The Detroit times., 1908-11-27

NEW YORK, Nov. 27.-Investiga
ton was begun today by the United
States, government through its inspec
ton service department into the
causes OF the wreck OF the Panama
Railroad Steamship Finance. wrecked
on Sandy Hook yesterday In collision
with the White Star freighter Georgia
in which four persons lost their lives
Although the Finance had three water
! tight compartments and only one was
punctured, the ship sank.
THE DEAD.
MISS IRENE CAMPBELL. OF Pan
anna, passenger.
CHARLES H. sCHwEINLER, po
liceman, of Panama
HENRY MULLER, railroad conduct.
or, Of Panama
WIN. H. TODD, third assistant Ell
gineer. dazed by ammonia.
Shipping men say that under nor
| nal conditions the Finance should
have remained afioat. Her condition
OF leaving portw III be closely inquired
into. The vessel was inspected on
Nov. 20, before she left her dock II
start on the trip TO Colon.
"A few repairs were made and one
new life raft installed. upon instruc-
ticns from the. Inspector who went
over her. and she was given clear
bill OF health"
The Finance was valued, according
to Vice-President A. F. Drake, OF the
Panama line. at about 100000. Her
cargo Is worth from 100000 TO $400..
mn not tpnl,rdfno S1an noa i,, spncta
which was being shipped TO the canal
zone for the monthly payroll.
Survivors. Cared For.
Thrilling stories or heroism were
told today by survivors, who are ten,-
porarily housed aboard the steamship
Alliance. of West Thirty-fifth-st-
According TO the survivors one OF
the chief reasons for the small loss
OF Iife was that during the days that
the Finance was fog bound the pas
cengers had been fully Instructed how
10 use the life preservers. 80. that
when the crash came they experienced
little difficulty In putting them on.
Probably the most dramatic story
told is that of Captain Mowbray Of the
wrecked vessel When some of his
crew seized lifeboat, intending to
embark In it. to save themselves. the
courageous commander flung himself
among them and, drawing loaded re-
yolver. threatened to shoot the first
man that tried to lower the craft.
THE women and children go first!"
he shouted as the men backed away
before the pistol thrust into their
faces.
Detroit Girls Bravery.
One OF the greatest feats Of heroism
was that OF hospital nurse, Miss May
Blanchard. of Detroit, who threw her
kysteEicai companion into the sea asd
then jumped after her and held her
up until rescue came. Not content
with this the young woman swan
back. TO the sides OF three children
floating about In life preservers and
dragged them TO the side of life raft.
Miss Blanchard today said:
II am a good swimmer and was not
very much heightened when the acci-
dent occurred. Mrs. William McCul-
ioch, who was my roommate, CON-
pletely lest her head though, and
wouldn't leave the cabin until
dragged her out.
When we got TO the dock l saw
that the only thing to do was to jump
overheard or we would be dragged
down with the vessel We had wasted
so much time downstairs while I was
trying to get Mrs McCulloch TO go on
deck that there was no time to put
on life preserver. felt sure that ]
could save Mrs. McCulloch. who
had told me she couldn't swim, SO l
told her to jump into the water and
| would follow her."