The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1914-06-05
SHIP CO.'S FIGHT
Captains in Marine Disaster in
Dispute Over Orders.
GOVERNMENT PROBE JUNE 9

ty Courts Likely to Spring From In
vestiqation-Each Steamship Com
pany in Empress of Ireland Disaster
Stands by Its Own Captain.
QUEBEC. = Captain Kendall OF
the Empress of Ireland asserts:
That he shouted to the Storstad to
keep full steam ahead, to fill the hole
in the Empress of Ireland's side, but
that the collier ignored the request.
That those who were saved were
saved by the Empress boats, and not
by the Storstad, with only few ex-
ceptiOns.
That he had stopped his ship and
given adequate signals when the col
lier was two miles away, but that the
latter vessel went ahead in the fog.
Captain Anderson of the collier
Storstad asserts:
That his course was set to pass the
Empress safely, but that the latter
ship changed it's course,
That the StOrStad'S engines were re-
versed when the crash occurred.
That the Storstad did not back
away, but that her engines were or
dered ahead, but that the Empress
twisted the Golfers bow out of the
cash.
That he did all he could to rescue
survivors and actually took $50 on
board his vessel.
MONTREAL. The bittereSt
fight in the history of admiralty courts
is likely to spring from the investiga-
ton of the ST. Lawrence disaster. AL
ready marine interests. navigators and
officials are at issue, one side charging
that Captain H. G.. Kendall of the En-
press was to blame, the other accus-
ing Captain Thomas Anderson of the
StOrstad Each commander almost I'M
qualifiedly places the responsibility
upon the shoulders of the other.
1t is evident that the Canadian Pa
cific railroad, owner of the Empress,
has determined to support Captain
Kendall and to make a fight for his
generation 1t is equally evident
that the Dominion Coal company, own
er of the collier Storstad, will stand
behind Captain Anderson and will re-
Sist any efforts to fasten the blame
UPON him.
Government Probe June 9.
MONTREAL, QUE. = The gov
eminent investigation of the sinking
of the Empress of Ireland will be held
i'll Montreal and will begin Tuesday,
June 9. This announcement is made
at the offices of the Canadian Pacific
Railway company. The investigation
will be conducted by board composed
of two judges of the Canadian ad
miralty, to be appointed by the domin-
ion government, and one representa-
tive of the British admiralty, appoint
ed by the imperial government.
The sharp point of an anchor pro-
jecting from the twisted bow of the
Norwegian collier Storstad may ex.
plain why that vessel did such terrible
execution when it rammed the En-
press of Ireland last Friday morning
IN the lower St. Lawrence. An exam
ination of the Golfers shattered plates
revealed the anchor damned in a posi-
ton where it could have ripped
through the hull of the Empress like
a great can opener. The anchor point
and portions of the battered steel sur
rounding it bore stains of blood.
Captain Was on Bridge.
Pilot Nault, who navigated the Stor-
stad up the st. Lawrence from Que.
tec, said that Captain Anderson told
him that Anderson, his first officer,
and Pilot Lechance, who brought the
Storstad from Father Point to Quebec.
were on the bridge at the time of the
collision.
Captain Anderson is deeply grieved
over the tragedy. Several times dur
ing the run from Quebec l came upon
him crying, with his face buried in his
hands. Anderson told me he had been
instructed not to talk about the acct
dent"
: QUEBEC. = The total number
of passengers on the Empress of Ire
land when she was struck by the Stor-
stadt, it is asserted here, was 1,467.
OF that number 465 survived, leaving
loop dead. About 100 passengers were
taken on at Rimouski and the names
and number of those passengers were
not in possession of the officials of the
company at Montreal at the time of
the sinking of the Empress.