Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-05-30
STEAMER SURVIVORS
PRAISE CAPTAIN
[Continued From First Page1

being given every possible cara. al
tention was turned to-day to Ri
mouski, where efforts to recover the
bodies or victims are in progress.
Up to an early hour to-day over
three hundred bodies had been landed
there.
Dead Piled in Tiers
The dead were piled in tiers making
1t possible to closely Scrutinize the
bodies for purposes of identification.
Few have so far been recognized, but
this work was earnestly undertaken
after daybreak to-day. There appears
to be many foreigners among the
dead. judging from passports found
on the bodies.
Women and children are plentifully
represented in the grim pile, among
them one mother with her child
pressed closely to her breast.
Those who witnessed the scene at
Rlmouski where the sad harvest of
the rescue ships was laid on the piers
and sheds, say that the sight was
heartrending. Many of the dead
stared heavenward with wide opened
eyes, some with horror in them and
others with an air of puzzled surprise
There was but little attempt to cover
the corpses and for the most part they
out of the water, some half dressed
and others nearly naked.
The tender Lady Gray had been
designated as funeral ship and is
expected to reach Quebec late to-day
with the bodies of the dead so far re-
covered. An army of carpenters and
undertakers who worked all last night
are still busy converting one of the
large freight sheds on the harbor
front into a temporary morgue for
the reception of bodies.
Collier Arrives
The collier Storstad, which rammed
the Inflated Empress of ireland, ar
rived here shortly after l O'Clock this
morning, accompanied by the wreck
ing steamer Strathcona and anchored
in midstream. A press boat went out,
but newspaper men were refused per-
mission to board. 1t was learned.
however, that she had saved many of
the Empress passengers.
The Storstad is badly damaged, hav-
ing hole some fifteen feet square in
her bow. She is waiting for orders
to say whether she will dock here or
go to Montreal. Captain Thomas An
dersen, of the Storstad, was asleep
when the vessel reached this port and
left orders not to be disturbed.
Stories of the loss of the Empress
of Ireland brought to Quebec last
night by the survivors gave vivid
tales of the most terrible tragedy in
the annals of the st. Lawrence. Some
compared the disaster to that which
befell the Titanic but pointed out that
In the case of the Titanic there was
time to prepare for death, while with
those who perished on the Empress
there was little time for reflection or
prayer.
In many cases indeed survivors de-
clare, death must have come with
merciful swiftness and before the VIC
tins realized that their hour had
struck.
Launch Only Five Boats
From the accounts of the saved it
seems that soon after the ship was
rammed she careened until her deck
stood at right angles to the water
She slid slowly into the water and it
was only possible to launch five boats
in the brief interval before she finally
sank.
Captain Kendall was on the bridge
when the collision occurred. When
the steamer sank he was washed
away, later to be picked up by one of
the boats, apparently to his great re-
gret. Thus far he has vouchsafed no
public statement, except to say that
down with the ship. Passengers who
observed him during the frightful few
minutes after the ship was struck
speak in praise and declare he
did his full duty.
Chief officer Steed, it is stated. was
killed by boat falling on him while
working to help the passengers es-
cape.
Irvings Die Together
Laurence Irving, an actor, and son
of Sir Henry Irving. according to sur
vivors died while trying to save his
wife. Mr.. and Mrs. Irving were last
seen on deck, embracing one another
as if in farewell. They went down
with the ship locked in each others
arms.
Commissioner Rees, of the Salvation
Army, stood on the deck of the
doomed vessel trying to persuade the
people to keep cool and lending a
helping hand to many. When the ship
was almost under water one of his
men shouted to him to jump for his
life. He replied he would stand by
his wife and children and sank with
the words 20, God, Thy will be done"
on his lips.
One of the touching scenes on the
survivors train was that presented by
Philip Lawler. With his wife and
son he had left his home in Brantford.
Ont. where they had lived for the last
seven years to visit their old home at
Keightly, Yorkshire, England. The
mother went down with the ship,
while the father after a desperate
struggle, managed to save his son,
Herbert, and himself. He was in