The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-29


than a thousand lives and surely not
when the great Canadian Pacific liner,
Empress of Ireland. sank before
dawn today in the St Lawrence river,
ripped open from amidship to stern
by the Danish collier, StOrstad.
This was the estimate made here
this afternoon where the hysterical
survivors, many Of them pitiably
manned and almost naked. were be-
ing brought. 1t was based on the TACT
that the Empress carried 1.447 per-
sons all told, of whom 399 were res
cued and landed here by the ships
Eureka and Lady Evelyn. The Stor-
stad, at first reported to have more
than 800 survivors on board, had
sailed for Quebec after only landing
a handful Of rescued and a number OF
dead.
OF those saved, crew members and
third class passengers predominated.
From partial lists available at
O'Clock it was evident that but a mere
sprinkling of the first cabin passen-
gers were saved. Only three names
of those in the cabins appeared in the
preliminary lists of rescued. They
were G. w. G. Henderson and c. r..
Burt, address unstated, and Walter
Fenton of Manchester, Eng.
The stricken vessel sank as II she
was lead. An explosion, apparently
originating in her engine room. has
tened her end and those persons who
were able to make their way from
their cabins found themselves on a
perilously slanting deck. Many
leaped and were drowned. Others
were fortunate enough to grasp drift
wood or were picked up by lifeboats.
Rimouski, May 29.-The twin screw
steamer Canadian Pacific line, Empress
Of Ireland, carrying nearly 1,437 per-
sons, passengers and crew, sank in the
darkness just before dawn today in the
st. Lawrence river near here with a
loss of perhaps one thousand lives.
Early estimates of the dead varied from
67S to more than LOO.
The vessel. bound from Quebec for
Liverpool. with n first. POS second and
5o4 third class passengers, was cut wide
open by the collier Storstad and sank
within 20 minutes. in 10 fathoms of
water, O1 tnOSc SdVcu Tie IldJOTlly AP-
peared to be members of the crew or
from the steerage. Many were badly
injured and % died after being picked
up.
The crash occurred about 2 o'clock
this morning of Father Point. village
brought into prominence when DR..
Crippen, the London murderer. was
caught The collier bound for Quebec.
struck the Empress of Ireland on the
port side, about the middle of the ship
She literally tore her way back almost
to the liners screws, leaving rent
through which the water poured in such
a deluge that she sank before many OF
the passengers were aware Of what had
happened.
by the Marconi operator were heard
by the pilot boat Eureka here. ten miles
from the scene, and the Eureka fol-
lowed by the Lady Evelyn. a mail ten
der. put on forced steam and made all
speed for the spot
I Lady Evelyn Saves $50.
It was these two boats that found
afloat the few lifeboats that were
launched from the stricken ship and
picked up the survivors they contain
ed. Three hundred and thirty mine
were saved by the Lady Evelyn and
sixty by the Eureka Among those
saved was Captain H. G. Kendall OF
the Empress.
Most Of the first class passenger
apparently perished. Among those IL
the first cabin were Sir Henry Seton
Karr, a noted English lawyer and bis
game hunter. and Laurence Irving. sor
OF the late Sir Henry Irving, and his
wife. Mabel Hackney.
OF 40 Canadian salvation Army