The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-11-24
DEATH ROLL OF
WRECKED HILDA
l8 Persons Perished in tie Terrible
Disaster.
MANY VICTIMS WERE FARMERS.
Soon After the Vessel Struck She Broke Amid
ships and Her Decks We're Swept Bare Of the
Passengers and Sailors, Excepting Few,
Who Chung to the Mast Those Rescued Al.
Ter Twelve Hours Of Suffering.

London by Cable)-One hundred and
twenty eight persons lost their lives in
the wreck of the London and Soutlwes-
tern Railway Company's steamer Hilda
off the northern coast of France Satur-
day night, according TO an official esti-
mate given out by the officers of the COM
pany This death roll includes Fl sa-
loon passengers, 80 French onion sellers
and 81 OF the crew.
St. NIalo, France (By Cable) .-James
GunttG, the only seaman of the Hilda
saved from the wreck, says there was
no panic on board. Attempts were made
to lower the boats, but the rough rea
rendered it impossible. Gunter chung
to the fittings of the topmast with nine
others below him, including the chief
mate and three Bretons, who died in the
night of exposure. The Hilda struck
at 10 o'clock Saturday night. She was
going very slow at the time. Rockets
were sent up, but there was no response.
Seven minutes later the ship broke amid
ships and her decks were swept bare with
the exception of the few survivors who
cliing to the mast. They were rescued
by the steamer Ada at 10 A. NJ. Sunday,
after having endured IL hours of agony.
In response to the captains appeal,
when he found it would be useless to at
tempt to launch the boats, all the women
and children were mustered III the main
hatch and the stewardesses fixed life
belts around each of them, the French
onion sellers assisting in the work. Ev-
erybody was very quiet.
IA
rigging when the vessel was foundered.
He described pathetically how the men
gradually dropped off exhausted by the
terrible cold and says the roar of the
elements was terrible.
In all more than 90 bodies have been
washed ZIP, including that of Captain
Gregory, the commander of the wrecked
ship.
Thirteen bodies of saloon passengers
have been identified These are Mrs.
Rock, her two children and their gov
erness; DR.. Stanley, his wife and two
daughters and maid; Major and Mrs.
Price, Mr.. Wellesley and Mr. Grindle.
The survivors are rapidly recovering.
The entrance to the harbor of St.
Malo is one of the most difficult known
to mariners On Saturday night blind
ing spowstorm, with haze and high wind,
prevailed, and it is little wonder that
even SO experienced a navigator as
Captain Gregory lost his reckonings, es-
pecially as at the point where the Hilda
struck only few yards deviation from
the regular course meant destruction.
Torpedo boats found there is no hope
of salvaging the vessel.
Paris (By Gable Special reports
received here Of the wreck of the steam
er Hilda gave a graphic description Of
the disaster. Owing to the rough sea to-
gether with thick snowstorm, the captain
Of the Hilda probably took the bouy light
of the rocks for the St Malo lighthouse
He gave signals, which were not seen
by harbor employees, and then the steam
err proceeded slowly toward the light
When the Hilda struck the rocks the
steamers boilers exploded and she was
cut in two, giving the passengers nc
time to save themselves.
The coast near St. Malo is covered
with wreckage and some cattle. Two
thirds of the Hilda's passengers were
French farmers returning to France with
heavy sums in gold from the sale Of
their yearly harvest of onions and po-
tatOeg