The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1914-06-02
ANOTHER SEA DISASTER
Almost Thousand Lose Lives When
One Steamer Hits Another

Quebec, June D.-More than l.OOC
persons lost their lives when the Ca.
madam Pacific steamship Empress VI
ireland sank in the st. Lawrence earl,
FRIDAY morning after the liner hao
been rammcd by the Danish collier
storeshed. Figures complied by tn,
Canadian Pacific railway company anc
made public today indicated that l,0J1
persons ~ all had persisted.
With the survivors safe in Quebec
whore their wants and sorrows are be-
my given every possible care, atten-
ton was turned today to Rmouski
where efforts to recover the bodies OF
victims are IN progress. Up to an
early hour today over three hundred
bodies had been landed there. The
dead were piled in tiers, making il
possible to closely scrutinize the bodies
Tor purposes of Identification. Few
have SO far been recognized but this
work was earnestly undertaken after
day broke today. There appear to be
mady foreigners among the dead, judg-
ing IRON passports found on the bod
les. Many women and children are
plcniifully represented in the grim pile,
among them one mother with her child
pressed closely TO her breast.
Those who witnessed the scene at
Rimouski, where the sad harvest OF
the rescue ships was laid on the piers
and sheds, say that the sight was
heart-renGing. Many OF the dead star
ed heavenward with wide-open ewes,
some with horror in them and others
with AN air OF puzzled surprise. There
was but little attempt to cover the
corpses and Tor the most part they lay
practically as they had been taken out
OF the water, some half-dressed and
others nearly naked.
The collier storshed, which rammed
the Inflated Empress of Ireland arriv-
ed here shortly after o'clock this
morning accompanied by the wreckne
steamer Strathcona and anchored in
niid-siream. II was learned however,
that she had saved many of the En-
press passengers. The Storstad is bad
ly damaged having hole some Is feet
square in her bow.
Stories OF the loss of the Empress of
Ireland brought to Quebec last night
by the survivors gave vivid details Of
the most terrible tragedy in the annals
of the St. Lawrence.
Some compared the disaster to that
which befell the Titanic but pointed
out that in the case of the Titanic
there was time to prepare for death,
while those who persisted on the EN-
press there was little time for reflec-
ton or prayer In many cases indeed
survivors declare, death must have
come with merciful swiitness and be.
fore the victims realized that their
hour had struck
From the accounts OF the saved it
seems that soon after the ship was
ramrned she careened until her deck
stood at right angles to the water. Shc
Slid slowly into the water and it was
Dnly possible to launch five boats in
he brief interval before she finally
'ank. Captain Kendall was on the
bridge when the collision occurred.
When the steamer sank he was wash.
I'd away later to be picked up by on,
If the boats, apparently to his great
regret. Thus far he has vouchedsafe
10 public statement.
Only twenty-five women and two
children of the many who boarded the
steamer at Montreal and Quebec ap-
pear 10 have been saved
One little girl. Helen O'Hara. swan
until she was picked up as also did
Miss Thompson from New Zealand.