The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1914-06-13
TALES OF HEROISM
TOLD BY SURVIVORS
Passengers Saved From En-
press of ireland Relate Thrill
ing Stories of Rescue Work.
DEATH CAUSED BY BLAST
Little Girl, One Of Two Children to
Escape, Says She Helped Her
seIf-ShiP's Surgeon Tells tx
perience-Crew Is Praised.

Quebec.-ThriIling tales of heroism,
stories of futile fights for life. nara
tives that tell of the horrors of that
fateful few moments after the En-
press of Ireland was rammed by the
Storstad poured from the lips Of the
rescued when the special train bearing
them reached this city.
There was little voiced criticism for
the terrible loss Of life; rather those
who had been snatched from the jaws
of death seemed anxious to tell of
men who had proven themselves
heroes in the supreme moments of
their lives.
Special praise was given to the work
of DIR. James F. Grant of Victoria, B.
c., ship surgeon on the Empress. To
his GOODNESS was credited the saving
of a large number of persons taken
out of the water who probably would
have persisted had they not received
prompt medical attention.
Surgeons Own Narrow Escape.
A graphic description Of the scene
on the Empress of Ireland after the
collision was given by Doctor Grant.
81 was in my cabin said the ships
surgeon, "and knew nothing of the ac-
cident until the boat listed so that 1
tumbled out of my berth and then
rolled under it. 1 tried to turn on the
light, but there was no power, /
reached the bofted door, but the list
was so strong that it took me consid-
cradle time to open it.
when finally 1 got out and reached
the passageway it was so steep, due to
the way the ship was canted, that my
efforts to climb were rendered impOs-
sible by the carpet which 1 was cling
ing to breaking away.
'I then scrambled up and managed
to get my head through a portfolio, but
I was unable to get my shoulders
through. At that time the ship was
lying almost fat in the water en- its
starboard side.
"A passenger finally managed to pull
me through the portfolio
IS Sank With One Hundred Others.
About a hundred passengers were
gathered on the side Of the ship at the
time, but moment after joined them
the vessel took another list and
ST next found myself in the water
and swan toward the lights of the
steamer Storstad, and when nearly ex-
hausted from the struggle and the ex-
posture I was picked up by a lifeboat.
This boat went on to the scene of
the disaster and picked up a load of
survivors from the water and then
took them on board the Storstad.
There we were wrapped in blankets
and 1 was provided with clothes.
when able 1 did what I could to
help, the survivors. Some of them,
however, were in such exhausted con-
dition that they died.
Child Says She Saved Herself.
Only two children are known to
have been saved from the wreck. A
wonderful rescue was one of these
little eight-year-old Oracle flanagan,
daughter Of the leader of the Salvation
Army band. Her father and mother
were both drowned. Oracle was not
told of her loss and believed at night
that her father and mother would
come to Quebec on the next boat.
When asked how she was saved
Oracle replied: ooh, saved myself -
The child was entirely unconcerned,
| apparently not realizing what she had
been through. No lifeboat was near
when she was thrown from the En-
press. She sank at once, but rose to
the surface in a moment, saw a piece
of floating wood near her and seized it.
Later she was pulled into a lifeboat.
She had been benumbed to the point
of exhaustion by the cold water, but
kindly hands worked skiIfully to re-
vive her and she soon was entirely re-
stored.
Saves Self and Wife.
Major Attwen of Toronto and his
wife were among the saved.
ST got life belt for my WIFE" said
Major Attwell, "-and we both jumped
| into the water together when we saw
that the vessel was doomed to 20
down. We both sank three times, be
ing carried under by the suction of
the laundering vessel When we came
up the third time saw a Iifeboat near,
and to it swan, pulling my wife after
me. Then those in the boat pulled US
In and we were saved.
THE impact was just sufficient to
waken US. II sounded as if our boat
had struck Eock. It was very slight,