The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-04-01


ure steamer Stella, with lao passengers,
bound for the channel islands, foundered
on the Casquet rocks, near the island Of
Alderney, yesterday afternoon. Accord
ing to the latest estimates made by the
{ company officials, Is persons were
drowned Other reports, however, place
the number of lives lost at a much high
er figure, the estimates running from 81
to 1886. Many women and children were
saved through the heroic efforts of the
crew. u Aside from the passengers, the
Stella carried a crew Of AZ.
The Stella belonged to the London &
{ Southwestern Railway company. She left
Southampton at noon yesterday, convey
ing the first excursion Of the season to
the channel islands. The, weather was
foggy, but all went well until the after
noon, when the fog became very dense. z
u.s. At 4 o'clock the Casquet rocks suddenly
doomed up through the fog bank, and the
steamer almost Immediately afterward
struck amidships. Inc captain, seeing
that the steamer was in a sinking condi-
tion, ordered the lifeboats to be launched.
His Instructions were carried out with the
utmost celebrity, and tAe women and chill
dren were embarked In the boats. The
captain then ordered the men to look
after themselves. "a survivor states that
he and Is others put off from the Stella
In a small boat. The sea was calm, but
there was big swirl around the rocks.
When thls boat was a short distance
away from the wreck the boilers of the
Stella burst with terrific explosion, and
the vessel disappeared stern foremost in
the. sea. .3't '-s..,
The last thing the survivor saw was
the figure Of the captain of the Stella
standing calmly on lne bridge and giving
his last Instructions. The captain per-
tshed with his vessel, owing to the sue
zion caused by the sinking steamer, which
was very great. ~.
@ Continuing, the survivor referred to
said: .-E
The suction was SO tremendous that
swe thought our boat would be engulfed.
II saw five boats and Sc collapsible boat,
besides out 5Doat, leave the wreck. They
contained, altogether, between so and 100
persons. Five Of the boats were soon
lost to view, but we took a boat filled
with women in tow. and the occupants of
our boat took the oars In turn and rowed
all night long. until most of us dropped
asleep, thoroughly exhausted.
I'VE sighted a Sc boat at 6 O'Clock in
the morning, but the GreaL Western Rail-
way company steamer Lynx, from Wey-
mouth, had meantime hove In sight. She
bore down on US and took us all on
board. She eventually landed us at
Guernsey
The Great Western Railway company's
steamer Vera, from Southampton, picked
up 40 others of the survivors and landed
them at Guernsey. -
Another steamer of the same company,
which arrived at the island of JERSEY
about noon today, reports having passed
many bodies of the victims of the disas-
ter about the Casquet rocks.
A survivor of the disaster named Bush
says the speed of the Stella in the fog
was not diminished, though me fog WIS
tiles were sounded. Bush adds that at
$3.50 a. m. the engineer showed him, in
the engine room, a dial registering
speed of 1SH Knots. He says the vessel
struck within % minutes afterward;
5 Bush further asserts that two lifeboats
were sunk with the steamer which, after
resting on the rocks for 10 or Is minutes,
split in two and disappeared. Continu-
ing, Bush said: i 49,. -.-,. -s-
when the Stella disappeared, 40 or 50
persons were discovered cunging to pieces
of wreckage or cabin furniture and cry
ing piteously for heap. All the passen-
gers and crew had been provided with
lffebelts, and there was little panic. as the
ship sank first slipped into the water
which I was helped. We rowed. suppos-
.edly.; in the. direction of Guernsey, but
seven hours later we found ourselves
near the scene of the wreck, and saw,
dozens of persons clngins to the rocks"