South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-03
Emergency Preparations Made
at St. Johns, N. F., to Care
for 81 Survivors Exhausted
From Exposure.
MENACE OF A SECOND
BLIZZARD NOW FEARED
No Confirmed Reports From
Southern Cross" and Hopes
for 173 in Crew Are Now
Abandoned.

ST. JOHNS. y. r, April S.-Bear-
ing the bodies of 5S seamen Of the
sealer New Foundland, who perished
in gale on the ice foes of Belle
Isle strait, and about 81 survivors,
the funeral ship Bellaventure, crept
toward this port today through fog
and rain.
Emergency preparations were hur-
riedly made here to care CDR the frost
bitten survivors, some of whom are in
"a precarious condition. Thirty beds
were prepared in the general hospital
at Grenfalls Seamen's institute. The
survivors huddled on an ice field for
two days while a terrific gale of wind
and snow smashed over them. Nearly
all were unconscious from exposure
when picked up by the crew of the
Bellaventure and were given first aid
treatment as the ship afforded.
The dead seamen will probably be
buried Saturday after services have
been held in all the churches of the
city.
Fears For Southern Cross.
Although the sealer Southern Cross
with a crew of 173, was reported 10
have reached Channel, y. T., there
had been no confirmation Of this re
port in the forenoon and the gravest
fears were felt for her safety.
Wireless messages brought WORD
that the steamer Stephanie had found
one dead and two living Seamen OF
The New Foundlan'S crew.
The Bellaventure reported that an
other blizzard is sweeping down from
the Labrador banks. following In the
fatal storm of Tuesday, and this in
creased fears for the Southern Cross
and others of the sealing fleet which
have. not reported. The Bellaventure
also reported that Capt. Wesley Kean
of the New Foundland is among the
members of the vessels crew still un-
accounted for.
Suffering Intense.
Suffering of an intensity that makes
death more desirable than life, over
took the New Foundland's crew in the
ice foes. The men were caught six
tiles from the snip when the hur-
rtcane bore down upon the ice held.
They were unable to fight their way
back TO the ship, which had with
drawn from its perilous position for
fear Of being crushed in the ice. The
snow was blinding, the weather far
below zero and the wind so high 1t
nearly tore their clothing from their
bodies.
They were trapped on a treacherous
field of ice which threatened TO break
up at any minute. The wind carried
a fresh ice field around the New
Foundland but she was able TO signal
TO the Stephano and the Bellaventure
and the latter, being equipped with
a steel hull. was able TO cut her way
through the new ice to the New
Foundland.
There were 10 troops in the sealer
fleet but all were scattered.
Messages Confirm Fears.
NEW YORK, April 3.-Merlne
agencies. including Bowring and Co.,
owners of some of the sealing vessels
caught In the gale off the New Found
land coast. received kilograms from
ST. Johns today which heightened
fears for the safety of the Southern
Cross one message said that the
Southern Cross, with 173 men on
board, had not arrived at Channel,
y. F., as had been reported, and that
her whereabouts is unknown. Bowrlng
and Co. received the following tele-
gram:
zone hundred men Of the steamer
New Foundland were caught on the ice
i'm a bowling blizzard Tuesday night.
Ships have picked up between 60 and
20 men. frozen TO death. Thirty men
who survived the blizzard have been
picked up by other ships. The New
Foundland was not badly damaged"
These kilograms indicated that the
death list will be about 10. The
steamer Bellaventure, which is taking
ga dead bodies to ST Johns, ran into
bad weather and dispatches said she
might not arrive until Sunday.