The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-06
No Word Comes From
173 Persons on the
Southern Cross.
PEOPLE NOLONGER
HAVE MUCH HOPE
Unless Heard From by Sunset
To-Day, Vessel Will Be Off
cially Posted as Lost-Fear-
full Scenes Accompany
Identification of New
foundland's Dead

St Johns. " T., April 5.---\nXiety
decpcncd tonight for the 1I3 men OH
the 3eaii TX steamer Southern Cross,
which has been missing since Tues
days blizzard. She was not reported
either by incoming vessels OF the
sealing fleet or by the steamer Kyle,
sent out by the government To scarce
for her If She is not heard from by
sunset tomorrow. she will be officially
posted as lost. with all on board. DIS
aster to her, following so closely the
loss of sevcuty-seven men OF the
seaIcr Newfoundland, would bring OH
the colony the greatest tragedy in its
history. dcpriving whole settlements OF
their breadwinncrs, and rendering
! 600 women and children dependent on
charity.
AS the public learned to-day from
the Newfoundland's survivors, who
were landed ycsto rday, details OF the
two days blizzard in which it caught
the Southern Cross. the first hopes,
based on the stou.ncss OF the ship,
faded. Captain Daniel Martin. OF the
sealer Erik, and Captain William Bart
lett, of the Terra Nova. which arrived
with full catches. were dubious re-
sarding the safety OF the missing
ship. Neither had seen her within Il
week.
Parted Week Ago.
Captain Martin said nc parted COM
pany from her a week ago Thursday,
when the Southern Cross turned home
ward, with 1900 seals. She was so
deeply laden that all her provisions and
part Of her bunker coal were stored
on deck.
Captain Bartlett, Of the Terra Nova
said the last he saw OF the Southern
I Cross was a week ago Friday, when
she was wallowing slowly down the
coast. Utner ships OF the feet sighted
the steamer driving before tho gale
| last Tuesday morning. She has not
been reported since, and the shippers
Of the feet who came through that
gale and the storm of equal severity
iater in the week, say every chance
Was against vessel so deep in the
water as the Southern Cross.
In every church to-day the disaster
which overlook the Newfoundland's
men on the ice was the theme OF the
sermon. Messages of sympathy from
the King and from the Canadian Pre-
micr were read. By noon all but five
or the sixty mine bodies OF the New
foundlands hunters, brought in yes
tcrday by the Beliaventure, had been
identified These were shipped to-
night TO Bonavista, where most of the
victims lived.
Almost Beyond I3ndurnncc
Attendants at the Grenfeu Institute.
which was turned into d morGuc, said
that the scenes accompanying the iden-
tihcation of the bodies We're almost be-
yond endurance. One woman found
TWO bodies clasped so tightly in death
.hat ttey could not be separated. They |
were her husband and son The lad
was wrapped In his fathers arms, as |
II the man had been trying TO shield |
him from the pitiless cold
The hand OF another dead man was !
missing. one of the survivors. who
nearly forty eight hours said that his |
comrade. unable to stand the agony of |
frostbite. had sliced of one hand with |
his seamans knife
~ gray-haired mother. supported by |
her two daughters passed down the |
long rows looking for her sons. Atten-
tion was suddenly drawn to them when !
the women fell TO the floor in q faint !
They had found not only the four sons
and brothers, but two cousins, among |
tho dead.
No More Active Service
or the thirty survivors in the hos |
pital. none is expected TO die, but the |
majority never will be iii for active |
service again. Three lost both hands !
and both feet. Five lost both feet /,
Eight others lost q foot, and eleven will |!
lose hand or fingers. The others will |
bear scars for life.
Some of the survivors said they
sought shelter from the Arctic gale !
behind the bodies of dead shpmates, |
but in all the dciirium OF the two days /
and nights of exposure, the bodies of 1
the dead were left inviolatc. Each /
man of the $50 endured his lot with |
grim patience, and each one. the dead |
as well as the living. was found with |
his full equipment Of clothes, boots and |
sealing gear intact.
Special memorial services will be held !
on Tuesday. BY that time also relief /
measures can he considered. If the /
Southern Cross fails to appear, the fam !
lilies of her 173 men must lie provided |
for. as we'll as those of the Ncwfound- ,
lands dead and crippled.
Mike Sheehan, "A survivor, who is in ,
the hospital in serious condition. said !
he owed his life in part TO a bit OF
blood-soaked hardtack he found be- !
side dead man. lie described the way |
In which one OF his comrades. Daniel |
Downey, met death Realizing that he |
was spent. and that he no longer could !
keep moving, Downey took off his belt
scratched his name on II. bucklcd II |
about him again. and knclt down and |
prayed. Then ho stretched himself out
and waited the end
Mnny Die by Drowning.
Many were drowned when one Of
their number mistooiS the peak of an
iceberg for sail. His cry of ~ sail
II sail" stuinreded group toward the
spot whore NIL plunged into the water
seal which James Donovan killed |
during tho storm saved his life, ac-
cording to his story. Ho says he drain
ed tho warm blood Into tin cup and |
drank Ii and saved up supply for a
later emergency.
Seventeen OF the men driftod away
from the main foo on n large sheet Of |
leo Wednesday night. BY Thursday
morning only three remained alive
Fully 10000 persons lined the streets
tonight when the dead were borne to