Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-11-21
ONLY SIX ESCAPE DEATH
Sudden Crash on Reef Allows Passen-
gers and Crew Not the Slightest
Misunderstanding Inmates of GIas-
gov Lodging House Are Burned to
Death Early In the Morning.
Fatalities OF Sunday.
Shipwreck off st. MaIo ...... 1923
! Hotel fire In Glasgow ........ 80
Railroad collisions >. .. =. :. 3


Hotel fire In Glasgow ........ 80
Railroad collisions 8
London. Eng, Nov. 20. - The
Southwestern Railroad company's
cross channel steamer Hilda was
wrecked Sunday morning off st. Malo
on the north coast of France, and 1923
of her 129 passengers and crew, in
cluding two members of the British no
bility and several army officers, were
drowned. The Hilda left Southamp-
ton Friday night for st. Malo with 129
souls on board Her passage was
greatly delayed by fog in the chan
ran into severe snowstorm, appar-
emily missed her course and foundered
on the rocks off Jardin lighthouse,
three miles from st. Malo.
Six People Are Rescued.
The company's steamer Ada, out
ward from st. Malo, rescued five of
the passengers and one of the crew.
The crew numbered twenty-six and
there were about 100 passengers, most
ly Frenchmen. the majority Of them
being onion dealers from st. Briae and
neighborhood. A telegram from st.
Servan, adjoining the town of st. Ma
To- gives the few particulars yet avail
able. The Hilda was near ST. Malo
Saturday morning. She struck the
rocks at 4 o'clock Sunday morning in
the roadstead off the Island of Cezam-
bre, having missed the tide owing to
bad weather and fog.
Passengers Were Asleep.
The majority Of the crew and pas
sengers were asleep at the time. Two
boats were lowered, one Of which,
containing six men, arrived at ST..
Servan. A second boat was picked UP
empty at ST. Cast, where thirteen bod
les were washed ashore. The top of the
Hilda's funnel and her mast are visi-
BILE at low tide, according to the tele-
gram from ST. Servan.
The Hilda was built at Glasgow in
1882 and registered 848 tons. She
was a screw steamer of iron construc-
ton and was 235 feet in length.
ack Details of Disaster.
The G lmpany is still without relia-
BILE details as to how the disaster hap
pened. Its agent at st. Malo only
briefly reported: t'The Ada has put
back and reports the Hilda is total
wreck at Les Portes reef, outside Jar
din lighthouse. The Ada's boat saved
five onion men and a seaman named
Grinter out of the rigging. They ap-
peared to be the only survivors,
Figures Are Verified.
The London & Southwestern rail-
road company announced today that
an official report received from st.
6o1~ 1ko
persons on board the steamer Hilda,
which was wrecked off the French
coast, was l-s, only six of whom
were saved.
British Nobility Among Lost.
st. Malo; France, Nov 20. - 1t is
understood that there were about
twenty first-class passengers on the
Hilda. including several English peo-
pie. Among the latter were Mrs. But
Ter, sister of Lord Lanesborough. and
Colonel Follet. Thought it is not GER
tain that these were actually on board
they were expected to travel by the
Hilda and it is known that all the first
class passengers were drowned. These
passengers were English officers and
others wro were coming to rejoin
their families or to spend the season
at ST. Malo and Dinard, opposite St.
Malo.
The delay in the arrival of the Hilda
at first inspired little anxiety as there
was dreadful weather in the channel
and as everyone had full confidence
in her captain, Gregory. an experienc-
ed man, who was likely to exercise
caution in approaching the dangerous
coast of Brittany which he had known
for thirty years.
The disaster was first suspected
through the washing ashore of a body
and the port authorities immediately
sent out tug 1t was then learned
that the Hilda was wrecked on
treacherous reef close to the island of
Cezambre called Les Portes.
Sank Quickly.
She had apparently struck. broken
her back and Immediately sunk. leay.
ing no time to leunch the boats. The
,Iardin light is quite close to the spot
: 1t can not yet be explained at what
time or how the disaster occurred
The entrance to st. Malo is danger.
Gus. the currents and rocks needing
the exercise of considerable caution
at all times, but more especially in bad
weather. Many bodies have been
washed ashore at different points some
Confined on Page 4.)