Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-05-11

London.-Twelve hundred persons
lost their lives, the British admiralty
estimates, when the Cunard line
steamship Lusitania was torpedoed off
Old Head, Kinsdale, on the Irish coast
So far as can be ascertained the sur
vivors number 4S7 passengers and 274
of the crew. Forty-five persons have
died from exposure or from injuries.
The Lusitania was steaming along
about ten miles off Old Head, Kins
dale, on the last leg of her voyage
to Liverpool, when about o'clock in
the afternoon a submarine suddenly
appeared, and, so far as all reports
go, fired two torpedoes without warn
ing at the steamer. One struck her
ner the bows and the other in the en-
gine room. The powerful agents of
destruction tore through the vessels
side, causing terrific explosions. AL
most Immediately great volumes Of
water poured through the openings
and the Lusitania listed.
Boats, which were already swung
out on the davits, were dropped over
board and were speedily filled with
passengers who had been appalled, by
the desperate attack.
A wireless call for help was sent
out and Immediately rescue boats of
all kinds were sent, both from the
neighboring points along the coast
and Queenstown.
Within Is minutes, as one survivor
estimated, and certainly within half
an hour, the Lusitania had disappear
ed.
Many Passengers Were at Lunch.
Many of the passengers were at
lunch when the great liner was shook
by jarring explosion from stem to
stern. This was followed by a still
greater shock and the great ocean
greyhound keeled sharply. Scores
were thrown from their feet. There
was crash as though the ships boil
ers had exploded and then the vessels
interior was filled with flying wreck
age, leaving scores of passengers
dead and wounded.
Y;jpa. the ship caught fire.
Before the seriousness of the affair
dawned even upon the officials Of the
ship, officers of the liner and seamen
hurried about the various cabins as
suring the passengers there was no
need for alarm. The work of launch
ing lifeboats from the undamaged side
of the vessel was then commenced.
Was Making 16 Knots.
At first it was not realized by many
that the ship had been torpedoed.
The liner was plowing along at the
rate of Is knots hourly through the
sea lane which British warships had
been especially watchful in keeping
free of invading divers.
The second explosion seemed to
break the back of the Lusitania. 1t
was said by persons fishing off Kin
sale that the bow of the vessel ap-
peared to rise high in the air and then
began to list.
The first vessel to reach the scene
was the Irish trawler Daniel O'Con-
nell. 1t picked up go survivors, mostly
women and children, who were sent to
the open sea first in the lifeboats. All
reached shore in deplorable condi.
tion, from fear and shaken nerves.
The O'Connell's crew reported the
sea was filled with wreckage.
The sea was black with bodies.
Some were floating incased in life
belts. Others were buoyed up by bits
of debris.
Many Of Survivors Injured.
Many of the survivors reached
shore suffering from injuries, and
several succumbed to their wounds.
Scores who were wounded when the
torpedo wrecked the giant liner were