The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1914-06-12
COST OF A BlUNDER.


steamship Empress of Ireland arrived
here from Rimouski Thirty-seven
were left at Rimouski.
These are all that live of 1876 who
sailed from here bound for Liverpool
on the queen vessel of famous fleet.
The ship sailed out of a sunlit harbor
into the fog off Father Point, where
the ripping prov of the collier Stor-
stad struck the death blow in the
dark
The lost number 964.
OF the living 211 are members Of
the crew
OF the living only 20 are women;
two are children.
Thus the story of the most terrible
disaster in the history Of Canadian
navigation is written more grimly
more wildly in hard figures than it
could ever be In words.
Relief vessels and trains equipped
with doctors and nurses and every
medical and surgical supply were
rushed to Rimouski to care for the
survivors.
Train Is Wrecked.
The government steamer Lady Gray
well equipped with medical supplies
and provisions as we'll as many sur
geons and doctors left Quebec for
Rimouski and arrived at midnight.
The government also has marked the
place where the liner sunk with buoys
as a protection to other vessels.
One Of the relief trains that left
Lewis for Rimouski jumped the track
as it was rounding a curve a few
miles from Lewis. but no one was hurt.
Another relief train was made up at
Lewis and it picked up the relief crew
of doctors and nurses from the
wrecked train, transferred the sup
plies and when the track was cleared
continued on it's way to Rimouski.
Forty of those rescued and landed
at Rimouski were so severely wounded
they could not be moved. Skilled doc
tors from Quebec are caring for them
About two hundred and seventy-five
of the survivors were able to leave
Rimouski
The Norwegian collier Storstad
with her bows crumpled back to the
first bulkhead and covered with can.
vas. steamed for Quebec, according to
a Marconigram from her wireless oper
ator. The survivors picked I'D by the
Storstad, after the collision. were
transferred to the steamer Lady
Evelyn.
Gathered piecemeal from survivors
The horror of this wreck grows with
The telling.
Waters Quickly EnguIf Ship.
The doomed ones had little time
even to pray. They were engulfed by
he onrushing waters that swallowed
the big ship inside of 10 minutes from
the time she was struck.
Ine wireless operators on the EN-
press, sticking to their pests to the
last, had time only to send a few IS
o. s." calls for help when the rising
waters silenced their instruments
That silence tolG the rescuers mile.
doom had overtaken the ship.
Only six hours before this fatefu
collision the passengers sang as /;
goodnight hymn God Be With Yol
Till We Meet Again" played by tn,
Salvation army band on board.
The members of that band and mos
Of the 165 Salvationists were anon,
the lost.
1t was foggy according to survivor
when the Empress of Ireland, a steel
than 5000 tons. left Montreal at 4 8
in the afternoon in command of H.
Kendall of the Royal Naval reserve
one of the most skilled of transatlan
| tic navigators.
Out OF the darkness, on the por
side. soon after $50 in the morning
there loomed the little Norwegian co
| lier. not half the size of the Empress
but fated TO be her destroyer.
Not until the collier was almos
abeam Of the big liner was the DANCE
known on either ship. The fog ha
| blotted out the lights as we'll as tn
port and starboard lights OF bot
ships.
Quick orders trumpeted on both YES
sells were heard. But they came a
| too late.
Strikes Ship Amidship.
The steel-pointed prov or the Stol
stad struck the liner amidships an
then forged aft, ripping and tearin
/ it's way through the Empress of Ir'
| land.
Clear 10 the stern OF the Empress {
ireland was this great steel Shawn
cut from her side. from the top OF th