New Britain Herald Newspaper, May 29, 1914, Page 1

Y | HERALD BEST OF ALL 'LOCAL NEWSPAPERS NEW BRITAIN HERALD HERALD “ADS” MEA BETTER -BUSINES PRICE THREE CENTS. NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, FRIDAY, MAY 29, 1914 —TWELVE PAGES. ESTABLISHELD 1876 ‘Canadian Pacific Steamer Sinks; Probably One Thousand Lives Los Empress of Ireland Cut Wide Open by Collier Storstad in Gulf ¢ St. Lawrence Early This Morning During Very Dense Fog -_ Rimouski, Que., May 29.—The twin screw Canadian Pacific liner Empress of Ireland, ~arrving ~1,437 person: passengers and crew. sank in « darkness before dawn today in the St. Lawrence river near here, with a loss of perhaps more than one thousand and surely not less than 700 lives. Early estimates of the dead varied from 678 (o more than 1,100. Dispatches from various quarters throughout the forenoon were con- flicting, some saying all the passen- gers were believed to have been saved. The vessel, hound from Quebec for Liverpool, with 75 first, 206 second and 504 third class passengers, was cut wide open by the collier Stor- stad, and utes in nineteen fathoms of water. € f those <aved the majority appeared to be members of the crew or from the steerage. Many were badly in- dured and twenty-two died after be- ing picked ap. The crash cccurred about 2 o'clock this morning off Futher Point, Que., a village Lrovght into prominence when Dr. C:ippen. the London mur- derer, was caught. The collier, bound for Quebec, struck the Em- press of Irc'and on the port side about the muddle of the ship. She literally tore her way back almost to the lner's screws, leaving a rent through which the water poured i such a deluye that she sank beford many of tho passengers were aware of what had happenea. Wireless Calls Heard. Brief wireless calls for help sent out by the Marco operator were heard by the pilot boat Eureka here, tén miles from the scene, and the Bureka, followed by the Lady mw-' _lyn, a mail tender, put on forced steam and made all speed for the spot. It was these two boats that found afloat what few life-boats were launched fr, mthe stricken ship and picked up the surv'vors they contain- ed. Three hundred and thirty-nine were saved by the Lady Evelyn and sixty by the Burcka. Among those saved was Captain H. G. Kendall of the Empress. Most of the first class passengers apparently perish-d. In the pa tial list of survivors avail- wble to 1 ¢’clock tnis afternoon thore appeared the name of only one sa- loon passenger, that of G. W. G. Hen- derson, add-ess nct given. Among those in the “rt cabin were Sir Henry Seton Karr, a noted English lawyer and big gamo hunter, and Laurence Irving, son of the late Sir Henry Ir- ving and his wifc, Mabel Hackney. Of a party of 140 Salvation Army members on board, only twenty were rescued. They had left Quebec yes- terday bound for the army’s interna. tional conference In London. The water that poured into the #hip’s 'engine room caused an ex. Fplosion and this forced many to jump Ernest Hayes an assistant purser told of leaping from the upper promenane deck. He climbed into No. 3 life boat. The boat maneuvered about the wreck for a time and found Captain Kendall clinging to a piéce of wreck- age. He had jumped just before the Fmpress went down. W. Davis of Montreal one of the few survivors able to talk coherently after first landing said he and his wife had not been awakened by the impact of the collision and knew nothing of the accident until water began to rush into the stateroom. He helped. his wife to the boat deck but the big ship had already listed and it was Impos- sible to launch a boat. Together they crawled on their hands and. knees up the sloping deck of the liner. The vessel was rapidly sinking. His wife was swept from his grasp. Both were carried by the suction into the river, They clugg to a plece of wood and were resctied. The wife was uncon- scious, J. W. Longley a rancher at Canford, B. C., calmly sat on the deck rail and went down with the sinking ship, He held his breath, came up, grabbed the side of a life boat, held to it and was rescued by the Eureka. ‘William Measures, a Salvation Army man, crept along the rail of the promenade deck and stepped in the water. He swam to a life boat and was rescued. So quickly did the BEmpress sink that those passengers fortunate enough fo get into the life boats found themselves garbed only in thelr sank within twenty min- night clothes. No baggage was saved. | The condition of the survivors was | pitiable. Some had broken arms and legs, and' all had suffered terribly. L. | E. Gossetin, a prominent lawyer from | Montreal, saved himself by clinging to a raft. When the rescue ships (docked here, the station platform | was converted into a hospital and !the townspeople, bringing food and | clothing, united in a common effort to ald the sufferers. Twelve bodies witn | faces covered lay side by side on the wharf. They made the life boats only to be fatally, hurt. Gulf of St, Lawrence Strewn With Wreckage Wreckage strews the St. Lawrence .for many hundred yards near the spot i where the Empress sank. The sun shone brightly during the forenoon and though the water is still icy, the temperature today was not low enough to increase the suffering ot {the survivors. The vast majority of the were members of the ship's crew. Barly estimates here indicated that not more than sixty passengers were saved. Besides Captain Kendall, the ‘flrs( and second engineers and the ship’s surgeons were rescued. The captain was too overcome to give JMiXst-any extended account of the dls- aster. He had sent a wireless to his 1ine after the vessel was struck, say- (ing “ship gone.” The residents of Rimousk!, num- !bering only 3,000, came silently to the dock where the dead and ex- i hausted living were being landed and, | under the direction of the mayor, H. R. Fiset, gave aid wherever possible. Tvery doctor in the town was on the scene, and many of the injured were taken to private homes. From cedar (chests and closets the townsfolk | brought garments of all descriptions {for those who had lost their belong- ings. Two headquarters were estab- | lished—at the wharf and at the sta- |tion of the Intercolonial rallway. At the station those injured and not removed to homes were cared for. saved Scene Was Similar to Titanic Disaster | The rescue hoats Fureka and Lady { Evelyn, found on reaching the point where the Empress had sunk, a scene not dissimilar to taht which greeted the liners which rushed to the Ti- tanic’s aid. ‘They found the ship sunk, and the surface of the water, fortunately calm, dotted with life boats and littered with floating debris. In the ilfe boat were huddled the survivors, dazed and moaning, some of them dying of injuries sustained in the rush of leaving the sinking steamer. Few could give anything but incoherent, almost hysterical ac- ccunts of what had happened. J. L. Black and Mrs. Black of Ottawa, said they had Jjumped together into the riv They had been roused by the shock of the collision and unable to get into a life boat, had made the leap. They were picked up by a boat from the Lady Evelyn. Another ser- Quebec, First reports had it that the collier Stortsad had also sunk. These proved to be Incorrect. Though her bow was badly damaged the Storstad was able to keep afloat. Some reports said she had aboard 360 survivors. This, it true, would reduce the death list ma- terially—from more than a thousand to less than seven hundred. Among the survivors here thirty-four were from the Empress’ second cabin. The Empress of Ireland was valued at $2,000,000 and with her cargo, valued at $250,000 was fully Insured. At low tide today the tops of her funnels could be seen. She is lying in the channel. It is thought by navigators here that it may be pos- sible to raise her. At present the wreck is a menace to navigation, Capt, Kendéirg;ved After Ship Foundered The Marconi compan operator here gives the following account of the collision of the steamer Empress of Ireland and the collier Storstad: “The Empress of Ireland was rummed this morning at 1:45 by the at | vivor was Mrs. Patten of Sherbrouke, Storstad twenty miles out from Father Point. The Empress sank within ten teinutes. The S. O. S. signal sent out was received at Father Point and the government steamers Eureka and Lady Evelyn were despatched to the dis- tressed vessels’ assistance. The Em- press of Ireland listed and was un- able to get many of the boats out. “Captain Kendall was saved, being picked up on some wreckage by No. 3 lifeboat, thirty minutes after his ship had foundered. Both wireless op- erators, assistant pursers, chief en- gineers and chief steward were saved. The chief officer and purser are among the missing.” Danfort, the Marconi operator of the Eureka, reports the following in- complete list of survivors at Rimous ki R. H. Perkinson, bedroom steward; W. Rowan, steward: Alex Dudley, | Cooms, pantryman; A. Reginald, Moreland, White, Grey, James Wil- liams, assistant steward: E, Foster, A. Elliott, baker; A, C. Ferguson, S. R. Simon, Nostal, Doeliz, Speddon, No- vek, A. W. Gaade, chief engineer; S. sampson Swan, tenth engineer; T. Bradwick, sailor; N, Murphy, T. Be- rah, reported quartermaster; Duck- worth, electrician; J. Sallo, Sapete, Donovan, A. Williams, H. Clarkson, T. Hanon, Charles Clarke, K. Laski, Savein, King, Scott, Haes, assistant purser. Only one woman, Mrs. Simon, is among those picked up by the Eureka. The greater number are members of the crew and third class passengers. | Pathetic Scenes at Offices of Company Liverpool, May 29.—Crowds gath- cred today at the offices of the Cana- Glan Pacific company awalting infor- mation concerning the fate of the pas- sengers and crew of the steamer Em- rress of Ireland.. Many of the seamen and firemen of the vessel gelonged to Liverpool, and Jathetic scenes were witnessed when their wives and children turned away with the information that no names of survivors had vet come through. First News Came From Father Point news of shortly Quebec, May 29.—First the disaster reached Quebtc before three o'clock this morn- ing. It came from the Marconi station at Father Point to the Marine department agent here and announced that the Empress of Ireland had col- lided with an unknown ship thirty miles east of Father Point and was sinking. Tha Marconi station had heard the “S. O. S.” signals of dis- tress and reported that the Canadian government steamer Eureka and the mail tender Evelyn, which were at Father Point had been dispatched to the rescue. The wireless people re- ported that they had been in com- munication with the Empress of Irc- land but a short time when the mes- sages suddenly ceased. This led io fears that the steamer had sunk and this afterward proved true. Nearly an hour after the first mes- sages were received Father Point re- ported that it was the Hannover, of the North German Lloyd Line, which had been in the collision with the Iimpress of Ireland and that probably both steamers had been lost. This added gravely to the disaster as the Hannover was known to have over 1,300 immigrants aboard bound from totterdam for this port. The report about the Hannover, however, fortunately proved to be an error and Father Point announced that he had learnea that it the collier Storstad that collided with the Empress of Ireland and that both vessels had gone down soon after the collision. At six o’clock this morning reports that survivors were being landed at | Ramouski were received here. It was stated that the Eureka and the Lady Evelyn had landed 350 persons, but jthat more than 800 were still miss- |ing and were probably drowned. | Official News Comes From Capt. Kendall J Montreal, May 29.—The first ..m.l cial account of the disaster to the Empress of Ireland came from Capt. Kendall, who sent a wireless message early today to Capt. Walsh, marine superintendent of the Canadian Pa- cific here as follows: “Empress of Treland stopped by dense fog. Struck amidships in vital spot by Collier Storstad.” Capt. Kendall won renown as the man who first detected Crippen, the murderer, on the steamship Mont- fort. Captain Kendall in conveying the intelligence to Captain Walsh that the Empress had gone down, sald “Ship gone.” A special train was despatchea from here at 8:30 to Father Point to bring back the survivors. The Empress of Ireland was a twin screw vessel of 14,191 tons. She was built in Glasgow in 1906 by the Fairfield company, Ltd., and owned by the Canadian Pacific Raii- way company. She carried a full wireless equipment. The Storstad registers 6,028 tons. She was buiflt by the Armstrons Whiteworth company at Newcastle, In 1911 and her owners are Dampsk, Aktieselk Maritime, of Christiania, Norway. She is a single screw vessel and is loaded with coal. She carries a crew of fifty men. " The Empress of Britain, sister ship of the vessel sunk today, two years ago rammed and sank the colller Helvetia In almost the same spot that the collision took place today. The Empress of Treland had crew of 6560 officers and men, makin, with the passengers, a total of 1,437 on board. a 360 Survivors Reported Aboard Collier Ttorstad A message received here by the Canadian Pacific offices from Rimou- ski said that “All the passengers had been picked up by the boats of the Lady Evelyn and Eureka.” A similar message was received by La- Patrie, a French newspaper from a Rimouski correspondent. He said that four hundred survivors had been landed and that the Lady Evelyn and FEureka were going back to pick up the remainder of the passengers.who were In boats. The foregoing information does not agree with previous dispatches in the matter of loss of life. From the word- ing of the Canadian Pacific message it could not be determined whether “All the passengers’ meant all those on board the Empress of Ireland or sim- ply all those who were able to make the life boats. The collier Storstad has 360 sur- vivors from the Empress of Ireland on board, according to an announce- ment made by the government signal service. ~ With approximately 400 landed at Rimouski, this'accounts for 760 souls aboard the Empress, leav- ing 677 unaccounted for at 10 o’clock this morning. The text of the message by La o from Rimouski reads: “Lady Evelyn and Kureka docked at Rimouski with four hundred passen- gers. Captains both reported that all the passengers were saved in the life- boats of the Lady velyn, Iureka, and Empress of Ireland. As soon as passengers are disembarked, both steamers will leave for the scene of the wreck to plck up other passen- gers.” Arrangements have been made by the Canadian Pacific Rallway with the Allan Line to send the survivors to Liverpool on the Alsatian, which arrived at Quebec today. The story published this morning by La Patrie indicating that all the passengers of the Empress of Ire- land had been saved has not been substantiated. The estimates of total loss of life range from 678 to over 1,000. Among the 350 persons reported rescued are twelve women. Twenty-two of the from their injuries shore. received rescued diea after reaching WEATHER. Hartford, May 20.—Fair to- night. Saturday becoming unsettled. Warmer. Message Expresses Belief Passengers Were Saved St. John, N. B, May 29.—A mes- sage received by the local passenger department of the Canadian Pacific railway, supposedly from expresses the belief that all the pas- sengers on the Empress of Irelana have been saved. Deny Report Collier Storstad Had S nk Father Point, Quebec, May The collier Storstad, which with the Empress of was in | collision Ire- land did not sink as Early today she was proceeding slow- ly toward Quebec under her own steam with her bow badly driven in. It is understood that she has on board a few survivors from the Em- press of Ireland. The Empress sank in nineteen fathoms of water, was reported. Reports Show 3;7 Saved By Lady Evelyn New York, May 29 —<Fenks, Gwynne and Co., New York stock brokers, received this message from their offices at Quebec at 10 o'clock: “Latest reports show 337 saved from | Empress of Ireland, including Cap- tain Kendall picked up among wreck- age along with two Marconi operators by the Lady Evelyn. Twelve women were among those saved. Twenty-two died on reaching Father Point. Steam- er Storstad is still at Father Point.” Burns Desires to Be Kept Informed London, May 29.—John Burns, pres- ident of the government board, today twice visited the Canadian Pacific rall- vay offices to obtain the latest news about the disaster to the Empress of Ireland and requested to be kept fully informed. A constant stream of anxious callers, including many members of the Salva- tion Army, also went to the offices of the company. The flags on the shipping offices in London were half masted on receipt of the news of the disaster to the Empress of Ireland. The insurance held at Lloyds on the Hmpress of Ireland amounts to $2,900,000. When the first news of the dent arrived a considerable amount of re-insurance was effected at 47 1-1 per cent. acel- Delegates of Salvation Army #ere Aboard Winnipeg, Man., May 29.—The Sal- vation Army delegates to the London world’s convention who were booked ¢n the Empress of Ireland follow: Commissioner and Mrs, Rees, Tor- onto: Field Secretary Colonel Daskin and wife: Field retary Colonel Maidment and wife: Adjutant Beck- sted of Grace hospital, Winnipeg: Brigadier Scott Potter, financial sec- retary, Toronto; Brigadier Walker, editor of the Canadian War Cry, Tor- onto; Major and Mrs. David Criegh- ton of the immigration department; Major and Mrs. Findlay, Winnipeg: Major and Mrs. Howell, manager printing department, Toronto; Major 7'urtin, manager trade department, Toronto; Major Frank Morris, di- visional commander of the London de- partment, London division: Staff Cap- | tain Arthur Morris, Toronto: Staft Captain McAmmond, Winnipeg: Staff Captain Hayes, commanding officer of Temple corps, Toronto; Staff Captain ! Goodwin, commanding officer, Ottawa; Adjutant Br matron, Hamilton Home, Hamilton; Adjutant men's soclal department, Ensign Jones, Calgary ) 8ign Peacock, Calgary; Ensign Knud- son; Captain Ruth Rees, daughter of Commissioner and Mrs. Rees. Staff band. composed of officers (Continued on Eleventh Page.) Rimouski, | |HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS | TENDER RESIGNATIONS Four Instructors Notify Su- perintendent Holmes That They Will Leave. Four teachers on the High school faculty, Brigham, Miss Hazel Helen Lamprey and Miss E. Amelia Reldel, have tendered their resigna- tions to Superintendent of Schools Stanley H. Holmes, all to take effect at the close of this school year. Of the quartet, Miss Brigham is the oldest member. of the faculty, | Judging from a point of service. She came to the school at the beginning ! of the year 1906. For the greater part she has taught history since that time, and has become very popular, not only with her pupils but with their parents and the alumni at large. All will regret her decision to leave the school, Miss Brigham could not be reached this afternoon and it is not known just where she will teach next year. Her home is in Hartford. She graduate of Wesleyan college. Miss Buckey has had charge of the stenography and typewriting depart- { ments since the middle of the season 1912-13, when she came here to suc- ceed Miss Dorothy Harding. Her home is in Rockville. Both Miss Lamprey and Miss Reidel have decided to quit teaching, as they are to enter into the bonds of matri mony before long. Miss Lamprey has been at the High school for but cne year, but has made wonderful progress as a teacher of first year algebra and history. Miss Reidel en- rolled under Principal Winfred C. Akers at the beginning of the school year of 1912-13. With the resignation of Miss Cath- erine Wilbur, which was received a few weeks ago, the High school loses five capable instructors. Principal Slade has already begun to look up competent teachers to succeed them, but as yet only one position has been filled. Miss Clara D. Frost of the Grammar school has been engaged to take the place of Miss Flora Smith, teacher of English for afternoon classes, who has been chosen to suc- ceed Miss Wilbur in the morning classes. Miss Millie G. McCauley, who came to the High school last year from the Central Gramar school, will take charge of Miss Brigham's work next vear, says Principal Slade, so the new history "teacher will take Miss Mc- Cauley's place rather than Miss Brig- ,ham’s. Other superintendent New Miss Buck Britain Alice Miss resignatjons, received by the of schools, were from Eva Miss Miss Lella Wiggin and Miss Lind of the Grammar school; Eleanor Bodley, domestic science instructér; Miss Doris Dixon of the East street school; Miss Elizabeth Brady of the Smalley school; Miss Doris Carney of the Buritt school and Miss Catherine Helm of the Lincoln school. All will take effect at the is a | CABINET DISCUSSES MEDIATORS' WA "Piang for Mex co's Pac fication tically Agreed. Upon at Niag CARRANZA SENDS (OMMBNGA May Plang pacifieation practi] Niagara cof discussion 4 Washington Mexico's agreed upon at the ence were up for in the cabinet With that the international phase o question .promised A satisfacory tion, Interest grew today inth titude that Carranza might taki was reported he had sent his | resentatives here with an anno ment of his rosition toward the of the Niagara conference. | constitutionalist agents, however, clined to discuss it Further information on the re) ed landing of war cargoes at P Mexico gby the Hamburg-Amel steamers Bavaria and Ypiranga expected from Rear Admiral Doubt over whether the steame tuaily had delivered as.munition Huerta was cast by a statement the navy department that' repol the landings had not been ve The affair appeared to . cause uneasiness, and in some quarte was Indicated that the incident or less was to b~ regarded as ol despite ord.rs to Adriiral Bad continue his investigation Protocol: Expectod Soon, at Niagara Falls move swiftly in the few days. If Huerta and Pres) Wilson approve of the cardinal sues, then the mediators and the missions will take up secondary lems for detormination Once is roached, a pro'ocol will be and the mediators will finish th talls of t: I~ task, working with administration officlals of the# governments. ~ Probably respon ity for dealing with the constitui alists will devolve upon the T States. The outcome of that not be foreseen Secretary Garrison seid today General Funston had neither sol nor recetved Instructions for ing the situation arising from thy rival of the man steamer Ba at Vera Cruz without manifest. eral Funston <o far has made no port of the incident Not Jmportant Matter, the Elrrumstances,” said Events pected to were| “In i retary Garrison, “I am not incling attach any Ir.portance to the ter. T consider it merely a 4 of port routine and one that p end of the present school term RUN DOWN BY BICYCLIST, i The five years old son of Mr. and ' Mrs. Angelo Logano, of Church street was run down by an unknown bicy- clist this morning at 6:45 o’clock. The| youngster was crossing Church street in front of No. 311 when the acci- dent took place. Dr. Joseph Walsh attended the boy andegfound his face to 'be severtly scratched and several j painful lumps ond the back of his {head. The boy's nose bled profusely but he was not badly Injured. TO LUNCH AFTER PARADE. All veterans of the Spanish War, | whether members of A. G. Hammond camp or not, are invited to meet at the rooms at 83 Arch street tomor- | row morning at 9 o'clock to march | to the various cemeterfes to decorate the graves of their dead comrades. After the parade the men will march back to headquarters where lunch will be served ably will be settled by the cap of the port.” Mr. Garrison said all Gen Funston's reports on the landin arms at Puerto Mexico from the varia and the Ypiranga were upon informaion furnished by sons arriving in Vera Crugz Puerto Mexico. “Progressing Satistactordl The latest development app was not canstrued here f the success of the negotiations, retary Bryan and other ol they entered the White House for. l“ablnel meeting declared the tion was stil “pr factorily . Word from Carransa. Niagara Falls, Ont., May 29. F. Urquidl, private ne.rot:ry to’ Zubaran, the conmtutlonlll* at Washington, arrived here (Continued on Eleventh Page.)