The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-06

uuWl toWdIuS us. oiiB proven " pS s.a~
Grecian bound from Glasgow to New
York. The captain of the Grecian agreed
to take the passengers on board and also
agreed to tow my ship TO Halifax. ow-
ing to the condition / accepted the offer
and we proceeded at once to tranship the
passengers and get ready our tow line.
AT P. M. we had made connection
and proceeded in tow Of the Grecian to-
wards Halifax, having put sail over
the broken bow to take part of the strain
of the collision bullShead. There was at
that time ii feet of water in the fore
peak
Mrs Henderson, wife of the Captain.
was on board the Cromartyshire with her
two children. She tells thrilling tale
of the terrible experience. The collision
occurred at A. M. on the 4th instant.
The weather was foggy and she had risen
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 whistle blowing
on the port side of the vessel The Gre
martyshire was sounding her fog horn at
intervals of one minute.
Mrs Henderson called the attention Of
her husband to the sounding of the
whistle, and a minute later the mate,
who was on the watch also. detected the
sound. 1t came nearer and nearer and
Mrs. Henderson stood near the cabin in
order to rescue her children should a dis
aster occur.
Suddenly the huge hulk of an ocean
about seventeen knots an hour. Almost
Immediately 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 saip
60 down any minute.
Captain Henderson had as soon as the
collision occurred, ordered the boats to
be lowered and the damage to be ascer-
tanned. AS it was found that the Cromar-
tyshire was in no immediate danger: the
Brftisher 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 rockets
were sent up. Captain Henderson re-
piled in like manner thinking the steam
er was Offering assistance, but in few
minutes AIN was quiet and those on board
began to realize the awful results of the
collision.
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 wreekage and float
ing on life RATS. 1t was a terrible scene.
No one can picture the appealing sight
revealed to the onlookers when the cur
tain of mist arose.
The work of rescuing was commenced
without a moments delay and over 200
persons were picked up and taken on
board the ship. Mrs. Henderson. VINO
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
some of the women and children. AS it
was only one woman was saved. She
was Mrs. Lacasse, and she has been on
board ever since She is the vile of A.
D. Lacasse, language teacher of Plain
vile, N. ].
The crew of the Cromartyshire ex-
pressed the belief that there must nave
been some foul play considering that only
one woman was saved out of three hum
dred. Nearly all the first class passen-
gers were lost, those saved being steerage
and sailors.
I4acasse and his wife were in the water
eight hours clinging to raft before they
we're picked up by a boat from the Cro-
martyshire. They lost everything but
what they stand in, including money and
valuables. One passenger was going
home to France with his two children, his
wife having died a month previously He
was saved. but his two babes went down
with the Inflated ship.
Mrs. Lacasse says the officers brayely
stayed by their posts going down with he
ship. The only officer saved was the
Purser. He went down with the ship,
but being strong swimmer managed TO
save himself When the ship struck they
were off Cape Sable.
The passengers, with the sole exception
of Prof Lacasse, were below decks. With
out warning came the terrible shock
Lacasse rushed in haste to his state room
on the saloon deck, got his wife ont of
bed and partly dressed. They hastened
on deck to be precipitated into the water