The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1914-06-05

over 5000 tons, did not reach up even
to the upper o. topmost deck Of our
hull. Her bow cut under the upper
deck and took peeling off the side of
our ship that allowed the water to
rush into the lower decks. Then the
liner heeled over, and even those In
the superstructure deck rooms had no
chance to save themselves. Hundreds
of them must have been dumped out
of their berths and slammed against
the walls with stunning force.
Kendall BlameS Collier.
Rimouski, Que. June Capt. Har-
ry G. Kendall Of the Empress of Ire
land blames the commander Of the
collier Storstad for the sinking of the
liner. Before the coroner's jury Sat-
urday he told how the Empress
dropped its pilot Thursday night at
Father Point, near which the disaster
occurred.
I'VE then proceeded full speed"
continued Capt Kendall After pass
ing Rock point gas buoy / sighted the
steamer Storstad, 1t then being clear.
The Storstad was then about one
point, twelve degrees. on my star
board bow. At that time saw slight
fog bank coming gradually from the
land and knew 1t was going to pass
between the Storstad and myself. The
Storstad was about two miles away at
| that time.
Blows Whistle as Warning.
Then the fog came and the Stor-
stad's lights disappeared. rang full
speed astern on my engines and
stopped my ship.
"At the same time l blew three
short blasts on the steamers whistle,
meaning Il am going full speed
astern.) The Storstad answered with
the whistle, giving me one prolonged
blast.
II then looked over the side of my
ship into the water and l saw my ship
was stopped. / stopped my engines
and blew two long blasts, meaning My
ship was underway but stopped and
has no way upon her. He answered
me again with one prolonged blast.
The sound was then about four points
upon by starboard bow.
Lights Appear From Gloom.
"It was still foggy. About two min
utes afterward saw his red and green
lights He would then be about one
ships length away from me. l shouted
to him through the megaphone to go
full speed astern, as saw that the col
lision was inevitable; at the same time
put my engine full speed ahead with
my helm hard aport, with the object.
of avoiding, If possible, the shock. AL
| most at the same time he came right
in and cut the Empress down in line
between the tunnels.
II shouted to the Storstad to keep
full speed ahead to fill the hole he had
made He then backed away. The
ship began to fill and listed over rap
idly. When the Storstad struck the
Empress had stopped my engines.
Should Have Heard Call.
What was the cause Of the coils
| ion?" asked the coroner.
"The Storstad running into the En-
press of Ireland, which was stopped"
| answered Kendall.
Capt Kendall, in answer to ques-
| ton by juror said that when he
shouted to the Storstad's captain to
stand fast he received no answer. 1t
| was impossible for him not to have
been heard; he added.
81 shouted five times; I also shouted
| Keep ahead" said Capt. Kendall.
"and If he did not hear that he should
| have done 1t, as seaman should have
| known that"
There was wind?"
"It was quite still. When he backed
away / shouted to him to stand by.
| did not hear any explosion, but when
a ship goes down like that there is
bound to be a great deal of air, and
the air pressure causes that"
Not His Fault, Says Andersen.
Montreal, Que, June with its
bows crumpled in and twisted around
| at an acute angle to port, and with q
gap showing on the port side only a
foot or SO above the water line, the
| Norwegian collier Storstad, which
rammed the liner Empress of Ireland.
limped into the harbor.
A few minutes later warrant Oh
arrest, taken out by the Canadian Pa
cific railway, was nailed to its main.
mast by order of w. Simpson Walker
K c.. register of the Quebec admir-
atty.
subsequently statement based on
+ Can't Andersen's report, as well as
the reports of other cheers, was given
out.
According to the captain and off,
GERS. contrary to what has been stated
! nv the captain of the Empress of Ire
land, the Storstad did not back away
I after the collision. On the contrary,
It steamed ahead In an effort to keep
its bows in the hole it had dug into
the side of the Empress.
noo;oo uoccnI M0Vnd AWqv