Norwich bulletin., 1914-05-30

Rimouski, Que, May 29.ztSinking in 90 feet of water within 15 minutes af- ter being rammed amidships in the up- per reaches of the St. Lawrence river early today, the Canadian Pacific liner Empress of Ireland carried down with her more than 300 of her passengers and crew. Of the 1867 persons on board the liner. only 433 are known to have been saved, making the probable death list 934
 Looming up through the river mists as the Empress of Ireland was lying to, waiting for the fog to lift or day to break. the Danish collier Storstad crashed bow on into the side of the big Canadian liner, striking her about mid way of her length and ripping her side open clear to the stern.
 Lives Lost in Sight of Shore
 The crash occurred not far from the shore off Father Point. 150 miles from Quebec. which the Empress of Ireland left yesterday afternoon, bound for Liverpool, and 10 miles from this polnt on the St. Lawrence, In reality, there- fore, although the liner was heading for the sea. and the collier coming in from it the disaster was not one of the ocean, but of the rivers. Unlike the Titanic victims, the Empress of lreland's lost their lives within sight of shore-in land-locked waters As soon as the ships crew recovered from the shock of the collision and it was seen that the liner had received vital blow, a wireless IS. o. S." call was sounded.
 Rescue Ships Respond Promptly.
 The hurried appeal was picked up by the government mail tender Lady Eve iyn here and the government pilot boat Eureka at Father Point, and both at once set out to the rescue So deep was the hurt of the Empress. however, and so fast the thrush of waters, that long before either of the rescue boats could reach the scene the liner had gone down. Only floating wreckage and a few Hfeboats and rafts from the steamer, buoying up less than a third of those who had set sail on her. were to be round. The rest had sunk with the liner, had been crushed to death in the Sto-Etad's s impact with her or had been forced from exhaustion and ex- rosure in the iee-chilled northern wa ters to lose their hold in bits of wreck age and drowned.
 Only few persons were picked up by tine Storstad, which was badly cr:p- pied herself by the collision, and these were brought here by the collier, to- sether with those saved by the Eureka and the Lady Evelyn. Twenty-two of the rescued died from injuries and ex- posture The others, most of whom had jumped into the boats or plunged into the water from the sinking liner, scantiiy clad, were freely given such clothing as the town could supply, and later those who were well able to travel were placed on board a train and started for Quebec, where they arrived tonight.
 Accounts agree that in the brief epace of time-not more than IA min utes-between the shock of the col- 1isi)n and the sinking of the liner there vas little chance for systematic mar shaling of the passengers Indeed, ev- -erything indicates that hundreds of those on the steamer probably never reached the decks. Very few women were among the saved not more than a dozen. the lists make it appear.
 It all happened so quickly that we did not really know what was going on. and nobody had time to cry sWom- en first one of the passengers told Captain Bellinger of the rescue boat Eureka
 No Time to Rouse People.
 .srhe stewards did not have time to rouse the people from their berths," tho survivor added "Thcse who heard the frenzied calls of the officers for the passengers to hurry on deck lost no time in obeying them. rushing up from their cabins in scanty attire. They piled into the boats. which were rapid iy lowered and were rowed away. Many who wanted to dress were drowned"
 Bciler Explosion Adds to Horror.
 The horror of the interval during wiiich1t the Empress cf Ireland was rap idly filling and the frightened throngs or board her were hurr%ing every eff fort to escape before she sank was added to by an explosion which quickly followed the collision. According to one of .he rescued, the explosion, prob- ably caused by the water reaching the boilers. bulged the liners sides and catapulted people from her decks out into the sea. The ships heavy list as the water pouring in weighted her on the side where she was struck and made ffle work Of lanrsching boats in- creasfnxly difficult from moment to moment and when she finally teok her plunge to the bettsm scores still left on her decks were carried down in the vortex, only . few. being able to clear her sides and find support on pfecss cf wreelxa9e
 csptain Bsrs HImssIf srarsly.
 From all accounts Captain H. G. Kendall, of the Empress of Ireland. bore himself like true sailor SC long as his ship stood under him He re- x6fnoA 016h colnnnond of th6 aituat10n w TT 11n 1fSn D14o