Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-04

away to port and the deck 'slanting z,
a degree that made it almost impos
sible to stand even clinging to rail
| ings.
Men and women, shrieking, prayfng z,
crying for aid that was fated to arrive
too late, fell over one another in that
last struggle for life on board the
doomed Empress of Ireland
Frenzied mothers leaped overheard
with their babies in their arms 9th
ers knelt on deck and tried TO pray in
the few moments left to them. Some
were flung overheard by the heeling
of the sinking ship and some broke
their legs or arms In trying to reach
the lifebcats.
Above the din of the struggle on
the great promenade deck could be
heard Captain Kendall shouting com
mands for the launching of the life
boats. Several were launched In the
10 minutes that the ship fioated
There was no time to observe the
rule Women first" in this disaster,
for those nearest the boats scrambled
to places in them
But even as they were being
launched. while the wireless still was
calling IS. o. s. there came a terrific
explosion that almost rent the ship in
twain
1t was the explosion of the boilers
struck by the cold water. A geyser
of water shot upward from the mid
ship section, mingled with fragments
of wreckage, that showered down upon
the passengers still cIinging to the
rails forward and upon those strug
Cling in the water.
The explosion destroyed the last
hope of the ships floating until sue
cor could arrive, for the shock had
smashed the forward steel bulkhead
walls that had up to then shut out tor
rents invading the after part. The
water rushed forward and the En-
press of Ireland went swiftly to her
doom, carrying down with her hun
dreds of passengers who stood on her
slanting decks, their arms stretched
upward and their cries checked in the
engulfng waters.
sIames the Collier.
Doctor Johnston, chief medical Of
icer on the Empress, said that had
not the Storstad backed out so soon
from the Empress, large number of
the passengers Nigh, have been
saved. He said that when the collier
pulled itself free the sea surged into
the hole it had torn in the side of
the Empress and the liner quickly
sank
Chief Operator Hayes Of the EN-
press told of the sinking of the YES
sci.
LAS soon as l felt the shock of the
collision he said, II was ordered to
sound the danger signal, and the fash
of my S. o. S. was Immediately
picked up by the operator at Father
Point and answered But I could not
talk with him for five minutes after
the impact my dynamos failed me and
II minutes after the collision our boat
sank"
The noise of the water rushing into
his cabin awoke w Davis of Toronto
and his wife. They fed upon deck,
but in the rush of passengers became
separated. Mr.. Davis was saved. 1t
is feared his wife sank with the boat.
A full equipment Of ambulances sup
piled by the city of Quebec, the town
of Lewis, on the opposite side Of the
river, and the army medical service
corps was awaiting at Lewis when the
special survivors train arrived. The
passengers were Immediately disem-
barked and transferred to the ferry
steamer, which had been waiting at
the special wharf to facilitate the
transfer to the Quebec.
Many Survivors Injured.
1t was pitiful sight when the ferry
steamer Polaris locked on the Quebec
side at $50 o'clock and the 396 men
and women saved from the Inflated
Empress of Ireland trooped falteringly
down the gangway. The faces of all
plainly registered the frightful expert
ence they had gone through.
Few Of the survivors possessed a
complete outfit of clothes, the ma
jorfty wearing only shirts, trousers
and boots.
Heads were barred in the throng as
the injured were brought ashore, sup
ported by friends and officials of the
company.
The second and third class passen-
gers and the crew we're Immediately
. made comfortable on the Allan liner
Alsatian. which was lying in an ad-
joining berth at the breakwater.
The first class and injured passen-
gers were transferred in automobiles
and other vehicles to the CHATEAU From
tenac. A staff of doctors and nurses
took charge of the injured.
Among the so passengers left in
Rimouski were several who were so Ill
or SO severely injured that they had
to be taken to a hospital