on the bridge
of his ship as she went down. He re-
fused TO leave the vessel and per-
ished.
The captain of the Cromartyshire
said: when my ship was 60 miles off
South Sable Island she was on the port
tack heading west by northwest under
reduced canvas, going four or five
knots an hour. The foghorn was kept
continuously blowing.
shortly after a m. l heard a
steamers whistle on our weather bow,
which seemed to be nearing us very
fast blew our horn and was an
swered by the steamers whistle.
suddenly steamer doomed up
through the fog on our port bow and
crashed into us, going at terrible speed.
Our foremost and main topgallant
mast were carried away. / immedi-
ately ordered the boats out and went
to examine the damage l found that
our bow had been completely cut of
and the plates twisted into every con-
ceivable shape. Some of the men saved
from the French ship say that our ship
struck them amidships, making a ter.
rife rent in her side. The steamer Gu.
reened over and went down sideways.
There was scarcely an instant left
to escape from the fearful vortex,
which sucked down the trembling peo-
pie who managed to gain the deck.
Nearly all the pass engers were in their
night robes. With wild, despairing
shrieks and screams they clutched
vainly at the life belts to save them.
selves from the awful deep.
The scene enacted on board La Bour-
gogne just after the collision was ter.
rible to witness. Men fought for DO
sitions in the boats like raving mani.
acs; men were forced back and tram.
pied upon by the human beasts. who
invoked the first law of nature and
made self-preservation their first OBJ
ject. On board were LARGE
number of Italians and other
foreigners, who cared little for
human life. These fiends stopped
at nothing. In one boat was
party of 40 women, but so great was
the panic that not n hand was raised
to assist in her launching. The occu.
pans so near safety were drowned like
rats. when the ship, with an awful
kissing sound. went down with hun
dreds of lives So desperate was the sit.
uation that a passenger drew his
knife and made thrust at one who.
like himself was endeavoring TO reach
the boats. Immediately the action
was initiated in every direction.
Knives were flourished with deadly ef.
feet Women and children were driv-
en- back 10 an inevitable death at the
points OF weapons, the owners Of which.
were experts in their use
The following is the number of per.
sons on board: Crew, 900; passenger
first cabin, So; second cabin. 125: steer.
age, 900; total, 525; saved. 200; lost.
525.
Sable Island, off the Nova Scotian
coast. where the wreck occurred is a
veritabie ships graveyard Many
wrecks and collisions have occurre d
near its fog bound shores. La Bour.
gogne was commanded by Capt DE
L'Once. an experienced navigator.
WAsHNoroN, July MIR. and Mrs.
Anthony Pollock, Of this city. were ON
La Bourgogne. Mr.. Pollock is the
senior member OF the firm of Pollock
& Mauro. and is a man Of large means.
They had planned 70 remain abroad
three months
DENVER. Col. July 7-Bourgorne
carried one passenger from Denver. q
woman Miss Marie Picoc.
NEW YORK, July I'm answer 70 q
query addressed to Halifax. Wedncs.
day the following private dispatch
was received: "Mr. and Mrs ANTHONY
Pollock not among saved. No cabin
saved" The above telegram cvidenuy
meant that no FIRST cabin passenger.
were saved
PirrsBcRcH, Pa, July Two oi
the la BourRogne's passengers we're
Bertha and Maria FluecI,iqor. OF Ale.
gheny City Second class passcnperst
ST PAIL .fufv z Ar,,.,.- .t