Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-06
HESPERIAN SINKS, TWO
DIE FROM EXPOSURE

Continued from Page One
gers landed at Queenstown are reported
TO be unanimous in their declaration that
the Hesperian was attacked without
warning.
One passenger, c. s. Blue, Of Ottawa,
Can. member Of the Hansard Parlia-
nentary Corps, declared he heard the
cry: submarine on the starboard quar-
ter" Just before the steamship was
struck
9th RS said no submarine was sighted
that The Hesperian was plowing along
thrclgh the dusk and that in all probable
ity neither the periscope of a U-boat or
the Hash of an on-rushing torpedo would
have been visible.
The steamship was proceeding slowly to
Queenstown, conveyed by a iotilla of
remained aboard were taken off and
landed safely at Queenstown.
Among the survivors brought into
Queenstown great praise was given to
the officers and crew OF the steamer.
Their coolness precision and rapid work
were given the credit for the absence
OF loss of life among the passengers.
Immediately after she was struck Cap
tain Main sent out the s. o. s., and in
a remarkably short time several vessels
from the vicinity of Queenstown sur
rounded the Hesperian. while warships
hunted the submarine. The rescue ships
quickly picked up the passengers float
ing aSolt in the lifeboats.
Mrs. Clements, Of Toronto, who was
putting her children to bed when the
Hesperian, bound from Liverpool to Mon
treal was struck, told one Of the most
striking stories Of the catastrophe. She
said:
at already was dark, which perhaps
accounts for nobody seeing the torpedo
Most of the passengers were attending n
concert. / was In my cabin putting the
two children to bed, when I felt ter
rible shock
'As there have been so many similar
occurrences like this, I knew Immediately
we had oeen torpedoed. l grabbed up the
two children and hurried on deck.
ALREADY the work of lowering the
boats was going on. l saw a group of
women climbing into a boat, but there
was no room in that one for me.
LOWERED INTO BOATS.
'T was among the last TO get into a
boat. | and the children being lowered
into an already floating llfeboat, by ropes
around our waists.
There was very little excitement and
no hysteria. The quarterniaster was the
real hero OF the ship. He continually
went from group to group. assuring us
calmly that there was no danger and his
coolness cast a spell over us, making us
feel that we really were not in danger
When our boat cast Off, II was then
IL O'Clock, two hours and 40 minutes after
we were struck and by that time most ali
of the passengers had been picked up."
The two Americans included in the
crew are F. ]. Dallas, of Buffalo, and NJ.
McAllister. of Grand Rapids. Both were
landed yesterday, and told the Ameri-
can Consul they were the only Ameri-
cans on the ship.
THE steerage passengers had all gone
to bed" said Dallas, steerage steward.
Il was at my work when heard a tre-
mendous noise, and the ship trembled
from stem to stern. Immediately all the
women and children In the steerage ran
into the alleyways in their night cloth
ing, and We had a hard time calming
them
Three Of the lifeboats capsized while
being lowered and several passengers
were spilled into the water"