The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1914-06-04
Tales Of nEROISM
1olDBY SURVIVORS
Passengers Saved From En-
press Of Ireland Rslate Thrill
ing Stories Of Rescue Week.
DEATH CAUSED sY BLAST
lbeds Girl, One q Yss childsea -
Escape, says She sssips6 Nsr
seIf-ship's surpss~ vsais Gx-
perienes-CrsW 10 ppoiood.

perisnes-CrsW 10 peoiesd.
ouebec.-Thrilling taiss Of heroism,
seoeies OF futile fights for life. nara
dives that tell of the horrors Of that
fo10ful few moments after the Er;-
press of ireland Was rammed by the
oeorstad poured from the lips OF the
rescued when the special train bearing
them reached this city.
There was little voiced criticism for
~ terrible loss of life: rather those
NO had been snatched from the jaws
of death seemed anxious TO tell OF
men who had proven themselves
Asroes in the supreme moments OF
tAeir lives.
Special praise was given to the work
q DR.. James r. Grant Of Victoria. b.
C. ship surgeon on the Empress. To
his coolness WAS credited the saving
of . large number Of persons taken
0st of the water who probably would
have perished had they not received
Drompt medical attention.
Surgeons Own Marrow Escape.
!. A graphic description Of the scene
- the Empress of Ireland after the
esalision was given by Doctor Grant.
Il was in my cabin" said the ships
surgeon. and knew nothing Of the &C.
e11ent until the boat listed 20 that
tumbled out Of my berth and then
relied under It. ! tried to turn on the
AKhf hut thARA I
reached the bolted door. but the list
vas so strong that 1t took me consid
egable time to open 1t.
"When finally got out and reached
the passageway 1t was 80 steep. due to
TIE way the ship was canted, that my
sable by the carpet which was cling
Ing to breaking away.
'l then scrambled up and managed
70 get my head through . portfolio, but
was unable to get my shoulders
through. At that time the ship was
lying almost nat in the water en- its
starboard side.
"A passenger finally managed to pull
me through the portfolio.
Sank With One Hundred Others.
about q hundred passengers we're
gathered on the side Of the ship at the
time. but moment after Joined them
the vessel took another list and
plunged to the bottom.
Il next found myself in the water
and swan toward the lights of the
steamer Storstad. and when nearly ex-
hausted from the struggle and the ex-
posure was picked up by lifeboat.
This boat went on to the scene of
the disaster and picked up . load of
survivors from the water and then
took them ON board the Storstad
There we were wrapped in blankets
and was provided with clothes.
When able l did what l could to
help the survivors. Some OF them.
however, we're in such exhausted con-
dition that they died"
Child Says She Saved HerseIf.
Only two children are known to
have been saved from the wreck. A
wonderful rescue was one of these
little eisht-year-old Oracle flanagan.
daughter of the leader of the Salvation
Army band. Her father and mother
were both drowned. Oracle was not
told Of her loss and believed at night
that her father and mother would
come to Quebec on the next boat
When asked how she was saved
Oracle replied: "Oh, l saved myself"
The child was entirely unconcerned,
apparently not realizing what she had
been through. No lifeboat was near
when she was thrown from the En-
press. She sank at once, but rose to
the surface in a moment, saw a piece
of floating wood near her and seized it.
Later she was pulled into q lifeboat.
She had been benumbed to the point
OF exhaustion by the cold water, but
kindly hands worked skilfully to re-
vive her and she soon was entirely re-
stored.
Saves Self and wife.
Major Attwell Of Toronto and his
wife were among the saved
Il got \ life belt for my wife," said
Major Attwell, land We both jumped
into the water together when we saw
that the vessel was doomed to go
down. We both sank three times, be-
ing carried under by the suction Of
the laundering vessel. When we came
up the third time ! saw a li7eboat near,
and to 1t swan, pulling my wife after
me. Then those in the boat pulled US
in and We were saved.
The impact was just sufficient to
waken u. II sounded as II our boat
had struck rock. 1t was very slight,