Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-29
Disaster Overtakes Ca
madam Pacific Vessel
On Way to Liverpool.
STRUCK IN VITAL SPOT
Three Hundred of Passengers
Picked Up by Steamers
Called by Wireless.

RIMoUsKI, ONT, MAY 2e.-PRo8
ABLY MORE THAN A THOUSAND
SURELY NOT LESS THAN SEVEN
HUNDRED, LIVES WERE LOST
WHEN THE EMPRESS OF IRE
LAND SANK TODAY. THIS IS THE
ESTIMATE OF HYSTERICAL SUR
vVoRs, MANY OF WHOM ARE
PITIA5LY MANNED.
Rimouski. Ont. Nay 29.-The Cana
dian Pacific liner, the Empress of Ire
land. carrying 1887 passengers and
crew sank in darkness just before
dawn in the ST. Lawrence river. near
here. The loss is perhaps a thousand
lives.
Early estimates of the dead varied
from 67S to LOO The vessel was
bound for Quebec TO Liverpool. The
vessel was cut wide open by the. col
lier Storstad and sank in 20 minutes
in 1s fathons- OF those saved the
majority appeared 70 be members OF
the crew or from the stee-3ge. Many
we're badly injured and % died after
being picked up.
The crash occurred at 2 this morn
ing al Fathers point. a Quebec village
brought into prominence when DR..
CHppeu, the London murderer, was
caught The collier. bound for Que
bee, struck the Ireland on the port
side about the middle of the ship. She
literally tore her way back almost to
the liners screws. leaving a rent
through which water poured in such
deluge that she sank before many
passengers we're aware what had hap
pened- Answering the wireless the
pilot Of the boat Eureka, 10 miles from
tne scene, and the Lady Evelyn,
nah tender. made for the spot
Actor Irving Among Missing.
II was these two boats that found 1
ahoat the two lifeboats launched from (
the stricken ship and picked up the /
surTivors they contained. Three hun
ored thirty-nine were saved by the |
Lady Evelyn and so by the Eureka.
among the saved was Captain Kendall
oi tne Ireland. Most Of the first-class
passengers apparently perished.
among those in the first cabin were
sir Henry Seton Karr, a noted Eng
Hsh lawyer and big game hunter, and
lawrence Irving, the actor, and his
VIE; OF party OF 40 Salvation
army members aboard only 20 were
rescued. The condition of the suryiv-
ors was pitable. Some had broken
AIMS and legs and all suffered ter
iloiy. When the rescue ships landed
mere the station platform was convert
% INTO a hospital. tOwnspeople bring
ing food and clothing and uniting to
elo The sufferers. Twelve bodies, with
Ieces covered, lay side by side on the
Hnar. They were passengers who
Aad made the lifeboats, but were
1@Ially hurt. A vast majority of the
saved were members of the ships
crew. Early estimates indicated not 5
1ole than sixty passengers were
saved The first and second engf- I
-eeIs and the ships surgeon were res {
'1ed- Captain Kendall was too over a
oone TO give an extended account. He
.@a sent this wireless 10 his line after ]
Ae vessel was struck: Ship gone" I
Similar TO Titanic Scene. J
Residents OF RimOuski, numbering :
svOo came silently TO the docks :,
mere the dead and exhausted living >,
-Aoed and gave aid where possible. :
very doctor was called to the scene.
-sny Of the injured were taken 10 pri- =
ate hotels. o
Ine Eureka and Lady Evelyn found :
reaching the point where the En-
iess sank. a scene not unsimilar to
.~t which greeted liners that rushed :,
tne Titsnic's aid. Where the ship =,
~ sunk the surface was calm and -
'ued with life boats smeared with :,
'eung debris. In the life boats were -
-ooied survivors dazed and moaning, a
me dying OF injuries suffered IN the =,
asa or IN the rush in leaving the
.AlnS Empress. Few could give any
ing but incohsrent accounts OF what
opened. Some reports said the col m
r. which was able 10 keep afoat, 70
oosh badly damaged, had aboard 800 De
rFiyors. II true, this would reduce Ii
death list materially from more on