The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-05-30
1854 P[R|SREO
WHEN EMPRESS
IRELAND SANK
4OS WERE RESCUED IN LIFE
BOATS
Dead Are Piled in Tiers on the
Docks; Work Of Identification
Is Slow
(By Associated Press. J

Quebec, May 30.-Nine hundred
and sixty-four persons went to a
watery grave when the steamer EN-
press of Ireland sank early yester-
day after being rammed by the DAN
ish collier StOrstad of the Canadian
Pacific railroad,
Four hundred and three were
saved out of a total of 1857 passen-
gers. The survivors are safe here
and are being given all possible at
tention. At Rimouski efforts are be-
ing made to recover the bodies OF the
victims. More than three hundred
bodies have been landed already
Dead Piled in Tiers
The dead are piled in tiers and iden-
tifcation is proceeding slowly
Many were foreigners, number be-
ing women and children. The bodies
will be brought to Quebec this after
noon. The Storstad has arrived, bad
ly damaged. No newspaper men
have been allowed on board but it is
understood that she rescued many
The Storstad left for Montreal later
Died in Their Berths
There was no time to awaken pas
sengers after the accident occurred,
and hundreds went down without
any warning of their impending fate
or moments preparation Only a
few women were saved
Pathetic stories, of the disaster
are told by survivors. 1t is compared
to the Titanic. The passengers did
not have time to prepare for it,
Only five boats had been launched
when the ship listed heavily and
Capt Kendall was washed from the
bridge, later being rescued, He said
he wished that heh ad gone down
with the ship.
At the time of the accident the
Empress of ireland was lying to in
the river waiting for the dense log
TO lift Suddenly the collier Storstad
crashed into her, splitting the ship
from stem to stern. While the IN
coming waters poured into the big
vessel the wireless call for help was
sounded, which was picked up by
Mail Tender Lady Evelyn and pilot
boat Eureka, who rushed to the
scene, only to find that the ship ana
its human cargo had been swallowed
up' leaving only floating wreckaSe
and few life boats on which were
the 403 who had been able to tnd
ways of escape.
The stewards did not have time
10 rouse the people from thelr
Oerths,' one survivor told Captain
Bolinger of the rescue ship Eureka
Those who heard frenzied calls Of
the officers for the passengers 10
hurry on deck rushed up, piled into
the boats, which were rapidly low
cred and rowed away. Many VINO
waited to dress were drowned.
According to one of the rescued
the explosion, probably caused u!
tne water reaching the boilers
Oulged the liners sides and catapult-
Cd persons from her decks out mo
the sea.
The ships heavy list as wafer
poured in made the work of lauhe"-
ing boats increasingly difficult any
FAen She sank scores still left on h'.
0eck We're carried down, only a le"
0eins able to clear her sides and iiha
>1ppoFL on Wreckage.
From all accounts Captain H. o.
Kendall of the Empress, bore hin
'sH like a true sailor. He retaiAt'
Slch command of the situation ~
appears, that while the Stors'aH >
"em still hung in the cash it hs"
aaoe in the Empress side Cap'al"
Aendall begged the master OF ua
.0l'ler to keep his propellers Solh-
that the hole might Tenld'"
@agged. The Storstad, however
1opped back and the Empress HI
~soIately filled and foundered
Oaptain Kendall stood on h's
Siuge as the ship went down 4
'at picked him up and he direcla'
y Work of saving others untll Ih'
AT was loaded. The captain was
@iufed but his hurts are not dah-