The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-06-01
SEIZE STORSTAD
F OR DAM AGES
OF S2,OOO,OOO
Collier Charged With Sinking Of
Empress Of ireland
STATEMENT BY COMPANY
Claim Made That storstad Had Right
Of Way and That Liner Was
in Motion

Montreal. quebec. May 3l.-When
the collier Storstad. which sank the
steamship Empress Of Ireland in a
Collision of Father Point. In the ST
Lawrence River. causing the loss OF
964 lives. arrived at this port today.
she was seized by officials OF the Ad-
miralty Court on behalf of the Cana
dian Pacific Railway, owners of the
Empress. The seizure is based on a
claim for 100000 for the loss of
the steamship.
According TO the report made by
the Captain to the owners. immediate
~ the collision occurred he heard
Capt. Kendall shout, calling on him
not to pull away.
Il WON'T shouted the Stogstad's
Captain. as loud as he could. After
that the Empress disappeared from
the Storstads view
The statement is as follows
THE fact that the Storstad has on.
ly today reached port has made it inn
possible heretofore to give an authe.
mic statement on her behalf All
connected with the Storstad deplore
most deeply the terrible accident
which has resulted in the loss OF so
many valuable lives.
1T is not with any desire to con
denim others. but simply because it
is felt that the public is entitled TO
know the facts that the following
statement is put forward.
THE vessels sighted each other
when far apart. The Empress of Ire
land was seen oil the port bow OF the
Storstad. The Empress of lreland's
green. or starboard, light was visible
to those on the Sto-stad. Under
these circumstances the rules of nayi
cation gave the Storstad the right of
way
The Roadway of the Empress was
then changed in such manner as TO
put the vessel in a position to pass
safely. Shortly after a fog envelopcd
first the Empress and then the Stor-
stad.
Fog signals were exchanged, the
| Storstad's engines were at once slow.
ed, and then stopped. Her heading
remained unaltered. Whistles from
the Empress were heard Oh the Stor.
stad's port bow and were answered.
The Empress of Ireland was then
seen through the fog, close at hand
on the port bow of the Storstad. She
was showing her green light and was
making considerable Roadway.
THE engines of the Storstad were
at once reversed at full speed and her
Roadway was nearly checked when
the vessels came together.
1T has been said that the Storstad
| should not have backed out of the
hole made by the collision. She did
not do so. AS the vessels came to-
gether the Storstad's engines were
ordered ahead for the purpose of hild-
| ing her bow against the side of the
Empress and thus preventing the en-
trance of water into tire vessel.
hC utduNd9 vi Ant LII tSos uON
ever, swung the Storstad around in
such way as to twist the Storstad S
bow out of the hole and TO bend the
bow itself over to port.
The Empress at once disappeared
in the fog. The Storstad sounded her
whistle repeatedly in an effort to locate
the Empress of Ireland, but could OBJ.
tain no indication of her whereabouts
until cries we're heard. The Stosstad
was then manoeuvred as close to the
Empress as was safe in view OF
the danger of injury to the persons al
ready in the water.
THE Storstad at once lowered CIV.
cry one of her boats and sent them to
save the passengers and crew of the
| Empress, though she herself was in
| serious danger of sinking. When two
boats from the Empress reached the
Storstad the Storstad's men also
manned these boats and went in
them to the rescue. Her own boats
made several trips. and in all about
$50 persons were taken on board, and
everything that the ships stores con.
tanned was used for their comfort.
! Clothes of those on the Storstad were
| placed at the disposal of the rescued
and every assistance was rendered
THE statements which have APP
peared in the press indicating that
there was the slightest delay on the
part of the Storstad in rendering
prompt and efficient aid, do a cruel in
justice to the Captain, who did not