The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1914-06-06

away to port and the deck slanting at
a degree that made 1t almost impos
sible 70 stand even clinging To rail-
ings.
crying for aid that was fAted to arrive
too late. fell over one another In that
last struggle for life on board the
doomed Empress OF Ireland.
Frenzied mothers leaped overheard
with their babies in their arms. Oth-
ers kneIt on deck and tried to pray In
the few moments left to them. Some
were flung overheard by the heeiing
OF the sinking ship and s0ns broke
their legs or arms in trying to reach
the lifebcats.
Above the din Of the struggle on
the great promenade deck could bs
heard Captain Kendall shouting COM
mands for the launching OF tho life
boats. Several were launched In the
10 minutes that the ship noated.
There was no time to observe the
rule Women nrst" in this disaster.
for those nearest the boats scrambled
to places In them.
But even as they were being
launched. while the wireless still was
calling IS. o. g." there came . terrific
explosion that almost rent the ship In
twain.
1t was the explosion OF the boilers
struck by the cold water. A geyser
of water shot upward from the mid
ship section. mingled with fragments
Of wreckage. that showered down upon
the passengers still clinging to the
rails forward and upon those strug-
Cling in the water.
The explosion destroyed the last
hope of the ships floating until sue
cor could arrive. for the shock had
smashed the forward steel bulkhead
walls that had up to then shut out tor
rents invading the after part The
water rushed forward and the EN-
press Of ireland went swiftly to her
doom, carrying down with her hun
dreds OF passengers who stood on her
slanting decks, their arms stretched
upward and their cries choked in the
engulf1ng waters.
eIames the Collier.
Doctor Johnston, chief medical Of
ficer on the Empress. said that had
not the Storstad backed out SO soon
from the Empress, a large number OF
| the passengers nigh. have been
saved He said that when the collier
pulled itself free the sea surged into
the hole 1t had torn in the side of
| the Empress and the liner quickly
sank
Chief Operator Hayes OF the En-
press told OF the sinking of the YES
| sci.
"As soon as felt the shock of the
| collision" he said, Il was ordered to
| sound the danger signal. and the flash
| OF my s. O. S. was Immediately
picked up by the operator at Father
Point and answered. But l could not
talk with him for Ave minutes after
the impact my dynamos failed me and
| II minutes after the collision our boat
sank"
The noise OF the water rushing into
his cabin awoke w. Davis OF Toronto
and his wife. They fed upon deck.
but in the rush Of passengers became
separated. Mr.. Davis was saved. 1t
| is feared his wife sank with the boat.
| full equipment OF ambulances sup
piled by the city of Quebec. the town
| Of Lewis, on the opposite side of the
| river, and the army medical service
| corps was awaiting at Lewis when the
special survivors train arrived. The
passengers we're Immediately disem-
barked and transferred to the ferry
steamer, which had been waiting at
the special wharf to facilitate the
transfer to the Quebec.
Many Survivors Injured.
1t was pitiful sight when the ferry
steamer Polaris docked on the Quebec
side at $50 o'clock and the 1896 men
and women saved from the illfated
Empress of Ireland trooped falteringly
down the gangway. The faces of all
| plainly registered the frightful expert
ence they had gone through.
| Few OF the survivors possessed
complete outfit of clothes, the ma
| jority wearing only shirts, trousers
and boots.
Heads were barred in the throng as
| the injured were brought ashore. sup
| ported by friends and officials of the
| company.
The second and third class passen
| gers and the crew were Immediately
; made comfortable on the Allan liner
| Alsatian. which was lying in an ad-
| Joining berth at the breakwater
The first class and injured passen-
gers were transferred IN automobiles
and other vehicles to the Chatau From
tenac. A staff of doctors and nurses
| took charge of the injured.
Among the so passengers left in
RirlnlIski oil xr-lt,