Omaha daily bee., 1918-02-25
STRUCK IN BLIZZARD.

} STRUCK IN BLIZZARD.
The steamer struck early this NOR.
ming while fighting her way through
a binding blizzard.
In few hours she had pounded
to pieces on the rocks and at dusk
her hull had settled under the batter
ing until she was almost submerged.
The bodies washed ashore include
those of Joseph Kean and Robert
Snow, passengers, and James Long,
a sailor.
Snow was one OF six commits
stoned officers of the Newfoundland
regiment who were proceeding to
Toronto to join the Royal Flying
corps.
MILLIoNAIREs DROWN.
OF the passengers SO were saloon
and n steerage.
Among the saloon passengers were.
John Shannon Mum, managing di-
rector of Bowring Bros. Con Ltd, OF
Liverpool and New York, owners OF
the steamer; Major Michael Sullivan.
commander of the Newfoundland for
estry battalion; Thomas Mcneil, prin-
cipal owner OF the McMurdo Drug
company of this city; Fred Smythe,
manager of the Newfoundland Wool
en- mills; William Butler, an architect
, and his wife, who were on their way
to Florida; William Earle, fish mer-
chant bound for Canada on business
trip; Edward Berteau, Robert Snow,
Norman Sellers, John Parsons, Ralph
Burnham and Alex Ledingham.
Soldiers on Board.
The last six named were cadets OF
the Newfoundland regiment who
were to have joined the Royal Flying
corps at Toronto.
Others on the passenger list wers
buyers, commercial travellers and a
number of women.
Accompanying Mr.. Mum were his
little daughter, 8 years of age, and
her nurse. They were on their way
to New York to join Mrs. Mum and
her father, Sir Edward Bowring, and
proceed to Florida with them.
The Florizel was a sister of the
steamer Stephanio, which was sunk
by German submarine U-53 off Nam
tucket, October 8, 1916.
Left St. John Saturday
1t had been continued in the
service between St. Johns and New
York, but since the United States
entered the war its movements had
not been given publicly.
The Florizel sailed from here at 8
o'clock last night with large NUM-
Der of passengers and a cargo which
included 10,500 barrels of dry cod
fish and herring for New York and
1900 barrels for Halifax, its only
port of call between St. Johns and
New York. The ship itself was val-
ued at ST, 100000.
A blizzard was brewing when it
left and it grew worse toward mid
night, but abated in the early morn
ing hours. Mariners here think it
probably put its head seaward to"
ward morning, its commander, think
the wind moderated somewhat to-
ward morning her commander, think
ing he had passed south of Cape
us
Sent Wireless Appeal
The ship struck in Broad Cove
about 5 o'clock. 1t sent one wireless
message of distress, which was re-
ceived at the Cape Race radio sta
ton, saying that it was aground and
in imminent danger of destruction.
Its apparatus worked haltingly and
soon was silent.
Nothing further was heard from it,
and as the cove is in remote and
sparsely settled district, it was not
until late in the forenoon that a res
cue party reached the scene. They
discovered the Florizel lying wei, in
shore and subjected to a merciless
pounding by heavy seas.
Some boats could not live in the
surf, and efforts to escape from tho
ship were hopeless. In the absencs
of life saving equipment, no assist.
ance could be given from shore.
Lashed to Rigging
Men could be seen on the bridges
signalling for help and some had
lashed themselves to the rigging.
Gradually under the buffeting, the
hull disappeared from view and after
few hours the vessel was almost
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