The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1914-06-13

expected development In the empress
of Ireland disaster Wednesday when
the Storstad's owners entered q coun-
ter claim against the Canadian Pacific
railroad for $4,000 damages due to
the collision. charging that the EN-
press was 1t fault and alleging negli-
gent navigation on it, part. This will
make the case still more complicated.
Rimouski. Que, May 31.--One thou
said and twsnty-ssven persons lost
their lives Friday morning when the
great Canadian Pacific twin screw lin
o. Empress Of Ireland was rammed
amidships In . thick fog on Father
Point in the st. Lawrence and sunk
By the Norwegian collier 6torstad.
-Four hundred and fifty-two survi-
vors were picked up from floating
wreckage and two lifeboats.
Gathered piecemeal from survivors
the horror Of this wreck grows with
the telling.
The doomed ones had little time
even to pray. They were engulfed by
the onrushing waters that swallowed
the big ship inside of nineteen min
utes from the time she was struck.
The wireless operators on the EN-
press. sticking to their posts to the
last, had time only to send few IS.
o. g." calls for help when the rising
waters silenced their instruments.
That silence told the rescuers miles
away moro potently than bugle that
A~A..- ~ kov khn shfv,
Only six hours before this fateful
collision the passengers sang a. .
goodnight hymn God Be With You
TIL We Meet Again. played by the
salvation Army band on board.
The members Of that band and most
of the 1876 6alvationists were among
the lost
It was foggy, according to survivors.
when the Empress Of Ireland, q steel
hulled, steel-bulkheaded ship of more
than eight thousand tons. left Mon
treal at 1880 Thursday afternoon In
command OF H. @, Kendall Of the
Royal Naval Reserve. one Of the most
skilled OF transatlantic navigators.
Forest ilres also obscured the At
atmosphere. and the big ship. In charge
of pilot, proceeded slowly ON her
way to sea. At midnight the pilot aide
left near Father Point, shouting q
merry bon Voyage" a. he went down
their ladder to his waiting boat.
Not until the collier was almost
,abeam Of the big liner was the danger
known on either ship. The fog had
iblotted out the lights as well as the
port and starboard lights Of both ships.
Quick orders trumpeted on both yes
,shels were heard. But they came all
koo late.
The steel-pointed PROV of the 6tor-
stad struck the liner amidships and
then forged on, ripping and tearing it,
way through the Empress of Ireland.
Clear to the stern of the Empress of
ireland was the great steel shaving
'cut from her side. from the top Of the
hull far below the water line. Into
that rent the water poured with the
force Of . Niagara
The bow Of the Storstad smashed it,
way through berths on that side Of the
ship, killing passengers sleeping IN
their berths and grinding bodies TO
'pieces.
The Impress Of Ireland recoiled a.
most on hsr starboard beam ends from
the blow Of the collier and passengers
were flung from their bsrths against
the walls Of their statsrooms.
From the forward cabins. however.
men and women IN night attire Stun
blsd along the corridors and mp The
way TO the promenade deck
Men and women, shrieking. praying. |
crying for aid that was fated TO arrive |
TOO late. fen over one another n that |
last struggle for life on board the |
doomed impress Of Ireland.