davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1914-05-31

lights were out and there was no more
steam he said. II had great diff
Guilty in reaching :he decks. owing to
the great list of the ship. No sooner
had / got On deck when the boats of
the port side. which had broken loose,
swept down on top of US and carried
us under water. When / came to the
surface | found myself under a lifeboat
3nd entaugled in wreckage. l WAS
finally pulled into one of the boats, and
could see the collier about a mile and
a half away.
Immediately before the collision We
went full speed astern. and then
stopped. Then got the order full
speed ahead. but had only started the
engines when the 6tsh came We then
kept her full speed ahead to try 20
reach shore, as long as We had steam.
Owing to the steam failing US, and the
lights also. we could keep the engines
going for cnly a few moments. There
was no explosion of any kind.
Collier Is Blamed.
Il saw no reason why the collier did
not keep much closer than she did. If
she had, there would have been many
lives saved. l am also of the opinion
that had she stuck to us We should
have reached the shore"
William James, wireless operator at
Father Point, told of being awakened
BY his assistant at 1:55 a. m. by the
news that the Empress had been in
collision with another ship. He then
took charge and forwarded the word
to the Lady Evelyn and Eureka The
Empress gave no reply, further than
to say that she was twenty miles fron:
Rimouski.
Captain Belangor, OF the Eureka. told
CT the trip he had made to the scene OF
the wreck. He WIS not sure on his
Erst trip of the exact position where
she had sunk.
On the second, however. he could
tell from the boiling up from beneath
of the muddy water where the wrecked
vessel lay. He told of gathering what
be dies he could find.
After a moments deliberation by the
jury ii was decided to adjourn the i'll
quest for one week. In the meantime
Coroner Pinault will consult with the
District Attorney TO determine what
may be done toward securing tn. evil
dence of the captain and crew of the
Storstad.
During the day Coroner Pinault gave
an oruer for the removal of all of the
bodies that had been brought ashore.
Relatives who had identified bodies
we're allowed to remove them, and the
others were taken to Quebec.
The Washington times., 1914-05-31
PULLED INTO BOAT.

| Referring TO his own escape. Captain
Kendall said: After telling the chief
officer to get the boats out as quickly
as possible. only a short time elapsed
until the ship turned over and foun-
| dered. l was shot into the sea myself.
from the bridge, and taken down with
the suction. The next thing | remem-
Der was Selling piece of grating. How
long 1 was on il 1 do not know, but
boat: There is the captainS let us save
him.
They got to me and pulled me in the
boat. which already had about thirty
persons in it. 1 did my best with the
people in the boat to assist in saving
up twenty or twenty-five more in the
boat, and also put about ten around the
side in the water, with ropes around
their waists, hanging on.
Seeing that we could not possibly
save any more, We pulled to the Stor-
stad, which was then about a mile and
a half away. i then got all these peo-
pie put on board the Starstad, then
left her with Six of the crew and went
back and tried to save more. When We
searched around and could not see any
body alive, so then we returned to the
Storstad.'
What was the cause of the col
THE Stortstad running into the EN-
press, which was stopped answered
Captain Kendall.
Captain Kendall, in answer to
question by a juror, said that when he
shouted to the Storstad's captain to
was impossible for him not TO have been
heard. he added.
Asked Collier to Stand By.
IL -I,> >,NA
ed keep ahead" said captain Kendall,
"and if he did not hear that he should
have done 1t, as a seaman should have
known that
There was wind?"
TT was quite still When he backed
away L shouted to him to stand by: L
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"
How many boats were on the EN-
Between thirty and forty. There We're
boats for everybody. She had boats
for more than 1900 people"
James Rankin. a passenger from VAN
couver, B. c., and a marine engineer,
next testified:
Il was aroused by the noise and ran
out" he said There was big pitch
to the deck. j really cannot tell you
how the accident occurred. ] heard the
whistle blow when / reached the deck.
There was a heavy fog and You could
hardly see fifty yards. Five minutes
after the collision the fog lifted. The
boats on the lower side were in the
water and four or them got away and
saved many people. / think that If the
collier had kept her bow in the hole
she had made in the Ireland's side, she
would have been able 10 make the
shore and probably have saved every
one.
''The behavior of the officers on the
Empress was beyond all praise. They
did everything they could. The en-
gineers remained below until they could
get no more steam and the lights went
out"
Chief Engineer Sampson. who re-
mained in the engine room until the
fires were drowned and the lights ex-
tinguished, xas too i'll to appear, and
his testimony was taken at his bed
side
II was in the engine room until the
The Washington times., 1914-05-31

rope. returning only about two months
ago. when he took the house on Park
Hill. Yonkcrs.
He leaves a widow and four children:
Bruce. twenty-one years old: Kenneth.
eighteen years old. student at Will
Jams College. who was summoned home
yesterday; Colin. seventeen, years old.
md Jean, eight years. ". VI. Mcclure
and T.. =. Mcclure are cousins
The Washington times., 1914-05-31
AFFLECK'S.
TIDE TABLE

TIDE TABLE.
filSn uoes......-2:25 a. m. and l2:42 y. m
Low tides.......G:47 a. m. and 2:27 D. IN
sun rises........4:30 Sun sets.........7:Is
The Washington times., 1914-05-31

Extra Awards to Be Made.
For the first time the second and
third companies are to be announced
this year Heretofore, but the flag
The Washington times., 1914-05-31
Blame Collier For
Heavy Loss ofLhe
Captain Kendall and Others, at Inquest, Declare Dis
aster Would Have Be en- Lessened Had Boat
Kept Bow in Liners Side and Have
Stood By to Rescue

RlMOUSKI, Quebec, May 3i.-That the loss of life
in the collision of the collier Storstad and the Empress of
Ireland would have been greatly essened had the collier
kept her bow in the hole she made in the reands side
the opinion of Capt Henry George Kendall, of the ill.,
ated ship and others at the coroners inquest here yes
terday,
Captain Kendall gave an exhaustive story of the ca
astrophe He declared that he had taken all possible pre-
cautions against collision. He said his ship had been
stopped and he gave the requisite signals when the collier
was still two miles away.
''But the Sorsad" he said ''kep through the fog,
which settled down after the two vessels sighted each
other and she ramed the Empress of Ireland while the
latter was virtually motionleSs."
The Washington times., 1914-05-31
R. B. N 'CLURE KILLS
HIMSELF At HOME
Coroner Declines to Say Wheth-
er Death Was Suicide-Had
Been a Publisher.

YONKERS. y. Y, May 31.-Robert
Bruce Mcclure, former proprietor OF
the Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate and
a brother of Col. s. s. Mcclure, killed
himself Friday night with shotgun IN
his home. 15 Glenbrook place. Park Hill.
The police and the coroner withheld
the fact OF his death until last evening.
The coroner refuses all information
about the case. and declined to say
whether death was suicidal or acci-
dental
The family sent out word that Mr.
Mcclure killed himself accidentally
while cleaning a shotgun. 1t is sad he
left two letters explaining his act, but
Coroner Dunn refuses to throw any
light on the manner of Mr.. Mcclure
death.
Mr.. Mcclure was one of four broth
ers. the others OF whom are Col. s. s.
Mcclure. president of the S. S. Mcclure
Company, which publishes McClure's
Magazine; T. c. Mcclure, and John.
robert Bruce Mcclure was the young
est He was born in Ireland, and his
mother brought the family to the Unit
e1 States in 1865, when he was one year
old
He Joined s. s. Mcclure in business
early in life, and the two formed the
newspaper syndicate. Robert Bruce
represented in London the magazine
published by the company. and he spent
much of his business life there until
1900. when he returned to New YORK
to take charge of the book pubnshing
end of the McClure-Phillips Publishing
Company.
He continued in charge of this end
of the business until 1908. when Double
day. Page & Co., bought IL. Then Rob-
ert Bruce Mcclure purchased the news
syndicate from S. S. Mcclure and sep
arated that from the other business.
He was president of the syndicate
company until the latter part OF l9l2
when he sold out to Clinton T. Brain
ard. T. c. Mcclure was interested IN
the syndicate with him.
When he sold his business and gave
I'M active work. Mr.. Mcclure seemed
to his business associatesIto experlence
a general nervous breakdown. He went
to California with his family and spent
a wear there. Then he went to Eu--
The Washington times., 1914-05-31
Camden To Be Senator.

FRANKFORT. Ky. May sl.--Johnson
" Camden. OF woodtord county. will
Ic appointed United States senator on
June 16. to FIJI the vacancy caused by
the death OF the late Senator w. o.
Eradlcv
The Washington times., 1914-05-31

Points On Ches. & Ohio Ry. Where
Good fishing may be enjoyed: Coving-
ton. Millboro. New Castle and Eagle
Mountain. Va All kinds OF fish in
streams near by.-Advt.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-15
LzShI.ho1zse
~AZH2LIc
-Ezdr |
CH1H/ /
LO~er |
CH[o1 |
LOCK |

extra light during lockages or to com
municate with the control house.
They are so arranged that electricity
may be saved on moonlight nights
when only one-half the illumination
is required. More than 1--WE hundred
OF these Hight columns have been
erected along the locks one hun
dred and sixty-nine at Miranores. one
hundred and thirty-one at Pedro Mig
uel and two hundred and eleven at
Gatun. The tunnels below the sur
face of the lock walls. the engine
rooms and operating centers are also
with Tungsten lamps or
with carbon fiament lamps set In thu
ceilings.
The course OF the channel will be
marked both north and south with
range lights to establish the direction
on the larger tangents and BY the aAe
lights 1T intervals Of about mile To-
mark each side of the channel. AZ
each tangent II In necessary to have
two ranges Of two lights each to pro-
long the sailing line in order that the
pilot may hold his course up to the
point of turning. The range lights
are on land, and In several instances
II was necessary 10 clear away the
jungle. and these lighthouses perched
away UP In the forest seem curiously
out OF place. The candle power Of
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-15

age. Some years ago report gained
circulation that this green coating was
to be secured off-there was sug-
gestion that the entire statue be Gid
ed. Forthwith. came protests loud
and long from art lovers IN all parts
OF the country who urged that the
green mantle was = badge Of age and
respectability which should on no ac-
count be disturbed. Aooordinsl:- 1t was
decided that Freedom should not b.
shorn OF the marks Of time.
The Lightning Arrcsting Spikes.
About the most valuable ornam ents
that adorn this patron saint OF the
Capitol are tho points or spikes which
serve ~ lightning arrssters. These
charms that protect the Goddess from
loves wrath arc sometimes referred
to - the gems In Freedoms crown but
that b q little sxerciss Of dramatic
licsAse because. a. = matter Of fast.
not all Of the spikes are placed in
position on the head Of the figure.
Ono II on the shoulder and the others
are distributed 1t points OF her ana
tony exposed TO tho bolts What
rsndsrs these points particularly effect
I've II that net only the statme but
the snttTe dome which 4 surmeunts
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-15

raising exploits connected with bright
ening UP the dome. It was one Of
the nervy "-igsers'' assigned to this
task who secured with the ordinary
hand camera. the remarkable close
range photographs reproduced in con-
nection with this article.
Before saying anything more about
the exalted divinity IT the Capitol her
true identity should perhaps be dis
closed. The Goddess Of Freedom n
the proper title OF hsr serene high
neas. You thought shs vas the God
dess Of liberty. didn't you? 50 did
almost everybody else. but II ! mere
" another case Of mistaken identity.
The statue which weighs fully $4,000
pounds and cost Uncis Sam, In the
beginning. the tidy sum OF 5000.
has had rather AZ interesting career.
The matte, which faces eastward
(thus turning her back upon the White
House). was designed ~ Thomas
Crawford. the fafhsrA u tke novelist.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-15
NIdrp .Ezec~<@,1c Station Lo0Hx1S
stream g27oSrx1S Re1cIocf~
11d WR<er Tu@bx0eZ

of Culebra Cut do not permit the use
of range lights already described be-
cause there Is not room for one light
to be placed behind another At
sufficient distance to make them Of
any use A. range indicators. The
plan. therefore, il % establish three
beacons at each angle of the Cut In
pairs on each side OF the Canal. By
keeping his ship pointed midway be-
tween these beacons the pilot will be
able to adhere close to the center Of
the Canal. 1t will require thirty Ave
reinforced concrete beacons in the
nine miles OF Cuiebra Cut-twenty-
three at tangents and twelve At In
termediats points. The foundation ~
the beacons Will mot be built until
the water has been In the Cut long
enough to give the sides stability.
Electricity will be the motive pow
ar in operating the gates. valves and
tenders. All these things will be reg
ulated from the central control sta
ton. and here one man stationed IN
a tower on the highest lock OF each
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-15

the lights vary according to the
length OF the range from about TWEEN
ty-fve hundred to fifteen thousand
candle power. These structures are
OF concrete. and the light keepers
will be provided with commodious
quarters combating of kitchen. mesa
room. two bod rooms. hall dry room.
shower bath. storage and cistern for
dom esttas /, usa. The lantern IL sup
pied with side sventilators by means
OF which circulation of air may be
reguiatsdT thus insuring steady
fame In The lantern. Acetylens gas
will b. a8S44 ssfor the bsacons and
buoys. 9n6 Wey will have about eight
hundred and nifty candle power. The
buoys will be moored In position along
the edge OF the channel by heavy
chains and concrete sinkers. and will
remain lighted for several months
with one charging.
How the Cut win BE Lighted.
The channel through tho Cut will
be dark except for q few beacons and
the inconstant moon. The steep sides
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-15
1saz0ar e1ae .1zz<ue AZ 1ree0an

tho capital city that tho national leg
islature 10 At work. The burning car
bon from these electric lamps flies
upwards In clouds and has settled
th.ckly on all the exposed surfaces.
1t was this deposit that the steepie-
Jack mistook for rust--and it would
have been a serious matter indeed
had 1t actually been rust.
When the Superintendent OF the
Capito. had completed the survey of
the dome and statue ne concluded
that. although Congress Is In session.
there could not be q more opportune
time for rejuvsrnattng the dome than
the late summer and early autumn OF
1918.
The Threc-fold Project.
The giving to the dome OF new
lease OF life. as It u now being car
ried out. Is In reality three-fold
project The most extensive portion
of the work Is found In the repainting
OF the dome. The most daring feature
Ia the-cleausinS- of the statHe-it 10
merely washed with soap and water.
not repainted as many people suppose.
Finally. the phase OF tho project that
10 perhaps the most interesting OF all
II tbs repairing and replacing OF ths
tips" OF gold. aluminium and plat
mum which are placed In exposed
positions on the statue and servs ~
rods. Perhaps no other
lightning rods are % frequently struck
by bolts from the heavens thanks to
their exposed position.
~ To the average Citizen. NOT the least
surprising feature of tbs work on the
Capitol dome y tbs nall amount u
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-15

r. Marion Crawford. in Rome In 1855
and was cast In bronze. in ave Soc
tons ut q foundry near BlAdsnsburg
famous in its day - the dueli :
ground for the national capital. The
statue rested for several years IN the
Capitol grounds ere It was hcisted
aloft and when that was finally un-
dertaken It required two weeks to get
this lsh foot figure into place on the
altitudinous ball pedestal II was 1t
tho height Of the Civil War. or to be
exact in December. 1854. that the
figure was finally put In place to the
accompaniment Of booming guns and
nag waving.
Before the statue was sent sky
ward II had been oxidatsd By an
acid solution which produced . rich
and uniform tint that Il was said
would never change undsr exposure.
~ time wsnt on. however. the God
dess rapidly took on = coating Of that
green which c1mee - III hren1e with
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-15

fight will raise and lower the ships
that pass through while he is on duty.
He will drop mammoth fender chains.
some OF which will be half mile
distant: swing twin gates. each lear
of which weighs six hundred tons:
open and shut valves many feet I'M
der ground, and release or check
torrent of water in conduits that are
large enough for a freight locomotive
to pass through.
One Mans Work.
The man in the tower will have
many switches before him. but so
carefully has the mechanical inter-
locking of the various switches been
n,aced that it is impossible for him
n make a mistake. for the switches
work in regular order and should he
NV loss of memory or thoughtlessness
null the wrong lever the switch VIII
mt work until the whole chain OF
switches which come before 1t have
bean operated. At Gatun. for In
stance. in passing large ship
through the locks It will be neees-
sarv for this one man by the aid OF
eiectrtc.ty to lower four fender chains.
operate six pairs of mitre gates and
force them to nitre, open and close
eight pairs OF rising stem gate valves
for the main supply colverts and
thirty cylindrical valves. In all. no
less than ninety-eight motors will be
set in motion during each lockage of
a single ship. and this number may
be Increased to ono hundred and for
ty-three. dependent upon tho previous
condition of the gate valves and other
devices. The operator will have be-
fore him a diagram OF the progress
OF his work as well as the switch
board. He will know when the fen
der chain has sunk into its proper
place In the lock floor. the movement
OF the mitre gates and the opening
and closing Of the gate valves. and In
addition indications of the gradual
rise or fall OF the water in the lock
chambers.
lowed BY Electric Locomotive.
No ship win be allowed to pass
through the locks under its own
steam, but will be towed through by
electric locomotives operating on
tracks on the lock walls. In all other
canals the vessels are allowed 10 pass
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-15

through under their own steam. and
stopping a vessel exactly where and
when the navigator desires to, the re-
suit has been that the walls OF canals
are often damned and the structurs
seriously Injured. The engineers at
Panama determined to avoid this II
possible. so they hit upon a plan Of
having an electric towing locomotive
These queer looking machines travel
on toothed wheel track which gives
them firm clutch. The track at some
places is at an angle OF forty-flvs
degrees and rack track Is used
there. They are propelled by cleo
tricity. the power rail- being located
in an open conduit at one side OF
the track. When a ship reaches the
basin before the locks hawsers will
be passed out from four Of the strange
looking locomotives-swo at each side.
one forward and one astern. When
the hawsers are made fast aboard ship
the two forward locom olives will tow
the vessel through the locks. the two
locomotives following 1t astern to
steady 1t in Its passage and bring II
to a dead stop before approaching
the lock gates. The load these loco.
motives are expected to pull through
the Canal Is indicated by the fact
that the hawsers are played out from
slip drums. which are so designed
that II the pull exceeds a maximum
of twenty-five thousand pounds the
drum slips and the LOGON olive and IT.
mechanism is relieved from the strain.
Forty locomotives OF this type have
been ordered for use on the Canal.
The caisson gates used In case o.
emergency are operated by electricity.
the cranes necessary at the dry docks
will be electrically propelled. the coal
handling will be done by the aid Of
the same IN olive power. and as far
as possible the machines In the shops
will be electrically driven. All the
, towns OF the Canal Zone are lighted
by electricity. and the relocated Pan
anna Railroad VIII possibly be electrf-
fed in the near future. The combined
force Of the nine hundred and eighty
five motors used is thirty-four thou
sand, three hundred horsepower.
Electricity Is beyond all doubt the
star" In the Canal drama.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-15

Is OF metal. construction and thus con.
stitutes one gigantic lightning rod
Bolts Of lightning striking any one
OF the points on the statue are con-
Quoted TO the ground without harm
to either the statue or the dome.
About thirteen years ago all the
spikes that adorn Freedom had to be
renewed but the examination this year
showed that although all the points
had been repeatedly struck only three
of the seven had been SO bent or
melted down that 1t was necessary ~
renew them. Each OF these safeguards
against lightning costs Uncle Sam
pretty penny as may be surmise
when IL liz taken into account that
gold Is employed and also platinum.
which latter is just now even more
popular in the world OF fashion than
IS gold The base of each spfke.
measuring some four or I'VE incheA
lis constructed Of brass in the special
machine shop which Is one OF the old
adjuncts OF the Z. 8. Capitol. This
brass base Is then plated with gold
The foundation of the tapering point
is OF aluminium and at the tip - the,
platinum upon Which the prong de-
ponds so much for Its efffciency. But
says Uncle Sam. 1t Is cheap protection
at 800.
Painting The Dome.
The painting of the Capitol dome
requires a steady nerve but there
was no difficulty in finding thirty-stx
men willing to risk life and limb In
Frightening up tho best-known bit
of architecture In America The head
o}O$> IN n MnArfA
danger II a man will only keep htn
mind on his wor,: and not get ~
looking of into space or to thinking
how high up he Is. Evidently. too,
there is something In this logic Tor
there has never been a serious acci-
dent In the painting Of the dome.
Two coats Of paint are applied ana
it is not white paint as most people
suppose White. say the expertA
would be altogether too glaring. -
they use what Is known ~ . smoke
gray tint. The paint IL all made e
order for Uncle Sam in accordance
with a special formula worked ont
BY the government chemists. This
formula looks very complicAted An4
technical to tho lay reader and prob
ably IL will sufncs to say that ~
IL designed to produce paint hav1n4
great body and yet which win sprsnl
well. How much substance there M
20 the paint may be surmieed 1rousS
the fact that the paint on ths dor
never chips OF In flakes. despite thu
intense heat to which It 10 sub3scte4
from the rays Of the sun. On thu
contrary the paint holdE together sass
WelT that long strips Of II Mxy
peeled OF like . rubber gossAmef. IA
You will say that It y no woAeg5
that It requires ten or twelve wee
to paint tho Capitoi.s great ornele
when you learn that this stPuckufN2
dome more imposing than d Poee Il
at Rome. st. Paul's IN Lendon. - 81
Of the Pantheon In Paris-as 10 4
In diameter and rtass u he1onk 4
1S7 feet absye ~ bAse Hns % 4
building on the cast FROST
dome eAsG meto than mi11to4
1ars and fully y.oeo. oee poS a.
cast and wfouoht irua -
In thA surfaees NhisN nsuse ~