The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-06-05

Quebec.-According to corrected
figures, 957 is the death record OF
the collision in the st. Lawrence
River, when the collier Storstad
rammed the liner Empress of Ireland
of the Canadian Pacific Steamship
Co Survivors OF the catastrophe
number 4o3, very few women being
among them.
More than 800 bodies have been
taken from the river, but about 6bo
corpses are held in the hulk OF the
Empress or are drifting with wreck
age along the Gaspe coast below
Father Point. Two steamships ana
the British cruiser Essex are sweep
ing the river with searchlights, search
ing for the dead.
The official statement Of the Can
.dian Pacific Railway containing the
list OF the living and the lost was
given out and 1t Is believed to be
fairly accurate. 1t Is as fol )ws:
Lost, 957; saved, 4O3; total 1850.
Passengers lost, TAG; crew lost, 211.
Passengers saved, 201; crew saved,
2O2.
Already investigation is under way.
The first steps were taken at
Rimouski when Coroner J. Pinaull oh.
tanned a statement from Capt. Henry
George Kendall, the commander OF
the lost liner.
The captain testified that the EN-
press was motionless in a shifting
hot ha xvarnnA the collier
Storstad with whistle, bell, megaphone
and voice to keep her distance. He
saw the collier lunging forward and
sent his own ship astern, but could
not avoid the Storstads bow, which
struck the Empress amidships, and
pierced deeply.
The most interesting point In the
Official account of the disaster was
Capt. Kendall's statement that he
pleaded with Storstads commander
to keep full speed ahead, 30 as to
plug the great hole torn in the EN-
press's side. But the collier backed
away Immediately and the river~fush-
ed into the sundered ship. The rail-
road officials believe that the EN-
press could have been kept above
water for perhaps an hour, maybe
more, If the Storstad had manoeuvred
with her victim.
Capt. Anderson Of the collier de-
clined to say anything about the col
lision except, II did my best"
With the Norwegian flag flying at
half mast at her stern the collier Stor-
stad came into port under her own
steam. She was badly damaged about
the bows, but so far as could be seen
this did not extend to more than twen-
ty feet from the stern. She was low
in the water except at the bows where
she had evidently been lightened.
That the impact with the Empress OF
Ireland had been great was evident
by the way the vessels stem was
twisted to port, the hawse hole com.
pletely smashed, plates cracked, riv'
cts twisted or missing, while the heavy
anchor had evidently been driven
back several feet into the bows.
In anticipation Of the arrival OF the
Norwegian collier. Mr.. w. Simpson
Walker register OF the Admiralty
court, was instructed by Messrs
Meredith, Macpherson, Hague
Shaughnessy, Holden and Howard
solicitors for the Canadian Pacific
Railway TO issue documents for the
seizure of the Storstad for damages
by collision to the extent OF two mil
lion dollars. This amount can be
further augmented. The warrant was
executed by Acting Deputy Sheriff w
g. Marson The collier's captair
made demur when the official tried
TO board her. but the latter succeed
ed. The warrant was nailed to the
mast accompanied by q writ of sum
mons In rem. The vessel cannot nov
be moved without the deposit of ball
which will be arranged.