Daily British Whig (1850), 1 Jun 1914, p. 9

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. They Are All Stunned By the} Shock INTHE ICY WATERS OF THE GULF. Saurence Irving, the Great Actor and His Wife Went Down to Death Clasped In Each Other's Arms. Montreal, June 1.--A gentle bump and silence, a slow heeling of the deck, a rushing up a perpendicularly sloping stairs, a vain attempt to Yhunch lifeboats, then an explosion, a rushing in of foaming, icy water, and fitteeh hundred human beings struggling Mee-a, school of minnows; finally, swimming with arms numb- ed, being hauled into boats. and. set to thaw before their boiler fires. Through it all, little panic, little noise, everything quiet and unearth- ly, as in a hideous dream. Phat 4s ihe story of the sinking of 5 rush of steam. the Empress of Ireland, told by the half-clad, haggard, disheveled band of survivors who reached Montreal Saturday on their way to Toronto and the west. Almost all were mem- bers of the Salvation Army. Thir- teen are from Toronto. They séemed stunned by the shock into a strained silence. Dully, al- most mechanically, as if they exhapsted all capacity for either wonder or horror, they described their experiences. Without altering a tone they told of seeing Commis- sioner Rees walk back into his cabin and never being seen again, of "Teddy" Gray, mugician, humorist, aud staff artist of the Star, rubbing his eyes in his berth, and never being seen again, With the unconcern with which a week ago they would have described meeting on the street they told of being carried far below the surface by the suction of the sinking ship, of a close-packed strug- gle in the ley water, of men and women sinking without a sound or lying in the boats blue with exposure or rigid in death. fourth engineer » "Asta, Walter third @lectrician, and James Raskin and Albert Smith, part of the engine room shift on; the same boat, were op their wiy me to England as second cabin passeng- ers Briard was awakened by aglight crash. When ' he stepped into the hallway he found himself ankle deep in water. Their cabin was some- where amidships on the lowest deck, near the point where the Empress was hit, and it did not take the sea long to reach that part of the boat. "The ship had a list of at least thirty-five degrees," said Briard, "and we had no time for life-belts. My cabin mates got out with what they stood up in, but Scott went back for more clothing. That was the last we saw of Scott. ' When we got to the deck we found very few people there and no women. There was no panic, because it had happened in such a hurry that nobody had time to think of it. Five minutes after the ship was struck the lights. went out. Most of the people were drowned in their berths. "The crash was not hard enough to wake them up. Nobody seemed (0 be giving any order in particular, and it was very much a case of help.your- self. 1 think things were smartly done under the circumstances. "Practically all the people who got to the top déck were saved, although many were killed when the collap- sible boats slid down from the high side of the lines to the low side, crushing them agalnst the rail. The lifeboats were afloat before I arriv- ed on the scene. When I saw that {Matt WasZJust Harryng The Thing Along had | took the plunge from the low side and swam for the lifeboats and was taken aboard. "Rankin, who is a strong man in the water, swam from the Empress to the collier. Smith, who can't swim at all, clung to the arm of a steam wigeh which hung out over the sea, and when a lifeboat passed his way dropped into the water and gripped its gunwale. Three cut of four eabin mates saved, that's not bad. And Scott might have been sayed,too, if he hadn't gone baok to his cabin." Being asked his opinion as an engineér, Briard said that it did not make much difference whether the bulkheads were closed or not, as the blow the Empress received was of such a nature that transverse bulk- heads were useless. Only lopgtitud-~ inal bulkheads would have saved her, and the Empress, not being a ship of the admiralty type, was not built that way. the ship was a goner I Briard had a good view of the Empress going down. The big liner d'd net go down by the bow or by the stern. "There was a arent clatter," said, 'as her iron sides shifted, he and It was then that the Empress rolled over on her side and quickly disappeared. Crew Took Life Belts Quebée, June '1.--"When the boat commenced to slide over I looked for a life preserver, but found that the members of the crew had taken every one of them from the promen- ade deck for themselves. So I went back to my cabin and took the life preserver from there. The majority of the passengers did not seem to know thgt there were life preservers in their cabins, and although they were easily accessable, they were pot conspicuous, and many could not find them in the confusion, although they looked." Lionel Kent, of Montreal, gave this explanation as to why so maay of the crew were saved. ' "They took the life-belts that were handy and left the passengers to find their own, there were plenty on the ship, but people did not know where they were, the time was too short for them to be told. I was in cabin 41, which was aft on the promenade deck, and my travelling companion was Mr. Gosselin. He woke me about an hour after I had retired, and told me there had been a ol, lision. 1 did not feel it at all, I went on deck at once in my night attire, and my bath robe and I saw the two hoats just drifting apart. At that. time there were no lights on the deck awd very few people were about but they soon began to pour up on deck. I remained on the port side of the boat as the list continued, un til the starboard side was under wa- ter, then I jumped intp the water with many other people and was picked up ten minutes later, by one of the lifeboats, those. ip her Jaber. ing about thirty, were mostlk rir bers of the crew, with four or five women. "The boats on the port side of the liner could not be launched because, owing to the list of the ship, they swung inward on the davith instead of out over the sea. The only boats that ata be launched were those on starboard side, 'and they got ff six of these, I think a good many People were injured by the sliding of the port lifeboat when it was releas- ed, for it slid along the deck to the starboard side and crushed many people against the railings. I think they did marvellously well consider- ing the short time they had to work in. They could not get a foothold on the deck, and there was very little confusion under. the circumstances.' Reunited With Daughter Montreal, June 1.-----To dive into water with her husband and daugh- ter, and to be séparated from them, and to afterwards meet her daughter alone on the deck of the Eureka, was the experience of Mrs. H. R. O'Hara, of Toronto. Mr. O'Hara at first re- ported saved, was apparently lost. Telling ber story, Mrs. O'Hara, who arrived here Saturday from Ri- mouski, says that her husband, her daughter and herself'made their way on deck when the alarm was-given that the Empress was sinking. Mr. O'Hara thought that the ship could not hold up long, and there seemed no chance to get into sthe lifeboats. He told his wife and daughter who are both good swimmers like himself, to jump into the sea and keep afloat mmtil the Storstadt picked them up. The three went over the side and at first kept together, Mr. O'Hara supporting his daughter. In the darkness they became separated and terwards Mrs. O'Hara was picked by a boat and taken fo the rescue ship Eureka. There she was met by her daugh- ter, who had also kept herself afloat. "The girl did not know what had happened to her father. How the Empress Sank Montreal, June 1.--'1 was among the crowd on deck when she sank," said 'Peter Rusk at the Bonaventure Station, "and a horriblé scene it was, one that 1 shall never forget. We were clinging to everything on which we could lay our hands, and even then with peactically no light, and A waves washing over the decks which seemed as steep as the wall of a house, many let go their holds and slipped into the water. 1 believe it was the best thing they could have done, for it was a mervellous thing that any one who was on the Ship when she sank came out alive at ATH TAs she gayeened over, there was! a crash, and a lot of the rigging and paft of one of the masts fell into the water 'with a splash, sending many of the passengers to their doom. *"] had managed to cling on ex- peeting as fhe ship had righted her- self a little after the fall of wreck- age that she would stay afloat awhile. "Then . with a horrible lumeh she sank like a stone, and in a second I felt myself in a whirlpool, buffeted by bodies, living and dead, by wreck- age and by the waves. Twice I was dragged down, and all the time spars andl heavy pieces of timber seemed to be grinding me to fragments. It seemed to go on for hours, but at last I found myself with my arms wrapped around a piece of floating wood. J never remember grasping it, and with frightful pains all down my left side." ---- Adopts Child of the Sea Quebec, June 1.--Robert Crellin, a miner from Silverton, B.C., finds himself, though an unmarried man, the foster-father of an eight-year old rl as the result of the tragedy. fie aired the child from the sea and claims her by that right. He shall never leave that little girl again, says this modest hero. Crellin, who was on his way home to Cumberland, .England, his first visit in fifteen years, shared a cabin on the lower deck with, William Barry, another Cumberland man, a workmate of his, also from Silverton Across the alleyway was a mutual friend, Mrs. Barbour, and her two little daughters, Florence, aged eight, and Evelyn, aged three. Mrs. Barbour, whose husband had been killed in an accident twelve months ago, was on her way to her people in Cumberland, and she also came from Silverton. @he little Silverton colony of Cum- berland people stuck together to the last minute. It took death to divide them. Creelin and the eight-year-old $irl were saved! Cablegrams of Condolence Toronto, June 1.--His royal high- ness the governor-general has receiv- ad numerous cablegrams of condol- ence and sympathy with the people of Canada on the awful news as to the sinking of the Empress of Ire- land. In addition to the message from his majesty the king, cable- rams have heen received from the secretary of state for the colonies, the administrator of Newfoundland, the British embassy at Washington, and the first sea lord of the admir- alty. In view of the Empress disaster their royal highnesses cancelled their -y ng Ada SEAMAN'S DRILL BEFORE ILL- An an a spn Ml nm, visit to the Woodbine races on Fri day and Saturday. How Lawrence Iriving Died Quebec, June .1.--Lawrence Iriv- ing, the actor, son of the late Sir Henry Irving, died trying to save his wife ¥. E. Abbott, of Toronto, last man to see Irving alive. "I met him first in the passage way," he said, and he said calmly 'Is the bpat going down cfd it looked like it. < 'Dearie,' Irving then said to his wife, "hurry; there is no time to lose.' Mrs. Irving began to ery, the actor reached for a life-belt, boat suddenly durched forward, and he was thrown against the door_of his cabin. 'His face was bloody, and Mrs. Irving became frantic. "Keep cool!" he warned her, but she persisted in holding her arms around him. He forced the lifebelt over her and pushed her out of the door. He thei practically, carried her up- stairs: Abbott said: "Can I help you?" and Irving said: "Look after your- self first, old man, but God bless you all the same!" Abbott left the two man and wife, struggling. Abbott got on deck, and dived overboard. He caught hold ol a piece of timber, and, holding on tight, he looked round. Irving by this time was on the deck. He was kissing his wife. And a8 the ship went down they were both tlapsed in each other's arms. was the and, as FE Wlasions Occurred | Quebec, June 1.--Philip Lawlor, of Brantford, Ont., who lost his wife in the wreck; says there was a fog at the time of the aceident, and that after the collision the water rushed into the hoje, causing explosions which pushed many inte thé sea. Lawlor was on his way to England with his wife and son Herbert, aged fifteen. He says that the first notion he had of the accident was when the ship listed under a severe shpck. Watér-fushed into the steerage quar- ters, and a few seconds later there was a tremendous explosion that shook the vessel, probably, he thinks, when the water reached the boilers. '""The shock of the explosion. was something fearful," sags Mr: Lawlor. "People were simply ot out of the ship into the sea. I was pushed over- board with my wifé and boy. The boy hf Some 80 I took care of my wife, bu my grip and sank." Quebec Shed A Morgue. Quebec; You A BIT, JEFF IM NOT SORE AT tN FACT I HAVENT A THING (IN YW THE WORLD AGAINST pert mse tone TOU Know PUNCH You EVERY DAY I HAve A FINISH To THE PICTURE To IN THE Eve FoR SO = the | June 1.-- Preparations are! - W --_-- (a) Lifeboat Drill. i | | | somehow she slipped from -- |e, | course of the next few days it is ex- FATED EMPRESS LEAVES DOCK. (hb) Fire Drill. being made for the reception of the hundreds of bodies which in the pected will be brought the neighborhood of Father Point. Shed No. 27 has been here from the disaster at on the lower harbor draped most impressively with black and purple bunting, and here the bodies will lay pending in- tructions received from relatives of those who perished Here it is ex- pected the heart-rending scenes that accompany the identification of lov-; ed ones will be seen A COW Tes ently walked into a vil- lage bank wanted her in Ohio. She probably milk certified from the Pacific skipped to the Atlantic worst possible condition. At the finish Raker stated: could have stood | ) | 1 I THOUGHT LL MIGHT AS YOu IN THE FIRST PCTruRsE AND GEY WELL S_ am IT OVER WITH Baker's route included a 1,027-mile desert stretéh of sand and eactus--ithe negotiation of stupendous mountain tralin--and dashes through roads in thelr "I could not have possibly. eut the coast-to-coast record practically in kaif if 1 had not had under me the superb mechanical equipment of. the Indian. "Hy reason of the Cradle Spring frame absorh- ing, all rond. shocks and vibrations, my endurance was trebled, and | wis flse enabled to make speed over rough surfaces that wo rigid-frume machine "And w hen | came to Jack Canon pass, Arizona, Caught in the Act Yes! Caught, with the goods--a' box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes. But it would be a shame to scold them when they like it so well, and it'sso good for them. a | The Most Wonderful Record Breaking Achievement By Any -Motar - Driven Vehicle in the - World Erwin G. Baker arrivéd in New York City at midnight, May 14, breaking all. previous coast-to-coast records. He left San Diego, California, May 3rd at noon, Eastern time, and reached New York 11 days, 12 hours and 10 minutes afterwards, covering a total distance of 3,378 miles Baker rode a 1914 7-H.P. Twin Two-Speed Electrically 'Equipped Indian Motocycle WITH CRADLE SPRING FRAME He had no mechanical dificulties whatever--aund his motor the Two-Speed gave an exhibition that Surptised even an old metoreyelint like myself. y Speed took me up u rise of 7,000 feet in § miles without a minute's hesitation or trouble, This was the supreme test of the Two-Speed--and how it dla rome neross! «1 consider this ride the - reme teat: of the Indian Electric System. I arel New York with the original electric PAUerien, Aud huibs In thelr pockets, burning brightly. "1 especially want to emphasize 1 that the Indian 1 used was sn:stork machine 'wh 1 mever rode antil 2 hours before 1 started 'on ee raw. Haker's ride was made under the official Sutpioes A. M,, which cherked nnd verified 1 motorcycle record ute. never The previous (rausco was 20 days, UV hours Do you wonder at the boys all wanting Indians when they do stunts like this? Treadgold Sporting Goods Can supply exact duplicates of this machine. Wrap By "IT HOPE You SEE THIS THING THE RIGHT [WTAE JE a do _ y i WTA el A

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