New Britain Herald Newspaper, May 30, 1914, Page 1

1,032 LIVES WERE » HERALD BEST OF ALL LOCAL NEWSPAPERS NEW BRITAIN HERALD = “ADS” MEA USINES PRICE THREE CENTS. NEW 30, 1914—-TWELVE PAGES, ESTABLISHED 1876. BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT. SA;I:URDAY, I\AAY LOST IN ST. LAWRENCE DISASTER 355 Persons Saved After Empress of Ireland Sank--300 Bodies Landed at Rimouski Vivid Details of Terrible Tragedy Related By Swur- vivors Who Landed at Quebec Last Night. Quebec, May 30.—More than 1,000 persons lost their lives when the Canadian Pacific steamship Empress of Ireland sank in the St. Lawrence early Friday morning after the liner had been rammed by the Danish collier Storstad. Figures compiled by the Canadian Pecific Rallway. company and made public today indicated that 1,032 per- sons in all had perished. Their list follows: 355 Persons Saved. First class passengers saved 18; second and third class passengers saved 131; crew saved 206; total 355. The number of passengers carried by the Empress of Ireland: First class, 87; second class, 153; third class, 71 crew, 482. Total 1,387, Up to an early hour today over three hundred bodies had been landed * at Rimouski. Dead Piled in Tiers. The dead were piled in tiers, mak- it impossible to closely scrutinize bodies for purposes of identifica- ‘Women and children are plenti- _represented in the grim pile, jong them one mother with her ld pressed closely to her breast. tender Lady Grey has! been designated as d"faneral ship and is Jexpected to reach Quebec late today with the bodies of the dead so far re- . An army of carpenters and un who worked all night are suill busy converting one of the large frelght sheds on the harbor front into a temporary morgue for the reception of bodies. Storstad Reaches Port. The collier Storstad, which rammed the ill-fated Empress of Ireland, ar- rived here shortly after 1 o’clock this morning accompanied by the wreck- ing steamer Strathcona and anchored in mid-stream. A press boat went out, but newspapermen were refused per- mission to go aboard, It was learned, however, that she had saved many of the Empress’ passengers. The Storstad has a hole fifteen feet square in her bows. She is waiting for orders to say whether she will dock here or gp to Montreal. Deck at Right Angles. Stories of the loss of the Empress of Ireland brought to Quebec last night by the survivors gave vivid de- talls of the most terrible tragedy in the annals of the St. Lawrence. Soon after the ship was rammed she careened until her deck stood at right angles to the water. 8he slid slowly Into the water and it was only possible to launch five boats in the brief interval before she finally sark. Captain Kendall was on the bridge when the collision occurred. When the steamer sank he was washed away, later to be picked up by one of the boats. Thus far he has vouch- safed no public statement except to say that he would have preferred-to go down with his ship. Passengers who observed him during the fright- ful few minutes after the ship w~as struck speak in his praise and de- clare he did his full duty, COrushed to Death. Chief Officer Steed, it is stated, was killed by a boat falling on him while working to help the passengers escape. Commissioner Rees of the Salva- tion army, stood on the deck of the doomed vessel trying to persuade the people to keep cool lending a helping hand to many. When 'he ship was almost under water one of his men shouted to mim to jump for his life. He replied he would stand by his wife and children, and sank with the words, “O God, Thy Will be done” on his lips, Father Saves Son. One of the touching sights on the survivors’ train was that presented by Philip Lawler. With his wife and son he had left his home in Brant- ford, Ont.,, where they had lived for the last seven years, to visit his old home at Keightly, Yohkshire, F - land. The mother went down with the ship, while the father, after a desperate struggle, managed to save his son, Herbert and himself. !le was injured when the explogion oe- eurred and, with his head swat.ied in bandages and bowed with grief, he sat, a disconsolate figure at his son’s side. The boy who is about seventeen years old, when asked about the wWreck, said. “I was awakened by shouts and ‘water rushing into the third class “1'EMPRESS oF IRELAND The sinking of the Empress of Tre- land, the Canadian Pacific raflway steamer, in the St. Lawrence river, was one of the worst disasters since the sinking of the Titanic. The Em- press of Ireland was a twin screw passenger steamer of 8,028 tons bur- den, was 648 feet long and of mod- ern equipment, carrying not only wirelese, but submarine signaling ap- paratus. She was built in 1906 ana wag therefore three years old when DY OCCURRED HOTO! she made her record run from Ques bec to Liverpool. She had been ply- ing in the service of her pwners, the Canadian Pacific railway company, between St. John's and Quebec and Liverpool and, especially during summer months, carried large num- bers of passengers. Her speed and furnishings made her one of the most popular of the transatlantic liners sailing from Canadian ports. When the ship sent out “S. O. 8. signals af- ter the crash with the collier Storstaa %‘ ATNEQ_ POINT LlGr'lTHQ%SE;‘.’# the | MAP SH%{!G ylmngRE her appeals were caught by the less operator at Father Point. he passengers saved were landed at Ri- mouskl and others at Father Point. The steamer went down about _thirty miles from Father Point. Father | Point, sometimes called Farther | Point, is a post village of Rimouski unty, Quebec, on the south shore of the St, Lawrence river, near the | house marks the dangerous rock in the channel there. quarters. T jumped dressed and ktook a life belt. “Mother is gone, for in the rush which occurred after the plunge father was swimming beside me. He helped me to reach a spar, to which we both clung until rescued by & boat.” . Twenty-Two Women Saved. Only twenty-two women and two children of the many who hoarded the steamer at Montreal and Quebec appear to have been saved. One little girl, Helen O'Hara, swam until she was picked up, as also did Miss Thompson from New Zeland. One woman, Mrs. Greenaway, a bride of a week, was separated from her husband and thought she had lost him, but the two had a happy re- union later at Rimouski. Tried to Save Wife. F. E. Abbott of Toronto told story of how Laurence Irving trying to save his wife, Abbott the last man to sece Mr. Irving alive. “I met him first in the passage- way,” he said, “and he asked calm- 1y ‘Is the boat going down?' 1 said it looked like it. ‘Dearle,’ Irving then sald to his wife, ‘hurry. There is no time to lose.’ Wife Became Franti Mrs. Irving began to c [ the actor reached for a life | boat suddenly lurched and thrown against the door of his cabin. His face was bloody and Mrs. Irving became frantic. Keep cool,’ she persisted up, the dicd was and belt he as the was he warned her, in holding her around him. He forced the life belt over her and pushed her out of the door. He then virtually carrfed her up stairs, 1 asked if I could help and Irving said ‘Look after yourself first, old man; God bless you all the same." " Abbott said he left the two, man and wife, struggling. Abbott got on deck and dived overboard. He caught | hold of a plece of timber and then looked around, Irving by this time | was on the deck, He was kissing his wife. As the ship went down tney were clasped in each other's arms. Dynamos Were Flooded. Immediately following the col- lision the water, rushing into the en- gine room, flooded the dynamos, and this threw the ship into complete darkness. A patrol to but rms prevent looting by beach combers was organized today There were still several hundred bodies to be recovered Survivors in Montreal. Montreal, May 30.—Exhausted sur- vivors of the Empress of Ireland dis- aster, wearing misfit clothing, sup- plied by the people of Rimouski, ar- rived in Montreal today. In the party was a remnant of the Salva- tion Army band, more thad a hun- dred of whom perished. Band Ser- geant Fowler of Vancouver, related his experiences. “I was looking through hole in my cabin amidships, “when 1 saw ¢ out of the the port he said, big black shape loom darkness. It seemed to be only a few feet away. Then came the jolt; it could not be called a crash because It was more of a grinding sensation. Before 1 rea- lized what had happened my cabin began to fill with water. I rushed out of the cabin and up to the main companionway. I saw a girl with a baby in her arms and a little child, aged perhaps six vears, following her. The girl begged me to put a life belt on her, so I stopped long enough to do this. geant Fowler Jumped, By the time Fowler had reached the deck, he said, the ship was list- ing badly and the passengers had to cling to the rail to keep from going over the side. Fowler jumped. “I went down, and down, until I thought my lungs would burst,” he id. “Bodies humped into m Once a4 man threw his arms around me and I had to fight to break his hold. I swam several hundred feet and was almost exhausted when a hoat picked me up."” Thomas Smart of Toronto s when the crash came he saw Cap- tain Kendall on the bridge. He was holding on to the rail, shouting orders to the crew. “Keep your heads, there, and don’t get exclted,” said the captain vid that Captain Shouts Orders, When a hoat dropped sideways into the water, the captain seemed to re- alize that the liner was lost, for he shouted “Hurry up, there, every- body. There is not a minute to los Get the stewards through the co dors It there are doors locked, break them in. Get the people out, and don't forget that the women and children must come first,” “He spoke through n me id Smart, “but there was much screaming and moaning that his voice was drowned. . He stuck to his post to the very “When | aphone,” last got into the Lady K 1 w him stretched out there and they were giving him some brandy When he was alle to speak, he looked around and asked ‘Where's the ship?’ yn H. N. BEEBE CANDIDATE FOR STATE TREASURER Local Man Seeking Nomina- tion on Socialist Party’s Ticket. Hartford, May 30.—The first ticket for the fall election will placed in the field today by the soc ist party, as the result of its state conference which wiil be held here. The party primaries were held o1 February 11 and ten days were lowed candidates then selected 10 signify their acceptances or declina- tions. Today's conference was to ratify the primary nominations. The state ticket will made from the following list: Ior governor, Be Shelton and George Spiess, Jr., ford. Lieutenant Waterbury Attorney Bridgeport Secretary of man, Hartford Norwich. i urer, H. N. Beebe, ain; Dr. W, F. Hinckley, V D. Hull, Naugatuck Comptroller. J. J. Gore, Danbury Isaac Posky, New Haven: J. W, Meriden; Albert Boardman, Norw! H. P. Lozotte, Waterbury. IFor United States senator RoYert Hunter of Noroton, was the prim choice, but he declined to stand, the conference is expected to name candidate. A congressional nominee for district will be chosen from names which were sent to the « ference from the primaries, and tional delegates will be selected. Committees on declaration of prin- ciple: yd party policies will report, wnd the conference will issue a nlar- form upon which will be based an appeal for votes for the party candl- dates in the canvass which will tively begin without delay. state be be up rdsley, Hari- c T governor, Peach, general, Krnest Bergor, state, Mrs, J. P. New und Albert Boardm n w Br aterbury; eacn tre m- na WEATH Hartford, Conn, May 30, Probably showers late toda) | mouth of the Rimouski river. A light- | ETERANS. DECORATE | GRAVES OF COMRADES Honor MumoriE floidms Who Fought This Country’s Battles. CHILDREN - CONTRIBUTE FLOWERS Graves of More Than 100 Old Soldiers Are Remembered—Parade Passes Up Main Street and Counte marchoed—Memorial Exercises, Rain clouds, not war clouds, threateningly New HBritain morning, but, undaunted as they were ‘61, the old ove this in soldiers comrades who fell in the defence of their country, An abundance tributed of patriotic school con- children in all parts of the city, were on hand at the G. A. R. the veterans made their appearance and the work of decorating the graves of old soldiers was begun at once, un- | der the supervision o chairman of the flow Gilbert J. Bentley had charge of the detachment which beautified the graves of 284 old soldiers in Fairview cemetery. He was as ed by Henry M. Burckhardt, Lewis W. Robbins Char W. Smith, Fred H. Ma James G. Henderson, Willlam H, Wil- loughby, L. P. W James Relyea, Frank Goddard, W. Henderson and K. W. Schultz, William E. Stewart the decorating of 112 graves at the Catholic cemeteries and with him went Michael McMahon, Robert Smith, Frank Goodrich and E. Myron Jones. William Latham w it | that the nine graves in the Newington | cemetery were not forgotten. In all, the graves of 405 dead patriots were attended to, with flowers from the chool children, the Woman's Relief corps and many othe “We certainly appreciate all flowers we have received,” said Com- mander Frederick V. Streeter. “Con- trary to the situation last year, we had an over abundance of flowers and, 1 think, there is not a grave of a coldier- - New-Britein which we did not visit today At 10:30 o'clock the country's old | defenders, who had been about town for the greater part of the morning, assembled at thelr respective quarters. Marshal Abram Howell and his aids, C. H. Beaton, Willlam Stew- art, M. Leonard, Hiltbrand, A. G. Smith, Etmer Hurlburt, Colonel A. L. Thompson and Elmer Ripples, made short work of arranging the procession, which appeared in the i following order when about to start from in front of St. Mark's church on West Main street: Order of Procession. Platoon of Police. Marshal and Aids. Band. Capt, Ladbury. G., Capt. E. R. Low Veterans, Commander F. Pohl. War Veterans, manding, Sons of Veterans, B. W manding. ci Orders. R., F. V. Streeter, Commanding. As “the boys in blue” went through the streets, many displayed badges and medals, which they won for va. rious deeds of valor Major Ira Hicks carried the sword he used the battle of Petersburg. Line of Ma line of march flowers, by headquarters when committee, had charge of to Co. Co. Spanish I, C E, C W N N ar German aptain Com- Schultz Com- G. A, in ‘. was as follows. procession moved slowly down Main to Main, up Mam as far St. Mar church, counte down Main to Franklin nd counter marched up Main to the soldie monument park, many of the vet- riding automobiles, The R. passed through the :nt, then through the line, was open order. All Dbut the G. A. R. formed in open order in front of G. A. R. hall. As the G | R. members marched into their hall, the military companies and all the other societies dlshanded, returned to | their various quarters and the impres- sive In The The West as to hed square street at the erans G. A monun which mar in exercises were over. G. A. R. hall, the of the Sons of Veterans to the veterans concerns the veterans' no activities will take pl In past years, it has heen to hold memorial ser- afternoon of Decoration vear, these we hela preceding Memorial Ladies’ ilinry lunch As tion, afternoon the custom vices in the day, but this on the evening day, instead. Memorinl Exercises, last evening were rst Congregational church, and were opened with a pa- triotic reading by Captain C. H. Beat- on. Patriotic solos were rendered by Mr. Knox and the entire audience jolned in the choruses. The roll ot honor was then read by Adjutant T. D. Penfield of Stanley Post, after which Carl Nixon delivered Lincoln's Gettysburg address, Department Chaplain W. F. Hilton l'of Hartford was the speaker of the evening and he moved his listeners with his forcible arguments Re- marks by Department Commandet Frederick V., Streeter concluded the | program. The exercises held in the [ hung | assembled | bright and early to honor their many | » Abram Howell, | the | head- | E. | WILSON TO ATTEND G. A. R. EXERCISES President Decides to Participate in Memorinl Services at Arlington National Ceme | wa Wilson decided exe " | tery President his plans and attend the Memorial Day Wt Arlington National ceme Secretary Tumulty made statement explaining that the presi- dent “was not willing that his absence should b emisconstrued.” In announcing the president's de cision Secretary Tumulty said: “When the Invitation was extended by the committee representing the Grand Army of the Republic of the District | of Colambia, the president informed the committee hat he did not think the occasion would be opportune for the delivery of an appropriate addre and of this felt he must de- | cline the invitation, agreeing. however, to attend memorial servi‘es at a later date. hington, 30 today changed because vidently a false construction has Leen placed upon this action, and therein lles the reason for the chanke ir the program “The president was not willing tha his absence should be misconsrued When it was finally announced a few days ago that the president could not accept the invitation to attend the ser- managers of the memorial in- ited Speaker Champ Clark to make the principal address. The speaker was at Atlantic City taking a rest, but changed his plans and last night re- turned to Washington and began pre- paring his address. MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVED THROUCHOUT CONNECTICUT G. A. R. Veterans Pay Trib- | utes to Departed Com- rades. ces, Conn., May 30.—With death had appreciably thinned since last Memorial day, the Grand Army posts stood around the graves of departed comrades, and at | | flag and flower decorated monuments erected in the memory of the deeds | of the boys in blue, in most of the cities and towns in Connecticut, to-| day. The gray haired Veterans of the great (QYvil war were, as in pre- vious years, escorted to the cemc- | terles by veterans of the Spanish war, | the National Guard, Naval Militiamen, patriotic socleties and school chil- dren, the veterans themselves ridin: in vehicles. The observance of the day was general, both patriotically and secularly, but there were no es pecial gatherings. At Norfolk for- mer President William Howard Taft addressed the veterans of Winsted, Canaan and Norfolk on the village green following a short parade in which the boy scouts, the Norfolk Guards and school children took part, the children also singing as they were | sathered on the green, patriotic songs. Mr. and Mrs. Taft were guests at Fox Hill of H. H. Bridg- In this city today a memorial maxs for deceased members of the Knighis of Columbus was celebrated at St John's church, the Rev. Father John D. Coyle being celebrant of the high mass of requiem In Hartford the veterans, having decorated the graves of comrades, re- assembled at the state capitol for | the impressive ceremory of salut the battle flags which rest in case on the lower floor of the building. \fterwards there was a street par- | ade New Haven, ranks which | PROM A SUOCESS, High school juniors and other forgot there was h students apparently such a thing as new dances last even- ing when the annual prom was held in the auditorium of the school. The steps that are now termed old- tashioned were danced by the large crowd attending and appeared to be enjoyed as much as the modern crea- | tions, The hall was decorated in a pleasing manner and all committees in charge deserve credit for their share In the success of the event. Judd's orchestra furnished music for the program of fourteen dances. The patronesses were Mrs, L. P. Slade, wife of the school principal; Miss Mary Ward and Miss Mildred Weld, representing the faculty BIG FOREST FIRE, Fire Warden Dame Tells of Devastat- ing Flames Near Pinnacle Mountain. Fire Warden Robert M Dame, who is also chief of the fire depart- ment, reports a devastating forest fire in the hills this side of Pinnacle mountain. He states that the fire has been burning flercely for the past two days but is now under control. The fire is mostly on the Booth property and over 60,000 feet of tim- ber has been destroved as well as 460 feet of cord wood, states the warden. PROF. JEPSON ILL. New Haven, May 30.—Benjamin Jepson, professor of music, and for a great many years instructor in music in the New Haven public schools, is seriously ill. His advanced age makes the outcome of hix ajiments in doubt. Today his condition was critical, but the tamily were -neful for a change for the better, . | with MEDIATORS RECEIE " CARRANZA'S NO Receipt of Communicaion Not Distarb Course of Negotiatio ANSWER EXPECTED BY M Reported Capt. Stickney Has For tering Vera Oruz's Port Witho Steamer Bavaria $90,000 Manifest, Washington, May 30.—~Aaminl chiefs awaited with In est the outcome of the note prese tlon today by a Carranza agent to the t mediators, the Niagara fng with xpressing surprise conference was proe the constitutionalists un resented A statement lssued by Bouth American envoys after finally agreed (o receive the mes did not indicate when they would ply, and it was belleved that answer would not be forthco! before Monday at the earliest. The mediators’ statement that receipt of the communication “not disturb the course of the n tiations” was received here in an timistic vein and some of the lead were more hopeful than ever mediation ultimately would be di ed to xolution of all of Mexico's However, it was reported that taches of the conference rette that negotiations could be re-ops with a constitutionalist represen present only if Carranza agreed t truce with Huerta Heavy Fine Official reports were awalted the news that Capt. Stickney, A collector of the port at had levied a fine or 180 on the Hamburg-Amen avaria for entering without a manifest and for ha landed ammunition at Puerto M originally consigned to Vera Crus. fine said to have been impd alm of enforcing Me: navigation laws, Similar action, was said, would be taken agdinst Hamburg-American steamer Ypir if she returned to Vera Crus. The colller Justin, having on John R, Silliman, the Ameriean consul who was imprisoned by alg at Saltillo, should reach Ham Roads by next Thursds 8o far known, the official version of man's experiences has not reached state department Medintors Solying Problem. Niagara Falls, Ont, May 30. South American medlators are fronted today with the problem whether or not they will permit stitutionalist representatives to ter the conferences here H delegates know only unoffcially the presence here of Mr,' Urguid special messenger from General ranza, but they expected today formully advieed of the naty the communication he hrnulhl the subject of constitutionalist sentation the Huerta delogates decided among themselves that will abide by any decision the i lators may make v The mediators announced that course of the medintion proceed would wot be disturbed through new representations There every Jereve, how that the American delegates, who thought to h interceded to o an audience Urquidi vesten might pursue matter furthe to bring about constitution representation in the conferences Far More Satsfactory. The view of the American deleg| is that it would be far more satl tory to deal with the various fact] before any agreement or protoe signed than to attempt later to a third party, the constitutional into accord with the two-party & ment now being prepared. In the meantime the Huerta American delegates are still awal word from their respective goW ments before giving final approv the tentative plan before them. of the hitherto unpublished detal the plan are as follows Hold Office Till 1916, The provisional government, Wi would succeed the Huerta re| consisting of a provisional presl and four cabinet membe: hold office until 1916, when term of Madero expires, and a presidential election takes place, object of this Is to give the new ministration a year or more in wi to paeify the country absolutely, pare it for a popular election make a beginning on land and ed! tional reforms. Though some of the delegat both sides would have preferred persons, all meutral in politios, compose the new government, tentative plan now is to have constitutionalists and two maen, {dentified with the Huerta ad tration but chosen by the i delegates for the four cabinet folios with a neutral provisional dent. Levies can Cruz, pesos steamer was the reason (o ve for the as CONDITION CRITIOAL, Litchfield, Conn., May 80 condition of Wi B. Hornhl judge of the court of appeals York state, who hag been heart trouble at his summer here for the past three wi mained extremely eritical