The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-07-14
4 TERRIBLE OCEAN HORROR.
TRANSATLANTIC STEAMER
colll0ES WIN SAILING VESSEL
AND SINKS.

SONAtusS WIN SSs\tUO VSSSSk
AND SINKS
Over 5oo live Is.t-rh~ Gr~~. sf the
>inkiaS ship soaEh, v..s~nx-.. .. ~.,s
Them-sise. osi, o.r " sa.s >.r,,-r.
VII. Tein. ths Horrisi~ story.
One Of the most appalling ocean
disasters, II not the worst, in the an
nails OF ocean travel occurrcd early IN
the morning Of July iih. though the
news OF the terrible collision Vas not
received until forty eight hours later.
Without . moments warning a.
most the great French liner La Bur
gogne, with rs souls on board, Vas
run down by the iron sailing ship
Cromartyshire, and such . terrific
hole vas torn IN the great steamers
port side that she sank within half
an hour, carrying With her to the
oceans bottom over 500 OF her pass
engers and crew, while the balance
Who were not drawn down by the
fearful suction. struggled and fought
for life, until l63 were 1t length res
cued from death by the crew Of the
Cromartyshire. which ship survived
the collision.
The story OF the fearful disaster
from the few officers and crew Who
were saved is beyond belief, but il
the words of the passengers who
we're dragged aboard the Cromarty.
shire, and later brought into Hall
fax 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 history of q clviliz sd race.
Instead of the heroic discipline
which so often has been the one
bright feature of such awful mo-
ments, the crew of the steamer fought
like demons for . few lifeboats and
RATS, battering the helpless passen-
gers away from their only means Of
salvation, with the result that the
strong overcame the weak, and the
list of 163 saved contains the name
of but one woman.
The disaster occurred at o'clock
in the morning of Monday July 4,
about sixty miles south of Sable
Island, which lies nearly q hundred
miles off Halifax.
The French liner sailed Saturday
previous from New York bound for
Havre with 725 passengers besides
her crew in one of the thick fogs
which at this time of the year hang
like a pail over the Grand Banks and
Sable Island in the North Atlantic.
The Bourgogne was steaming
slowly out of the usual course OF
trans Atlantic steamer travel. The
big iron sailing ship Cromartyshire
was sailing along with reduced can
vas and blowing the fog-horn. Sud.
denly out of the fog rushed grea,
steamer, and in a moment there wa
a fearful crash, the iron prov of the
ship plunged into the port side of the
steamer just under the bridge.
The shock was terrific, and tore q
tremendous hole in the steamer
while the entire bow of the ship wai
demolished. The steamer plunged OF
into the fog again, her whistle cry
ing for help, and her rockets signal
ing her dire distress.
Captain Henderson, of the Cromar
tyshire was considerably relieved in
finding that he was in no danger o.
sinking. OF to the eastward coult
be heard the hoarse call of the steam
or, and as the fog began to lift al
the boats of the ships we're launched
Half an hour after the collision
occurred the misty curtain went up
and then it was that those on Gro
martyshire realized the fearful strug
gle for life. On board the Bour
lgogne the collision had come so sud
den and at such q time in the morn
ing that few besides her crew wer
on deck, but the shock reused neaI
ly every one, and within . few min
utes the decks were crowded.
/ At first it seemed as if there va
some attempt at discipline. A fe,
Of the boats were swung Oh, and som
of the passengers allowed to get int
| them.
But as the steamer began to sin
the officers lost control of the cre'
, and they fought passengers for place
, in the life boats and rafts. W.
men especially fell victims to th
, iends and only one woman was save
from the wreck.
Along in the afternoon of the At
the steamer Grecian was sighte
coming from the westward, and
few hours afterward the Cromart,
t shire was taken in tow and arrive
af Halifax ThnradaY morning.