The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1914-06-05
COST OF A BlUNDER.

survivors OF the lost Canadian Pacific
steamship Empress of Ireland arrived
here from Rimouski Thirty-seven
wounded were left at Rimousk.
These are all that live OF 1876 who
sailed from here bound for Liverpool
on the queen vessel of famous fleet.
The ship sailed out of a sunlit harbor
into the fog Off Father Point, where
the ripping prov OF the collier Stor-
stad struck the death blow in the
dark.
The lost number 964.
or the living 21f are members Of
the crew
or the living only 20 are women;
two are children.
Thus the story Of the most terrible
disaster in the history of Canadian
navigation is written more grimly,
more wildly in hard figures than it
could ever be In words.
Relief vessels and trains equipped
with doctors ard nurses and every
medical and surgical supply were
rushed TO Rimouski to care for the
survivors.
Train Is Wrecked.
The government steamer Lady Gray
we'll equipped with medical supplies
and provisions as well as many sur
geons and doctors left Quebec for
Rimouski and arrived at midnight
The government also has marked the
place where the liner sunk with buoys
as protection to other vessels.
One of the relief trains that left
Lewis for Rimouski jumped the track
as it was rounding curve a few
miles from Lewis, but no one was hurt.
Another relief train was made up at
Lewis and it picked up the relief crew
OF doctors and nurses from the
wrecked train. transferred the sup
plies and when the track was cleared
continued on it's way to Rimouski
Forty Of those rescued and landed
at Rimouski were so severely wounded
they could not be moved. Skilled doc
tors from Quebec are caring for them.
About two hundred and seventy-five
OF the survivors were able tc leave
Rimouski.
The Norwegian collier Storstad,
with her bows crumpled back to the
first buikhead and covered with can
vas, steamed for Quebec. according to
a Marconigram from her wireless oper-
ator. The survivors picked up by the
Storstad. after the collision. were
transferred to the steamer Lady
Evelyn.
Gathered piecemeal from survivors
he horror of this wreck grows with
The telling.
Waters Quickly EnguIf Ship.
The doomed ones had little time
even to pray. They were enguIfed by
The onrushing waters that swallowed
the big ship inside of 10 minutes from
the time she was struck
the wireless operators on the EN-
press. sticking to their pests to the
iast, had time only to send a few IS.
u s." calls for help when the rising
waters silenced their instruments.
That silence told the rescuers miles
away more potently than a bugle that
Only six hours before this fateful
collision the passengers sang as a
goodnight hymn God Be With You
Till We Meet Again." played by the
Salvation army band on board
The members of that band and most
of the 165 Salvationists were among
the lost.
Ii was foggy according to survivors
when the Empress of Ireland, a steel
hulled, steel-bulkheaded ship OF more
than 5000 tons. left Montreal at 4 so
in the afternoon in command OF II. G..
Kendall of the Royal Naval reserve,
one of the most skilled of transatlan-
tic navigators
Out OF the darkness, on the port
side, soon after $50 in the morning
there doomed the little Norwegian col
lier. not half the size of the Empress,
but fated 10 be her destroyer.
Not until the collier was almost
abeam OF the big liner was the danger
known on either ship. The fog had
blotted out the lights as well as the
port and starboard lights OF both
ships
Quick orders trumpeted on both YES
sells were heard. But they came all
too late.
Strikes Ship Amidship.
The steel-pointed PROV of the Stor-
stad struck the liner amidships and
then forged aft. ripping and tearing
it's way through the Empress of Ire
land.