The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-06-06

oesree that made 1t almost impos
sloie to stand even clinging to raj
ings.
Men and women, shrieking, praying
crying for aid that was fated to arriv,
TOO late, fell over one another in tha
last struggle for life on board tn,
doomed Empress of ireland.
Frenzied mothers leaped overheard
with their babies in their arms. 9th
ers kne't on deck and tried to pray In
the few moments left to them. Some
were flung overheard by the heeling
OF the sinking ship and some broke
tneir legs or arms In trying to reach
the lifeboats.
Above the din of the struggle on
the great promenade deck could be
neard Captain Kendall shouting COM
mands for the launching of the life
Doats. Several were launched In the
~ minutes that the ship foated.
Ihere was no time to observe the
rule Women first" 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. s." there came a 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
snip 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
engulfing waters.
slames tho Collier.
Doctor Johnston, chief medical Of
hcer on the Empress, said that had
not the Storstad backed out SO soon
rom the Empress, large number of
me passengers might have been
saved. He said that when the collier
pulled itself free the sea surged into
he hole 1t had torn in the side Of
he Empress and the liner quickly
sank.
Chief Operator Hayes of the EN-
'ress told Of the sinking of the ves-
el.
AS soon as l felt the shock of the
'ollision," he said, II was ordered to
ound the danger signal, and the flash
II my s. o. s. was Immediately
licked up by the operator at Father
'oint and answered. But l could not
ak with him for five minutes after
he impact my dynamos failed me and
Z minutes after the collision our boat
ank."
The noise of the water rushing into
is cabin awoke W. Davis of Toronto
nd his wife. They fled upon deck,
ut in the rush of passengers became
eparated. Mr.. Davis was saved. 1t
feared his wife sank with the boat.
A full equipment Of ambulances sup
lied by the city of Quebec, the town
Lewis, on the opposite side of the
ver, and the army medical service
'rps was awaiting at Lewis when the
oecial survivors train arrived. The
assengers were Immediately disem-
arked and transferred to the ferry
Gamer, which had been waiting at
lie special wharf to facilitate the
ansfer to the Quebec.
Many Survivors Injured.
It was a pitiful sight when the ferry
Gamer Polaris docked on the Quebec
de at $3.50 o'clock and the S96 men
I'd women saved from the ill-fated /
impress Of Ireland trooped falteringly
'wn the gangway. The faces of all c
Amy registered the frightful expert L
ce they had gone through. I
Few Of the survivors possessed a
mplete outfit of clothes. the ma
rity wearing only shirts, trousers
d boots.
Heads were barred in the throng as f
e injured were brought ashore, SUD- +
rted by friends and officials of the u
mpany. c
The second and third class passen- D
RS and the crew were Immediately RI
Ide comfortable on the Allan liner
satan. which was lying in an ad-
ming berth at the breakwater.
rhe first class and injured passen- ,
rs were transferred in automobiles -
other vehicles to the Chatau From "
lac. A staff of doctors and nurses "
TX charge Of the injured. h
Among the so passengers left in
nouski were several who were so III
SO severely injured that they had
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