The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-07-14
s62 LOST AT SEA.
A Big Passenger Ship. Goes Down
Scenes of Awful Brutality.

Halifax, July 5.-The French steam
er La Bourgogne, of the Campagnie
Generate Trans-Atlantique Line. with
725 souls on board. was run down bv
the iron sailing ship Cromartyshire.
60 miles south Of Sable Island, during
the early morning of July i, and sunk
within half an hour, carrying with
her over 500 of her passengers and
crew. The balance. who were not
drawn down by the fearful suction.
struggled and fought for life, until
1913 were at length rescued from dealt
by the crew of the Cromartysh
which ship survived the collision. A
thick fog prevailed at the time of the
disaster.
The story of the fearful accident
from the few officers and crew who
were saved is yet TO be told, but if
the words of the passengers who
were dragged aboard the Cromarty-
shire, and later brought to this port
by the steamer Grecian are to be
believed 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 race.
Instead of the discipline which so
often has been the one bright feature
of such awful moments, the crew of
the steamer fought like demons for
the few life boats and RATS, batter
ing the helpless passengers away
from their onl y means of salvation,
with the result that the strong over
came the weak, and the list Of one
hundred and siXty-three saved con-
tanned the name of but one woman.
The Bourgogne had left New York
bound for Havre, on Saturday, July
2, while the Cromartyshire was OH
her way over from Glasgow, with a
crew of q men. Although the Trans
Atlantic steamers all have definite
course, the Bourgogne was to all ac-
counts 40 miles or more to the north
of these lanes.
A boat containing 40 women was
capsiZed and all went down in the
whirlpool. There was not one in this
boat and it was left fast to the davits.
Some of the women were trying to
cut the ropes when the steamer ca
reened deeper and capsized the boat.
Mrs. Lacasse says that a moment
after the steamer was engulfed, men,
women and children rose on every
side of the whirlpool, and the sight
of the faces and arms and the sound
of the shrieks were so terrible that
she will remember them to her dying
day.
Some of the scenes enacted on
board the La Burgogne just after the
collision were terrible to witness.
Men fought for positions in the boats
like raving maniacs, women were
forced back from the boats and tram
pied by men who made self-preserva-
ton their first object. On board
were large number of the lower
class of Italians and other foreigners,
who in their frenzy stopped at moth
ing that promised safety for them
selves. In boat was a party of
forty women, but SO great was the
panic that not hand was raised to
assist in its launching. The occu
pants, so near saved, were drowned
like rats when the ship, with an
awful Kissing sound, went down. So
desperate was the situation that an
Italian passenger drew his knife and
made direct at one who, like him.
self, was endeavoring to reach the
boats. Immediately his action was
initiated in every direction. Knives
were tlourished and used with effect
Women and children were driven
back to inevitable death at the point
of weapons, the owners of which
were experts in their use. Accord
ing to stories of survivors women
were stabbed like SO many sheep.