The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-07

Fought Like Demons, Battering the Helpless Passenger Away From Their Only Means of Salvation With the Re- suit That the Strong Overcame the Weak and the List of 162 Saved Out of 735 Souls Contains Only the Name of One XVoman-Storieso of the Passengers Ashamed of His Countrymen.
 Halifax, N. S., July 6.--In one of the thick fogs which at this time of the year hang like pail over the Grand Banks and Sable Island, in the North Atlantic ocean, occurred, on the early morning of July 4, one of the most ap- palling ocean disasters in the annals of transatlantic commerce, and, in fact, in the history of steam sailing of the world. Without a moments warning almost the great French liner La Bour gogne with 725 souls on board, was run down by the iron sailing ship Cro martyshire, and such terrific hole was 1 torn in the big steamers port side that she sank within half an hour, carrying with her to the oceans bottom over 800 1 of her passengers and crew, while the balance, who were not drawn down by l the fearful suction struggled and fought for life until 163 were at langth rescued from death by the crew e the Cromartyshire, which ship survived the collision.
 l .. Scenes of Horror and Cruelty.
 The story of the fearful disaster from | the few officers and crew who were saved is yet to be told, but if the words 1 of the passengers who were dragged 1 aboard the Cromartyshire and later brought into this port by the steamer | Grecian are to be believed, the last few minutes on board the La Bourgogne l witnessed some of the most terrible scenes of horror and cruelty that have plotted the history of a civilized race. ] Instead of the heroic discipline which I so often has been the one bright feat l ure of such awful moments, the crew of the steamer fought like demons for the few lifeboats and rafts, battering the helpless passengers away from their only means of salvation, with the result that the strong overcame the weak and the list of one hundred and 1 siXty-three saved contained the name of but one woman.
 l n. m. Monday, July I.
 The disaster occurred at o'clock in the morning of Monday, July 4, about sixty miles south of Sable Island, which lies nearly hundred miles off this port The BourgoRne had left New York bound for Havre on the previous Sat urday, while the Cromartyshire was on her way over from Glasgow with a crew of twenty-one men. Although the transatlantic steamers all have a definite course, the Bourgogne was, to all accounts, forty miles or more to the north of the steamer lines.
 The Collision.
 The fog was very dense and the big iron ship was sailing along with reduc- ed canvas and blowing the g-horn. Suddenly out of the fog rushed a great steamer and in a moment there was a fearful crash, the iron prov of the shir plunging into the port side of the steamer just under the bridge The shock was terrific, and tore tremend- ous hole in the steamer, while the en- tire bow of the ship was demolished The steamer plunged on into the fog again, her whistle crying for help and her rockets signalling her dire disas- ter.
 The Cromartyrshfre Safe.
 The Cromartyshire was rounded to and her master, Captain Henderson was considerably relieved in finding that she was in no danger of sinking off to the eastward could be heard the hoarse call of the steamer, and as the fog began to lift all the boats on the ship were launched. Half an hour af. ter the collision occurred the misty cur tain went up, giving a clear view fol miles, and then it was that those or the Cromartyshire realized the fearfu struggle for life. On board the Bour. gogne the collision had come so sud. denly and at such time in the morn ing that few besides her crew were or deck, but the shock reused nearly every one and within few minutes the deck. were crowded with struggling and ex i cited passengers.
 Fighting for the Boats.
 Passengers and crew fought for the boats and life rafts, and it was fight to the death in itself, while death ir the waters stared everyone in the face The strong battered down the weak the women and children being pushed far away from any hope of rescue Fists. oars and even knives were useC by some of the demons to keep thei, places. The officers seemed to have been powerless before their own men and only four were saved. The figh- for life on the decks of the steamer . did not last long for a little more thar half an hour she gave a long Iurcl to port and went down.
 As the Ship Sank.
 As the ship sank beneath the surfac, the vortex of the waters sucked dowr everything on the surface within { certain radius. A couple of minute. later, when the suction ceased, thos, still alive say about 200 bodies come II, l out of the water with rush as if tn, sea were giving up the dead after hay ing swallowed the ship. But the strug gle for life continued after the shiI went down. Hundreds still fioateC : about. grasping at rafts, boats anC ! vreckaea in frantic endeavor to Leer