Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-13
Steamer Canada Sunk by
Steamer Cape Breton.
Goodness of Officers Save More
Than a Hundred Lives.
Three Men and Two Children Lost
One Body Recovered-The Canada
Gut Nearly in Two-The Fault Not
Yet Placed.

| NoiltTeal, June lZ.-The Richelieu
x Ontario Navigation Cos. steamer
| Canada, bound from Quebec for Mont
real. came into collision with the Do
| minlon Coal Cos. collier Cape Breton
SIX miles below Sorel, early today
| Twenty minutes later the Canada went
to the bottom. At the time of the COL
liSion there were ITO people on board
| and all were rescued except five. Those
| who persisted were:
Alfred Thibea ult, ticket agent Of the
company at Quebec, and his two chill
Gren, aged II and IS.
Purser Bonneterre of the Canada.
a man named Brunei of Sorel. He
| is missing and it is supposed that he
persisted.
The collision occurred just as the
first signs Of day were becoming WISH
BILE. The Cape Breton lay at the en-
trance of Lake st. feter channel wait
ing for daylight SO as to find her way
through. She was just getting under
way when the Canada, making for
Sorel at full speed, came into view.
Just how the collision occurred and
who is responsible for it, has not vet
been determined. for the officers of the
Canada declined to talk, but from the
statements given out in would appear
that the Cape Breton did not get head
way on enough to answer her rudder
and that she swerved across the path
Of the passenger boat, her bow striking
the Canada just forward Of the paddle
box on the starboard side and tearing
its way half through. Then she swung
clear and the two steamers came
alongside one another. There was no
necessity of arousing the sleeping pas
sengers, for the shock of the collision
had already done that.
The Canada at once began to settle
and as the Cape Breton did not appear
to be seriously damaged, the passen-
gers were hurriedly transferred to that
steamer. In the excitement some of
the passengers jumped overheard and
were picked up by boats from the
Canada and Cape Breton, but generally
those on board were composed, while
the discipline shown by the crew of the
Canada was excellent.
Twenty minutes late" when the
Canada went down alongside the Cape
Breton. resting her side in the mud. all
the passengers had been transferred to
the Cape Breton.
Thibeaut and his two sons occpied
stateroom just about where the Cape
Breton's bow entered the Canada and
it is supposed that they were killed in
their berths. The body of the father
was recovered later in the day, but
those of the two sons have not yet
been found.
BOnnetterre, the purser, was seen
after the collision making his way to
his quarters on the lower deck with
the intension of saving his cash and
his records and it is supposed that he
persisted in the attempt.
Burnet was a SecOnd-class passen-
ger and no one saw him after the COL
liSiOn, though it is possible that he
vent ashore with the crew of one of
the boats which was sent to secure
help from Sorel.
This arrived few minutes after 4
o'clock the steam barge Prefontaine
being in the harbor with steam up.
She brought the passengers and crew
to Sorel and they We're brought to this
pany's steamer Columbian.
Many of the passengers who oc-
cupied staterooms on the upper deck
were fortunate enough to save their
baggage, but those on the main deck
lost theirs. Some of them had but lit
tel clothing on, but they were sup
FLIED with the necessary garments on
arrival at Sorel, so when they arrived
in Montreal there was no evidence of
the fact that they had just been
through q wreck.
All the passengers speak highly Of
the efforts made by the captain and the
crew of the Canada to save the lives
of the passengers and to their exer-
tons is ascrbed the small loss of life
that occurred.
There was much excitement when
the news of the sinking Of the steamer
became known, first reports placing
the loss Of life at 100 persons