South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-05-29
EMPRESS OF IRELAND
CRASHES WITH COLLIER
CONTINUED FROM PAGE oNE)

was received from the Storstad:
TN collision with a steamship
early today. We are bringing sur
vivors and dead bodies TO port Com
pelIed to provceed very slowly on &C
count Of damages sustained In the
collision. The Empress OF Ireland
was so badly rammed that she sank
in about 10 minutes. A big hole was
cut under her water line"
Brief wireless dispatches were sent
from the Storstad which gave thrill
ing and graphic details Of the disas-
ter. From the quickneSs of the time
in which the Empress of Ireland
sank some OF the passengers were
caught in their berths and drowned
like rats in a trap. Others, IN their
night clothing. rushed 10 the rail and
flung themselves into the sea without
waiting 10 put on life preservers.
Both men and women were picked
I'D with children clasped in their
arms. There was little opportunity
for the officers of the Inflated steamer
10 nut into effect the old rule of the
sea-wOmen and children first. The
disaster came so quickly and was so
overwhelming that IL was a case of
every person for himself. In the dark
ness and fog. with the stiffness Of the
deep sea all about them. the victims
went down 10 their death.
Survivor Describes Scene.
One OF the survivors of the dam
aged ship gave brief and graphic
description OF what had happened.
He said:
Il was asleep in my berth when
was suddenly rolled to the floor by
the pitch Of the ship. AS soon as
awakened l heard the sickening crash
OF steel and timber rending our ship.
/ realized at once that we had been
D e-Erf n
from my stateTOom, and even In my
fright and excitement I remarked the
qlIietness Of the ship. In in a few
minutes stateroOm doors were filled
with pale faces and men and women
were engaged in a wild scramble TO
get 20 the decks.
"Omcers, partially dressed. were
running about the decks urging the
passengers TO be calm Others were
running 10 the boat decks TO get the
lifebOats or
Dark as Pitch.
cit was dark as pitch, and this
blackness was intensified by the fact
that the water soon got into the en-
gine room and stopped the dynamos,
cutting off the supply OF electric light.
As the lights, sickened out and died,
II added 10 the gloomy depresslvenesS.
From all parts Of the deck arose cries.
either men or women passengers call
the shtp shouting orders. The sea was
not running high, and yet the lash
OF the water as Ii rose higher and
higher on the hull made up a sound
that was extremely terrifying.
Through the fog we could mistily
make out the figure of the ship which
had run Us down. she was hmplng
badly and we did not know whether
she was going TO the bottom or not
This feeling of uncertainty and the
likelihood that our neighbOr might be
sinking with all on board aroused us
20 a still higher tension of excitement.
Both men and women dropped 10
their knees upon the decks. Some
prayed aloud. some buried their
faces IN their hands and sObbed with
a frenzy born OF desperation and
death"
one of the Finest ships.
The Empress Of Ireland was one Of
the finest vessels OF the Canadian Pa
cifc's service. she left Montreal yes
terday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock under
command OF Lieutenant Kendall for
Liverpool. England. carrying about
1900 persons.
The vessel proceeded up the st.
Lawrence at slow speed after leaving
Montreal. as the weather was thick
from both fog and the smoke OF forest
fires.
The liner stopped at Rimouski to
take on ma1L
When the ships came together the
sharp prov OF the collier rammed an
enormous hole in the hull OF the liner
into which the water poured furiously.
Among those on board the stricken
liner We're many prominent persons.
~ahled messages from London said
shat brokers expected the influence Of
the disaster To be reflected upon the
stock exchange II II proved true that
Influential nnanCiers VINO were pas
sengers on the shin. were drowned
Among the passengers was Sir
Henry Seton Karr OF London There
Fas also a large delegation of officers
81 the salvation Army on board.
Pilot Santerra. OF the steamer
Alsatan. who arrived in Quebec at
lO0n. said the weather was clear at 10
o'clock last night when the Alsatiau
and Empress passed In midstream
The Empress was ia charge OF
plot Adeiard Bernier. who went OF
tt Father Point. about an hour be- D
ore he collision