The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-31
Only 4O3 of 1860 Persons Sur
vive Disaster, When Em-
press Of Ireland Sinks In St.
Lawrence
Investigation Under
Way---I wist Signals
Deeds of Heroism Recited by
EIysterical Survivors - 300
Dead Bodies Line Decks Of
Lady Grey--Cruiser Search
ing Bay

QUEBEC. MAY S0.--Only 4oS of the
1860 person who were aboard the
Empress of ireland when she was sent
10 the bottom OF the St Lawrence
river on Friday morning are alive.
They are being cared tor in this city,
in Montreal! and in Rimouski.
Mere than three hundred bodies
have been taken from the river. but
bout go corpses are held in the hulk
nj the Empress, or are drifting with
esreekage along the Gaape coast below
Father Point. Two steamships and
the British cruiser Essex are sweeping
the river with searchiiGhts tonight
searching for the dead
The official statement of the Cam
afiian Pacific railway. containing the
list of the living ard the lost, was
given out tonighi. and Is believed to be
fairly accurate. III Is as follows:
Lost. aa3 saved. 4o3: total. I.;;60.
Passengers lost, 7-i8; crew lost. eli.
Passengers saved, 26i; crew saved.
cog
OS the first cabin passengers. thirty
one men. tmenty-siN women and no
children were lost. and twcnty-one
nseIl. eight women ard enc child were
eas sti.
OF the second cabin passengers.
1i8: t4fty-tuo men, slxty-ti,ree wo-
fifteen men, five women and one child
were saved
Q1. the. Storage messengers, I'll. Ave
hundred and Sixty~four men. women
and children were, lost and LAG men,
four women aud no children we're
~ Sed.
This estimate is considered to be
complete ~ vie railroad, and is based
on the reports of its agents sent from
EiulousiSi and prepared here
That the Dominion government in
tends to ascertain the responsibility
for the greatest disaster IN the history
of the sea except that of the Titanic,
is certain. Already the investigation Is
under way
Inyesig alton Under Way.
The first steps were taken At
Rimouski today, when Corone. ].
pinauu obtained statement from
Cptain Henry G. Kendall, the COM
mander of the lost liner. Captain
kendall's straightforward account OF
the circumstances of the collision bears
out the stories told by survivors that
the Empress officers were prudent and
wafchfui. and that no blame attaches
TO them.
The captain testifes that the Em-
press was motionlass in shifting fog.
and that she warned collier StorStad
with whistle bell and megaphone to
keen nET issuance flS say lEiS GblttGI
iunging forward and sent his own ship
astern, bat could not avoid the
Storstads bow, which struck the En-
press anltdshps and pierced deeply.
( The most interesting point in the Of
fetal account OF the disaster was Cap.
tain Kendail's statement thai he
pleaded with the Ssorstad's command
or to keep full speed ahead. so az 70
plug the great hole torn in the EN-
press side But the collier backed inns
mediately. and the river rushed into
the sundered ship.
The railroad officials believe that the
Empress could have been kept above
water for perhaps an hour, maybe
more. if the Storstad had maneuvered
with her victim. That. however, In Z
matter for the official investigation
II Did Ny Best"
Captain Anderson. OF the collier. de-
ciined to say anything about the coli
lisien.- except, II did my best" Tha-
Storstad. with bow crushed and SEEM
ingly barely able to float. passed thiA
city today on her way 10 Montreal.
After reaching there Captain Anderson
will be Intercepted by the Dominion
represe natives. He and his officers
are credited with saving many lives inn
after The Empress sank, ana
before relief ships arrived from
Rimouski,
More than three hundred bodies ara
expected here late tonight or early to-
morrow. The mail tender, Lady
Evelyn. Is proceeding up the st.
Lawrence from Rimouski where q
morgue has been estahlish-
ed. Very few bodies have been identi-
fed because lew We're clothed in moro
than night dress. The task Of dentinca~
ton will be terribly difficult and try
ing.
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