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The New Era, 1881-06-02, Page 6• Wuxi° %, 1881, 1 r I I 17r - THE liASSACR Which 1\1 .olne in London . Calls . Ar AcOient INQUIRY Ilif0 THE CAUSES. An Egg -Shell Structure More Than Double Loaded. ESCAPE OF PRE ENG-I1'EE,11, The Captain also Lands upon His Feet, GRASP OF 1. DROWNING NAN. . • C011peti3Ort Of InOlapnt Of •.,413S01+0ing INTERVIEWS -WITH CITIZENi 2 o•• • Loon, May 25. ' The representative of the Teens was the firet newspaper men ontaide the London prase to suite at the sone of the accident. He arrived in London at earlymeriting and prepare a graphic account of. the catastrophe; as detailed by eye-witnethes and survivor's, but eould only .send a sum mary of it in time for last night's paper. Theblame for this delay in transmission lay with the • telegraph companies' and under the Qcireunistances was excusable. From •Tuesday night till late last evening the telegraph, offices were deluged with inquiries as to the awi. dent from all quarters of the globe, and as private messages aliveys, get the preference it was abgolutely'. impossible for ' our reporter to get his four column epeoial report telegraphed in time for last night. As his account of .the dieesttr differs in many respects from that telegraphed by the Press .Associatiop, we give its :main features: • stow the accident Occurred. • LONDON, May 25. ---As you will haVe seen by the accounts which have, reached you, there.are various theories as to , • • Tar mast= ". • • ' —accident, no one here tretencis te.4say, it is. I have carefully investigatedthe ter, and call anticipate the verdict of the coroner's.. jary_by.,_ atatitig that, , whoever may be ici blame,the catastrophe happened through gross and criminal negligence, to which the people had become so thetifitonled • that few appeared to fetti anytad re- • sults. To thoroughly understand -the mat. •'ter, it is • neeeseaty th •refet to the construction of the vessel. The wise' was flat-bottomed and did net draw over three feet of water when fully loaded. Of course she had noliold, and her engine andboilers were on a level with' • • the lower deck. There was NO PRETENCE THAT:THE STEAMER WAS STOUTLY BOWL • If there had been, the wooden 'stanchions of the upper deck would hategiven the • contention the lie. These were no thicker thin an average man'swiist•and they.were several feet apart.. When, ap was the case last night,on this „frail-sstritotaite were_ -crowded ogether several hundreds of peo- • ple-men, women and children -what else • but a collapse could have been anticipated? This was just what took 'place.- Despite the faot that the boat was constructed to carry at the outside 300, there we between • 600 and 800 passengers on board. It is impossible to give an' exactestimate of the number of people tin board, as at the time of the catastrophe the officers had • only partially collected the tickets. • When the beat started. from Springbank, it was seen she was overloaded, but all last season similar loads had been carried frora and to the city, and thetoat authorities Weemed - a DISPOSED TO TARE 'THE RISE • if the passengers were. It is Said that. Capt.Rankin prevented a number of young men from going on board at, the last moment, on the plea that he had tdready too large a crowd, hat he erred most gtieyously when he left the clothwith such a load. All the way up the boat wee swaiing from side to Side, end; while some regarded:the rocking with ninth hilarity, there were thee -0 • on board who were not without alarm, increased when the water mine rushing in on either side of the lower deck. At the abrupt turn at the -Woodland bend, those at the Springbok dock saw , • THE vicroratfolVE A rpAnTorm mon, and tv leading Citizen protested againstsiith a large eargo•in such a contingensay. But Capt. Rankinteldon. Nearing the °eve Bridge, and at the -bend already referred to the boat waif rocking badly, and the captain besought some of those on the upPer deck to go to the opposite side from where they stood. Quites, nurther did so, and as they were moving there wail"; fearful creak, the, stanchions crashed from under, and doWn. • went the upper deck on the heads of those below, throviieg its occupants into the water and killing outright or maiming those on the lower deck who were: not dashed into the Water. The scone which folleited *wits appplling and heartrend- ing beyond description. Yon bate in miler despatches been supplied' with graphic &Mile of it, and I need not repeat them here. It suffices to say that the stir. • vivors of the terrible catastrophe emir° me the memory of the digester and the Scenes they were the unwilling withesses,of will remain indelible on their memorYtillAbeir dying day. It who harrowing iti the extreme. • What rendered the affair more lamentable wasthe fact that _ , SO MANY Worimi AND LITTLE CHILDREN WERE Lost. Gasing on the tuatty prettily aroma :little [tones lying in the . last bleep of death by the side of fathers and mothers, brothers and alders, an talunl off in the climax of tv. happily apent holiday, one Would be indeed liard-hearted if he did not Sympathize with the agonized relatives who kept vigil through the long hour' that elapsed before arrangements were com- pleted for the removal of the victims of the. catastrophe. Strange to say, notwithstand- ing that the boiler and engines moved out of their places and toppled over with the upper deck, • Tun nonage (ammo) neaten noun. He was, however, greatly terrified, and iso washia wife, with WMSGoveroorne with amt. iety for his safety that serioue coneequences were at one time feared. Captain Rankin remained at the Wheel till the nature of the catastrOphe VMS apparent, and then was amongst the first and most energetio in attempting to refseue the shipwrecked passengers. Many were doubtless killed outright by the falling of the stivered timber' and math of human beings upon them; others were crushed to the bottom of the river -never again to COMO 0Ot alive -by the passengers who were fortunate enough to be uppermost, There on be no doubt that fully onetalf Of those killed or drowned were never affprded a chance to save themselves. Cthe snearlyreached the shore, when they iyore seized by • the death grasp' ef some un ortunate fellow - passenger, and draim to t1 bottom to die, for it drowning man'e grasp lmoit invari ably- results in the death of the person caught hold of. To parental Wealth; anxiety to eery° the little ones, must also be creeited not a few deaths Mother after •motligroted father after father, have been • recovered with one or more • little ones , tightly elaf'ped hi their arms, resolved that -whether living or dying they should not he • A sad, sad serenventent. Tha cage of H. Beaton, 'the.' better, of. Richmond Street„ is one of the' saddest "threiriniedion With liirdliiititer. ffe was near the centre of the deck when the capsize took place and taking a child under each • arna he. sank .below the • autfese with the 'determination to escape ifpessible. • In the intense istruggle of •the...next few moments he had lost his two little ones and he him- self Was in the act o drowning below the deck; while there he feltthe body of a woman move pest him, and seizing hold of the dress be was drawn out.. Some one had broke a hole in the decic.7' .His two pretty little children, hewever, had sunk to nth no more. • 4, 'temperate Siring/tie tar Luc. • 'I•To more desperate struggle for ilicnever took Place than that in which Nicholas Wilson engaged in immediately after the disaster,. .Apprehending the danger he told • his newly • married wife to . cling to the railing, ited a mordent later he found him- self floundering in the water. Strange to say, Mrs. Wilson was 'thrown directly MO • his arms, and, seizing her firmly, Se-struck- out- for them. On the. way; a strong, big. nthp, overcome with: fear; seized 'hire with aponshakable .grip by • 'the ,..throat, and tung there for dear life. • The whelethree must inevitably. have eunk but for Mr; Wilson's presence Of Mind in seizing' the fellow with his teeth and biting with all, his force. The hold was thee:yob:iced, and. -with weakened strengthand stilt- bearing' his wife in hisatmshe struggled towards' the shore. But a few feet had been passed; however, before heswap again Seized with ie death -like grip by a drowning man, and in the struggle he lost his Wife„:' He readied thesliore exhausted, and looked shout to see his wife, saved. in some lineccentite,ble Way and by. his .sideBeth then becsente imeoniscions.. ' •: .; . •• - . • •Los in lite Itintlittite Contnianlisf A goodly proportion . of the •tictinth ..be. ' long to. the RomanCatholic ommunity, The writhe.. of•25' liave . already been returned for bertha; and the services Are. ,going forward this, .• aftetnoon. • A' priest ,attods.at the hone° 'and another at..the cemetery. ' It. is. probable .that seven ox eight others have yet to be identifiedand returned, On Friday, in the hires:coon, a • solemn service will be held in St. Peter's, Cathedral, assisted inby all the priests, and it is expected His Lordship the Bishop will deliver a sermon approprtato to the occasion. . • 41. Place . Very many have expressed the idinythat the Victipas should be interred in One Plot; and this morning Mr. D.Glass, (.3,C.i and B. Poweliput the:idea-in praetioal Shape. plot of lend was secured in Mount Pleasant Cenletery: hir. the use of any. who may. feel' disposed to ' avail them. selves of it as . a Place of. burial for their. friends: Arran ementshaVebeen madethat 'the .expense s a e orne by 'the city; The calamity beingof such a public nature, the 'proposal for a general place of inter- ment is a good'one. • .. statement o(IUr. Wm. Mr. Wm, Duffield,' who has relatives living in Hamilton, was on beard with his two sons; James and William; and makes, in substance, the following statement; When joined the beat. at Springbank, I tlate that the upper deck was too full,. but had ng idea that the lower one was inthe same condition. I afterwards noticed that on, both deeke' the. • people were standing a9thick as my fingers. There was net room. enough between ' them for One to Move from emend' of the boat to the other. The lower deck wag sunk to *the water's level, and inithe heaving Mo- tion -which was -set up' water rolled -in athong thepeople's feet,which 'caused them to change their positions, and this increased the lurehing notion of the craft. Howover the beet was brought so far as it,wasen, her 'journey I cannot imagine. She did. wellto hold out along u.nder such ahoavy strain...At the fatal moment the host gavel", lurch, whith dislodged the bolter, which was set upon the lower.deck, without any other support or fastening; es, I believe, than. the rod connection fore and aft. When the heat careened, the boiler and: connections slid .off into the .Water;Outting away the timbers supporting the upper deek,end carrying it along:, , There was just one great • screech, .13:angled. • with 'a hissing sound as the boiler trent deeen, utta then an appalling silence eneiied. The transfornation that, took place was almost like it, flath. 1 -food' inYself. Standing nP to the middle in water en a, imialtpart Of the steamer, which 'formed a raft. •My boys Were near me. One of ' the said: "My .God 1 pa, look atthose fete saved out of such a large erred!" 1 turned round and saw two small wimps of stir- vivors, one on a portion -of •lthetvreck, the other on. -the .shote. •The nueaber gethet • leaked Very !small, as compared with the crowd on board. I felt nerved With the strength of a lion, and succeeded in raising up with my baoka portion of the deck, and had it propped up With a piece ef board. Then 1 put .nay hand down and picked Alp people in all conditions ono. after • Mother. While eteudfug in the water I felt My lege grasped by nuitiprous /Ands, whiell seemed to be reaching out wildly -for scene - :thing te eeizo hold of My on Willie bold inc he had the sante experience. A wernini took bini by the leg with one hand and by the oat with anOther. Her headwits tinder. teeth the Water and ISeenied to be held . there by something. She died before he could be torn loose. After a while you could me the people corning up to the sur- face in every direction, some from among a lot of the niatohwoad Ante which the boat's hull had been splintered; some out from under the deck, resting Da the water. I tin:night at one tine 1 would be dragged under by the weight of the persona who bad hold of mt. legs. I could not get released until they all must have died, and I was powerless to save them. I think thoee ri charge of the beat were to blame for allowing fiti many to go on beard. They should not have started out with such a • no, and neraJauies Lode, an aged couple of Isondon2•Reuth, were pathogens on theilidated Victoria when ahe foundered in the river on Tuesday evening. The couple were Boated on thri south side of the Vessel upstairs. When the boat careened, just before the crash came,the old gentleman looked around for something to hang on to, and asked hie wife to do the same, The words scarcely escaped *his lips, when the hurricane deck cornrow:toed' to moire in an opposite direction from them. The people who were amidships hurriedly ,repaired to the north side ef the vessel,- and a terrible scene ensued. Old and young alike were trampled under feet by the eieited crowd who had freed themselves fromthe falling hurricane _deck, .and amidst the most heartrending meanie and frantic yells of despair, crash went the timbers of the vessel, as if it had. been- split by means of a wedge, and the pastiengers on theeide Where Mr; and Mrs. Little sat were hurled into the water in pronaiecuous heaps. Mrs, Little caught between one of the seats and the wire net- ting and Ordained ;serious injury to her • book. By dint of liartlyverk,,and alter tremendous and deteriiiined-itruggle for liberty, the old gentleman succeeded in • treeing:hie. helgwate frern the ..net,work, Iswinening with -her t� the -Shore.' ' 'She was very much exhausted when brought to the bank, and. a conyeys,noti.-WAS...4901 soured and she was taken hcirnekwhere she lies in precarious condition, . clear statement orate colimme. • • • Mr. Alex, Hardy,. Medical student, who was interviewed by a reporter, says:: I was on the bow of the lower deck of the Victoria when the accident happened, • and when 1 saw the beat was sinking I climbed to the upper.- deck and dive from *there to the London side. A man coming behind, I threw a post to him, and he grabbed and got him to shore, when he .again fell. into the Water and I pulled' him out. When looked around I saw the people crawlingtin. to the hurricane deck, and in. one .instance .a little boy caught - eivonian around the neck and pulled her beg. In company with Mr. WM. English, we threw • in some 'Jong pieces of fence, by which means a great number were saved, I ,ent my shoe laces Off and threw • my shoes off, and swain backto the Wreck • and 'saved Mrs. Joss. Reeves wife .of Mr. -Jos: Reeves, ef the fire department.' Procuring a heat, t paved' Miss -Meredith, ef London; and also Mrs. Nieolas Wilson Was tagen off at the same tithe, • Seeing where Mr. Meredith went demi; .1 tore., op the' pertionof the hurricane • deck; but hewits too fargonetoreauseitate. The• -sight was frightful -.-a, tidied wail .oidespairtilled the -- air, and heads were, continually coming to the surfaCe. th. a- half.,tholced Coedition. The scene wag such that I shall never forget. • eiticeeieve wirI, Capt. lCnnkin.••• ' • • (From the • • ' This morning' called .:upon Capt. Ban - kin, who expreesed hiniself quite willing to make, a 'statementof the cirourastancee ;conneOted with, the disaster. After,%describ. .ingthe• trip to; Springbank, he said that Vetere he Could empty -his load of passen- gers and heed the" boaffint; alerge . Opted jumped on board, istvatniing (MY the Vessel, ' atid even oliinbing,' to the to.p,deck. Ina very few 'Minutes: the - Veesel'" was . over- crowded, and he informed the Re:isogon that be would not leave tha. wherf*.unless pert Of the .crowd ' left the vessel. From lkto 20 people got off,And the remainder �f- the' thowd began calling out Why he was •not • leaving. . Shortly afterwards • they 'started, and the vessel went along ;Tien, didly until they got . opposite the cemetery, where. he • noticed. 'a . little different action. in the; boat; as he had to steer ' ..though: ;captain ..,of the vessel, he could not go, laelow to ascertain the trouble.. A little hey belonging to one of the passenger's was with him in the pilot- house at the Oath, and be. asked him to go doWn. And aidfftthe engineerif there 'm.9.11/fly • danger. The boat at this time Was listing • at the etitilioard, and wittee capie in at her scuppershe-refesed--to-righti-2"mil-lig,- sent the boy down again to.askif therewas any danger Orif sbe was making .water. The engineer said that unless she . was got on ah.. even, .keel there was.danger. He • then determined to run lier onasand bank close to Wherethe ecident happened. At that time there was a -great crowd,"and he told them to move over to the.port side. At dile time tWo • row boater came down the stream, : and as they were racing . the attention. . the pathogens were. • attracted.' The crowd made a ;rusk to theporb. tide, and she heeled . over in an . alarming manner and went port - bow down.. ,Then- the boder sliddroni its fastenings; and went through the 'Side. The boiler carried six or eight of the main deck stanthions away, and the top deck, crowded with pa,seengers -cainedown with a crash. Therewere only :about one hundred mud Afty passengers on the lower dick, . the crowd abovemaking the vessel top heavy; He was on the promeitade deck, *here the • greatest crowdwits, and When the vessel went to pieces, he climbed upon the hurri- cane deals. The stern welitto the bottom, the water being 'thoutjenfeet'deep and the prow: came up anb. the water and rimed Over. lust as it. the ' vessel. had • made a somersault. Ile dragged a min from under, .the deck, Which VAS Crushing those beneath. A great :Many had fallep into the water when the deek gave way,. and When the teseel sunk they olimbe on the fleeting deck, thereby 'pressing it down on theintedreds who were struggling beneath and. suffocating them.. Could the deck have. been lifted a great many liveg.wiruld have been saved, but the.striiggles of those clinging to it pre- vented any. action- However, a great many of those underneath he the presenco. of mind to dive,. and thus they fateed them.' selves and Swam ashore. He told, two young men Who•were.paSsing to go to the. pity for help. • "Captain, eat you describe the boat?" 1' asked, • • • ,! "She was a flat-bottomed thew of about 100 tons, and was built upon the river, She was registered to carry 400 passenger's, and I do not think she had a greater nuta- bar than that at the timeof the accident, At all events , I cle not think there were 500, for there Wold scarcely bo standing room if such were the case, It has been said that there were 600 on board, but that is noefse, for the main deckwas net crowded,' She Lilted on the StarbOard all the way up, and when the Water Came eit -forward anethilf-bloraiint of clanger Elites The begot Went through the side when t Was it the wheel, and I went down with the deck, She was staunch enough, but the deck Was supported by uprights run. .1 Zing along the gunwale, and there were no trtceri• We .00.1ne down the river slowly,. with the syphon and :another pump wolTnegre."the pUnips working to Clear leak- age?"1 ashen. "She was leaking at the Beanie "Was this her first trip?" I asked. "No," he said, "she made two trips on Saturday, two tripe on Monday and. three trips before thia happened," "What depth' of water was there in tier when she listed?" , "When I sent the boy down the engineer mile(' that there was half his arm'a length of water in the hold." "Then you attribute the lositof the vessel to its leaky condition r " 'Yes, certainly, When I found that she was taking water I determined to run her on the sand bar, and would have remained there until I obtained assistance. When the passengers ran to starboard to .see the row-boatI was alarmed for the safety of the - vomit and asked oeveral personsto assist me in prevailing upon the crowd tO keep to port. 'Young Parish, the purser, and several gentlemen spoke to the passen. gem, but without effect. If I bad had two - minutes' time I would have beached, her on the sand bank, where the would havebeen. perfectly safe on account cd her flat bottoin,The banks up the river, where I Arst becsaine alarmed, are prthipitous, and I could not beach. her, and 1 waited until' 1 could reach the sand -bank bar, There was a full crew of captain, purser, engineer, Armen and two deck hands. There leas ft boilerand also two engifith working in direct connection on board. "Were you asked when half way down the river tci land your passengers owing to the perilous condition of the, boat?" "No'the word 'danger' we's not men- tioeed that' heard, 'mid no one seethed to be apprehensive. The people forward of the pilot -house altered their position when spoken to, but those on- the lower debit woulefiallskfititk-hgett"to 'What War' said to them, even although 'passengers went bac:mod represented' to there that their Coridnot efidelig-efild the' bditt:" They write pretty hard Crowd." Deck hand Forker was at the captain's house, and told the reporter that when the water was knee-deep on the' lower deck he beseeched the crowd forViod'esaketo move over to the other side. They absolutely. tansed, saying, "If we g� down you go with us.". .11e -saw that she would be lost so he cried out, "Well, goieg to save myself," and jumped over the wires on the poet tilde of. the main deck'and swam ashore., • . . A woinan whose head was fastened in the, Wiees of • the deck • was rethued. by Porker, together with two children. •. Ancidenee. .• • By the expiehla 'Which reached London at 6 a. in. to -day, came a couple of Toroutc; undertakers, Oho were evidently .afraid • that their London brethren Wold 114, be able to overtake the extra, work. * Mr. Richard Browne, a gentleman well, knownhi Ftemilton, and an,-cild resident here, was: sated through the , timely it* gestion of a Hellinuth College boy. Mr. Brown was sitting at the . stern when the -.Creak was heard: The hey cried, • Jump, Mr. Browne, or yell. 'may be hurt 1" The ' 'injunction was obeyed, .ited Mr.' Browne survives.. • : • . • - : Overcrowding .on the boats ou the Thames, has been tile praztice since 'navigation was . possible. • tiest seiteen thete were rise-Vera:1 narrow ethipes . • . Little ' Henrietta, .Hogan, aged 9 years, seeing' ber 12 -'ear -old •sister drOvitning, seized hold of a little ribbon -and flower on the latter's breest and tepacionsly held on to it untiliescued herself by Mr. N. Hicgey, Rev: Father Tiernan took possession df. the little saved one arid,wrappinglier Carefuliy in a 'blitiiket„ returned her td herparents • on Waterloo street, -to, Whom she delivered the little token of a lost sister.; ••' • • Little MaryldoPherson; daughter of Alr: Arch. McPherson, went to London East .on Monday to VISA her little cousins, chil- dren of Mr. Morrison. Yesterday they went to Springbank and tetarned on the ill-fated Victoria t� meet their late. Mary, Nellie, Johnnie -and Willie will be laid Side by side this morning.. • • • • Quito a number of . the niemberSol the Ancient Order of Foresters are numbered iniong the.viettme. On hearing the news; Of thedleaster, District Sub -Chief Ranger mins, of Ingersoll, Oahe a , meeting of Court Marquis of Lorne. It was deeided to send a...deputation *up to Loudon, and. see what could be done for the brethren. :Accordingly, this morning, BrO. Mills and fourteen 'others' arrived in this city, Where• . they will ata until to -morrow evenin • r; er er arts was. e purser o boat. At -first it was reported that he was • drowned, then it was- said that he was 4' Well, you, are free' from this anyway, thank God," "No," was the Bad reply, ".1 lost my little boy." Two pretty little girls, who were taken home by loathers O'Mahony and Tiernan, were heard to speak with great feeling concerning the disaster. "1 was sure we were all going to drown when the water came in upon us, so I took little Mamie in my arms and said: Mamie, we can pray, anyway!" Mr. Holihs, Of London East, -is lialiPY to be able* to inform his friends that his ohildren, who were reported as lost, hue turned up all right. The unfortunates who were firet Identified by Mr. Hobbs' neigh -- bora as his children, wore similar clothing, and in that way the rumor got noised abroad that Mr. ll's children were among those lost. Part Fryer;from Montreal, had just been married two weeks, and bed come here to wind up his honeymoon, Ile went down with his wife in his arms; "in death they were not divided." Mr, Fryer, sen., and his niece were also lost. idr. Wm. Duffield (formerly of this city) was emit_ by the almost superhuman ex- ertions of his son Willie, aged 20. The father had gone down, apparently to rise no more, when his son -an excellent Rviimt mer -dived down, and by earnest exertions brought him up and landed him safe on shore. . One of the meet remarkable escapes was that made by the wife and six children of Mr. P. M-. Lawrison, Hamilton Road; for - reedy of St, George. Mrs:Le,wrjeon can hardly tell hew the and her family got on shore. Her eldest son says be letsliphis boots voluntarily, when IMMO one seized them in endeavoring to get out of the seething mass a hun2an -beings He wiris also kithed on' the head, but eventually reached shore,as did also his mother and brothers and sisters. • - A Hamilton Road girl, named 'Milne, reicued'a baby alive. Its Mother had gone 'dowrr-Vithihe trowd,-never-to rise -again: The girl considerately took the infant- pr.obabry not over 12 months old, -to her trome;wteppect in; clothing of which she had WI:strip herself. The foundling is now all right, but no one has claimed it. Did father and mother both go down? . The fate of the Hall family, residing on Mill street, WaS &particularly sad one -Ave out of the hOuse being cirewned, viz., Mr. 13. Hall, his wife and child, and their son - •in -law, John- Wall, and his wife. Some of "the bodies discovered yesterday afternoon were decomposing rapidly. DecOmposition sets in much more rapidly in partially warmed water, sueh as that in the Thames, than in •the open air, Five ladies living in the neighborhood et Talbot street north gay they owe their safety entirely to the fact that they conld• fswira. Among others were Widow John Maynard, who says that she owed her safety entirely to the fact that when the accident took place .she jumped away from the crowd and swam to the shore, If she had been unable to swinater doom was sealed. There were, however, niany first - ' Oath swimmers lost: They were either' killed or lost their lives through the piling en of bodies on them. - . • Probablythe. most extraordinary escape recorded wee that of Mr. W. D. Eckert, the Head Mather of the London --.Esist Scheel, a' partial . record • of Whose • experiences in the water. has -already been published in my correspondence. Mr. Eckert had to melte a terrible effort to escape. Beside him went down Mr. Mere- dith, seM, who was a heavily -built inan. Grasfing for something to raise himself by, Mr. Meredith seized hold of Mr. Eckert by the neck, .almostgetting on his back.. It' was a•deatitgrip; for apparentiS. Mr. Mere. :dith Was already insensible. To secure his. own•safety, ' Mr. Eckert- had tit get the hands ,a his neighbor removed; a mostrlif, ficult task. Ile'succeeded, -hewever, com- • ing to the surface covered With bruises and scars. Be, too, owed • hie safety to his ability to use hi g hands end feet to advan- tage, . as did also his brother, who ' had an • equally miraculous, escape. A email boy got on the beck of ai elderly gentleman nained Ashbury, and when that gentleman first came to the surface, Mr, Ashbury.shouted; "Get off therei" fearing he Would- not be able to carry 'himself ashore, much lessthen the boy. "No, you don't," replied the urchin, and bravely held the fort till:the shore wasreitched. Mr -Ash:- bury.toet his aged partner in life..• He was • frantic: with grief last -night• and today, • saying thatit he had known that his -wife: was drowned •he Would have gone down • withOut an effort to Save himself. • Miss Louie Meredith is eu ering,from great mental prOstration., ' Her fatherdid _uowgodowwhbbuli*siper._ suaded him and he went. Being lost,she ehargeti his death on herself, and her grief ' sayed,but so badly injured that he died.•He 1 • ., • . ' Shortly before a o'elook this morn.ing is still alive, though in "It critical condition. • ' the num Curran, who was rescued from the 4 wreck arid taken to McDonald's Hotel, • Kensington, died.* It is 'supposed he hid beep injured internalTy. • • • In one brook in the city no fewer than five families suffer bereavements. ' • - Abent 40 funerals took place yesterday and over 100 pergons were interred to -day. Yesterday, When hearths could not be got, waggons were extemporised. '• There was no false sentinientality,evident.• ' Mists Connell, one bi the rescued, is in a dangerous state. The water is getting into -her brain, and the doctors have every fear that she will not recover. • Mites Pennell's sister was with her at the time, She was teamed from the struggling mass. She is also in a seniewhat dangerous condition. Dr: Boarder, of the Asylum, and Mr, Wm...Magee, of- the Advertiser, narrowly escaped. They were on beard • the Li:arise going down, and requested the captain to signal the Victoria, to call in itt Woodlands an they could board her in order to get back as quick as 'possible. • The doomed vessel partly responded, but failed to come within proper jumping distance. thid she come within sit feet they wOuld certainly have got aboard, as they were anxious to retina. FiVe minutes after' the catastrophe took place and in a short time the above gen- tlemen were linen the grounds (hating got of atthe ceraetery landing), and both actively engaged in .rendering assistance. In one household en. Pictori street Ave • tnembers of the one family lay side by side in their caskets awaiting sepulture. On Dttfferin avenue OM households'and that, strange to say, right alongside of each other, haVO been totally annihilated, and grits is also •the case of a. household on `York street. At the house of Mr. Smith, London South, there were six members.. Now there is one and six bodies laid side by side in death, additional body being that of a hired man. It was a se end to a holiday. Last the body, of Mr, Chas. A. Mattkows' little child was recovered from the *reek and token charge of by the stricken parent. All day long the parent had been frantically gearehing for his mise - hug little one. He lost his wife, btst swam ashore With his other child. auby, of Gi ncoe, saved the lives n life' be o o he -got the ladies i5pir g . He a desperate drug- s of thorn wore nearly dead, top of the edverine. After impeded in bringing them s unbounded. He struck in the water and.started to, swiru •or shore. • He was, however; too heavily Weighted with ' his clothes and on the point of giving up, sinking, when he felt a heavy blow on the head. The next thing he remembers was 'waking up On the bank of the river, and finding himself surrounded by sympathizing friends. , 1:1.e.,had been rescuei by a passing boat in the nick of time. • , •-Orville Smith, a fine young man, son of Edward Smith, Westminster, whilst going down, for the lasV time, said to his sister, who was also in the water : I am ready to go," and in_ company with a lady cousin and two lady friends went down to riseno more. This was the message his sister who was saved, was happily lett to be• the bearer. ' • • • Mr. Simon .Grahani• was early on the scene on Teesclay 'night and 'Worked fran- tically until the last man 'had, left. At daylight this inorning he was on hand again and silently renewed . bule work. No one isiatipected that he had lost any friends -until some references were made •bo .his enthusiasni in -the thatch, wilen be said; "I've a boy &twit herg," pointing with hie Anger into the water. . Ten minutes • later the object of Ids search was found, and the Strong man who bad been so resolute before broke cloWn and •wept like a child over hisdead boy". The scene Was most affecting. When Mr. W. H. Millnian was found in the water he had one of his children islasped 'tightly in each 'arm, and his, appearance indicated that he had died while trying to save them, • The searchers fer the dead•this 'morning raised two little 'girls clasped tightly in oath others' aro, as they, no doubt, had fallen together in the water, Mr, Dolbear, the flour and feed dealer, of Richmond street, was in the ill-fated vessel, together with his wife and tour children: By scene mitaeulous means every soul of them theaped, one Of the little girls heVing clung to a Man's oat. toll, 'Like everyene else, Mt. and Mrs, Dolbear were unable to tell how they reached the shore. . Several cases of robbing the head are reported; Ataong the artieles 12:tithing is a gold watch and chitin; which Mr. William Millman bad wan, and the gold necklace of a. young lady. As Dr. Mitchell and it• reporter Were a passing over Bensington Bridge, at break, the former greeted yr. 'Jo of ston,,jun., Of Lebo, quite h Mrs,Taxman'of Richmond street, an elderly lodly, onhearing the news of the disaster, suddenly fahtted and fell down. stairs, and was ao severely injured that she is not expected to recover. • Mr. Law, ;Alertly after leavingthewharf,. reinarked i his niece, who was n his care„ that from theappearance of things be feared danger. He direeted her to take:a. positionclose by him at the back of the upper deck, and to jump pllit out into - the water if anything occurred, At the first crash the agreed plan was . put into execution, and after a desperate struggle— they reached the shore. His niece was for part of the time completely sub- merged, but rapidly rallied on geitung the • thore. Mary Brown,one of the Asylum attaches,. was known to be on the boat, and as sbus did not return to the institute on the eve- ning of the 24th, it was supposed that she was lost. Yesterday morning, however, she turned up at the building. She had a narrow ethane, and sustained some rather severe injuries in her effortto escape, after effecting which she made her way to the house of a friend and passed the night. A large number Of hats, coats, umbrellas, and in soto cases.-watohes, chains and even money, have disappeared during the confu- sion. . attending the Catastrophe In one instance a valuable gold watch was taken from the vest of Ur. James, one bf Carling's brewery agents. Mr. James removed his clothing in order to rescue the perishing, aud this was the treatment be received. Under the circumstances hanging would be too good for such Vile. miscreants if caught „ at such work. Nicholas Perko, the deck hand of the steaneet Victoria, while at work at the.. wreck during Tuesday night, foiled a vain- 7 able -gold watch and chain on the platform; of. the 'vessel, whith was about fourteen inthes below the water.' -It wasroning when found. The watch must have been. pulled out ef some person's pocket. _ -WEDDING DAY F°U In the case of .1d18s limma Box, one of • the vithims..there is a tinge of reelancholy„ kirmitimce; ha:VC-been her Wed -ding • day, but on some ground the °ensue:was- . Von of the engagement had been deferred for four weeks, As se rope on thitt morn- ing and departed from the residence of Mr. James Magee, barrister, where she Was. employed as a dothestio, she remarked to MM. Magee concerning the circumstance,. speaking Of the . heaaifel weather; end• ; describing it as a Lively day for a wedding. How little she dreamed it would provositthe day of her death; IN DEATH NOT DIVIDED. • MSS Fanny Cooper, daughter cif •Mr. John ' Cooper, photographer,.was engaged.' to be married to, Mr. Wm..Glass In a fort- night to -day. They went Own 'together. Their funerals took' place jointly this • afternecin, being Attended by ite very lags number of citizens. Both the decethed were great favorites in the community,. They were members of the Queen's Avenue Methodist Church choir. . * no* ore PARTY.ESCAPED: • • - • Mr. and Mrs. McLean, Miss Hattie Vag. gis, of Petrolia, Mrs:Agues Melbourne, Mr.. :Charles Melbourne and Mr, a -eines Iamb, Of this city,were tbo happy party who,. -five weeks ago °Oho fatal Tuesday; form- ed the Wedding -party tin the steamer GraCe Dorizter, 'in the St, Clair River. On the QueenBirthday they all again aseeinbled and bad their tickets purchased for Spring-' • bank, end Were about the. first totake their place on the Victoria, intending to pi down , and return on the earth boat. A sudden notion seemed to.strike Mrs. McLean; who skid, "Let us not ge, but go home instead." Alt. agreed but Mr. Chas...Melbourne, who went down, end in theacoident was one of . the•first.to take to the•Water and theist •ill• • reaming the strulglingOnee, • • , 1- 6 A 'WENTWORTH .GIRL•LOST. •On the W. It. express train which left boars litet .night at 11.40; the remains of, tfith Dennis, wno bad been on it visit to a.. friend in the city, were taken to • her late ,. home; eighteen miles from Hamilton. The bcidy was athompanied by two male rela- tives, who were piunged in the deepest • • grief. One, a young man, brokeforth With * the lamentation "Oh. how Cen I tell her 'poor widowed mother A TERRIDIM SCENE, • ' A most diegistingandlibertrending eight .. was witnessed in thnneetion. with -the dia. asteiin No. Maid:, 'A girt aged 12 years,: daughter Of Matilda Grafton, wits!,ameng the drowned, The Corpse *asbrought ter Matilda's house, but instead of exhibiting signs of grief and affliction the Wretched woman Went andliefight,whiekey; and she. xd1er-miserable-.--husband -performed drunken orgies round the coffin of. their Only daughter. policeman's presence in the house at a late hourchengedthe oondu- tion of affairs. •• TEOULNNG NARRATIVE BY *A. LADY SURVIVOR.. • • Miss Jessie Coy, of Xoutit 13rydges, gives a thrilling narrative of the scene of the 'disaster. She says the steamer came quietly up for a long distance from Spring - bank, and finally commenced to Tock front one side to the other, and the people Were running about in a.' confused state. The boat smashed rightaquare down. I was on the -upper deck,- and there was a great . excitement. I was in company with Mr. John Vickers, of Lobo, a miller, and he seeing the danger thok hold of me and we jumped into the river. Afterstruggling-for a while I 'said, "John, Satre yourself and I will do the same." •John let go of me with a parting farewell and this is the lath I saw of him. I swam • to the shore and a man held out a stick to, me. The people around me.were all on top of each other, the same as if they were in ,a well. The way -I- saved myself was.' by getting cleat of those who clung to me. • The people were all clinging together, call- ing Get off mei" " Help me and I'll, help you," "1 am " God have mercy on me," 'I know He will save me.''.. The oris were soon stifled and 1 de not - think it was over d minute before all was still. The whole tipper deck collapsed like an umbrella and henoned in the crowd. . TIM CAPTAIN'S AGONY. It is natural that the captain of the ill- fated sthainer should bo muck eicercised over the sad fate of his passengers. It is reported that he cannot sleep and is aimed demented. Last night chloroform was administered, and ice applications.kept up ,without cessation. The captain, being . muth bruised and ,battered, presented a 'woeful appearance aftetithe disaster, and fears are entertained that the unfortunate man will petnittnently lese his reaeon. " THE Vurz, itianNr op THE CAtAMITY. The exact inunber of lives lost by the disaster may never be known. ]or sortie- tirne after the tragedy occurred, dispite the efforte Of the authorities, people would carry off their dead before the names eould be ascertained. A gentleman Who was ,early on the SCOIA0 told IHO he saw several mothers seize their infants when broglit ashore and; knowing they had got their all, rush horn the- horrible scene. The record of the Oenatiteriest- after the" inter- - 'Malta ate over, Will probably give the neartrilt approximation. Over 200 bodith have thug far been recovered, and it ift belies's:id that several are yet in the water.