Omaha daily bee., 1914-06-01
{ IMPRESS Chief
BLkMESCRASHON
COLLIER CAPTAIN
George. Commander of Rammed
Liner Says the stOrstad Re-
fused to Stop.
SIGHTED TWO MILES AWAY
Other Commander Did Not Respond
to STAND Fast"
SHIP MoTIoNLESs WHEN HIT
Storstad Master Told to Run Ahead
After Blow.
BACKS UP AND CRAFT SINKS
Danish Vessel Drives Full Speed
Against Big Steamer.
IoKs UP AND CRAFT SINKS
Danish Vessel Drives Full Speed
Against Big Steamer.
FOUR HUNDRED THREE SAVED :
Nine Hundred ana siEty-Four Per.
sons Perish In Great Disaster
in 81. LawreRee, it L.
Estimated.

RIMoUsKI, Quebec, May S1.--<
While final tabulations OF the cas-
ualties in the sinking OF the ILL
fated steamer Empress OF ireland
were being made today, showing
that 40S OF her passengers and crew
had been rescued and 964 had per-
ished, Captain Henry George Ken
dali OF the liner was telling his story
of the disaster at an inquiry con-
Quoted by Coroner Pinault here.
Captain Kendall, in substance. de-
clared that he had taken all possible
precautions against a collision. His
ship had been stopped, he gave the
requisite signals when the Danish
collier Storstad, which dealt the blow
which sent the Empress to the bot
tom. was still two miles away, but
the collier had kept on through the
fog which settled down soon after
the two vessels sighted each other
and had rammed the Empress OF
ireland while the latter was virtually
motionless, Then, despite his plea
TO the master Of the collier that he
run his engine full speed ahead TO
keep the hole in the liners side
plugged with the Storstad's bow,
said Captain Kendall. the Danish
vessel backed away. the water
rushed in and the Empress sank.
Starting Point of story.
Captain Kendall, who stuck 20 the
bridge Of his ship TO the last and after
being picked up by a life boat aided In
saving boat load OF drowning persons
from the wreck, took up his story OF
the disaster from the point at which the
Empress OF ireland. bound from Quebec
for Liverpool, had dropped her pilot
Thursday night at Father Point. near
which tho disaster of yesterday morning
occurred
we then proceeded full speed" con-
Rockpoint Gas buoy sighted the
steamer storstad, IT then being clear.
THE Storstad was then about ons
point twelve degrees on my starboard
bow At that time ! saw a slight fog
bank coming gradually from the land
and knew IL was going TO pass between
the storstad and myself The storstad
was about two miles away at that time
Then the fog came and the storstada
lights disappeared. l rang full speed
astern on my engines and stopped my
ship,
Three short Blasts.
AT the same time / blew three short
blasts on the steamers whistle, mean
ing 1 am going full speed astern.' The
storstad answered with the whistle. CIV
ing me one prolonged blast
II then looked over the side OF my ship
into the water and / saw my ship was
stopped. ! stopped my engines and blew
two long blasts. meaning my ship was
under way but stopped and has no way
upon IT, lie answered me again with
one prolonged blast. The sound was then
about four points upon my starboard bow.
1t was still toggy. looked out to
where the sound came from. About two
minutes afterwards I saw his red and
green lights. He would then be about
one ships length away from me.
shouted TO him through the megaphone to
go fun speed astern, as / saw the danger
OF collision was inevitable; at the same
time put my engine full speed ahead
(Continued on Page Two.)