Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-05-13
German Torpedoes Send
Big Steamship to the
Bottom Off Coast
of Ireland.
GOES DOWN IN Is MINUTES
Claim Made That Ship Carried Am
munition and Other Supplies
Passengers Warned of the
Disaster Before Sail
ing from New
York.

London, May 8.-The Cunard liner
Lusitania. which sailed out of New
York on May l, with more than 1000
souls aboard, lies at the bottom Of
the ocean off the Irish coast. 1t was
sunk by a German submarine, which
sent two torpedoes crashing into its
side at 2 O'Clock Friday afternoon.
How many of the Lusitania's pas
sengers and crew were rescued can
not be told at present, but the official
statements from the British admiral
" up to midnight accounted for not
more than 500 or 600.
A ships steward, who landed with
others at Queenstown, gave it as his
opinion that 800 persons were lost.
There were dead and wounded
among those brought ashore; some
since have died But not a name of
rescued or lost, of dead or injured
has yet been listed.
Disaster is Sudden.
The Lusitania was steaming along
about ten miles off Old Head Kinsale,
on the last leg of its voyage to Liv-
erpOol when a submarine suddenly
appeared, and, so far as all reports
go, fired two torpedoes without warn
ing at the steamer One struck it
near the bows, and the other in the
engine room. The powerful agents
of destruction tore through the yes
sells side, causing terrific explosions.
Almost Immediately great volumes of
water poured through the openings
and the ship listed.
Boats which were already swung
out on the davits, were dropped over
board and wer- speedily filled with
passengers, who had been appalled, by
the desperate attack. A wireless call
for help was sent out and Immediate
" rescue boats of all kinds were dis
patched from the neighboring points
along the coast and Queenstown.
Sank in IS Minutes.
But within fifteen minutes, as one
survivor estimated, and certainly
within half an hour, the Lusitania
had disappeared.
Where Great Britain's fastest mer-
chant vessel went down-Old Head
KinsaIe-is a landmark that has
brought JOY to many travellers, as it
always stood as the sign from shore
that the perils of the voyage across
the Atlantic were at an end. The
line, whose boast has been that it has
never lost a passenger in the Atlantic
service, has now lost the ship that
p lodged the lurking enemy off Nan
tucket light the day after the war
II
world by flying the stars and stripes.
America Gets News Early.
New York. May THE first news
of the torpedoing and sinking of the
Lusitania came shortly after 1 p. m
on Friday through an announcement
from the local offices of the Cunard
line, which stated that an uncon-
firmed rumor TO that effect has been
received from abroad. Less than an
hour later the company had made
public additional messages confirm
ing the report which, in the mean
time. however, had been verified by
newspaper dispatches from London
Warmed of Danger.
The Lusitania, with a total of
1851 passengers aboard, of whom
ISIS were Americans, and with a crew
of SIC, sailed from here last Satur-
day in the face of a warning pub
lished on the day of its departure by
the German embassy, which stated
that travellers intending to embark on
British ships did so at their risk of
the ships being destroyed in accord
anCe with the German zone decree.
This warning, published in the
form of an advertisement, did not
result in the cancellation of a single
passage, nor did anonymous notes of
warning. said to have been received
by some passengers Just before the
his liner loft its pier, deter any one
from sailing.
Destruction of Ship Planned.
Reports from Washington that it
was privately known in official quar-
tiers that the Lusitania was to be tor
pedOed at the first opportunity gave
color 30 the opinion expressed in
shipping circles Friday night that the
embassys warning was intended to
apply particularly to the Lusitania.
Travellers intending to embark on
the Atlantic voyage. % read the adver-
tisement, ARE reminded that a state
Of war exists between Germany and
her allies and Great Britain and her
allies; that the zone of war includes
the waters adjacent to the British
Isles; that, in accordance with formal
notice given by the imperial govern
ment. vessels flying the flag of Great
Britain or any of her allies are liable
10 destruction in these waters and
that travellers sailing in the war zone
One Trouble at a Time.
Never bear more than one kind OF