THE MONTREAL.

NZ Truth, Issue 104, 15 June 1907, Page 8

THE MONTREAL.

"On the afternoon, of Frid:ay; ; • 'June' 26, 1857:, the .' steam er Montreal left Quebtec. on her return journey tlo the city she was named after, Montreal, some three hundred miles further up the St. Itfuvrence, -which,, at this part .varies from two to eleven miles broad. The Montreal haidi on board about 30 cato* passengers and some 450 to 500 emigramits, mostly' Sc'otcL. About twelve' miles above Quebec smoke was seento arise from amidships, over the saloon, and m less than "ten minutes the whole vessel was a mass of flame. The precautions' taken to arrest the fire were ineffectual. "The light, dry deck-hous-es, which furnishes the sumptuous accommodation of a iirst-eTass American river steamer, afforded the readiest food--to the fire. When it was too late* the captain bethought himself of saving his passengers, as well as his vessel. His heiad was turn&d towards shore, wihiichwas iK>t far Htstaht. butirnfortuTiately the river was shallow; and the heated machinery became uhnnjanaigeaWe. Within -iifo yawls of land the sWp STRUCK A SUNKEN R©CK, •The terror of the passengers as usual hiadc t'.us. -boats useless. Before the steamer's head ha'dfteen liirned towards shore the mate got out the jolly-boat, for the purpose*

Tine emiigrcurits, however, made a rush into' it,- anidit was swiamped. No other boat was lowered!, and the . survivors escaped either through their own i'exer'tdoMS m swimming or the aid rendered fey the 'boats of another ■steamer, the Napoleon. She had left Quebec at the same time as- the Montreal, andi at -the time o f the (accident was about 'hialf a mile ahead. By good fortune s-he was towing., a large .'boat, and this and . her: own boats were sent to the relief of the fouranjvg vessels , .' • / IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE . ,-to approaoh v ; Vieryi ; closely,; to '. the flames, and consequently: the passengers had ''to jump into the water, and either swim or float until they could hie picked up-. -Among many- instances of bravery, recorded that displayed by Mrs : Broamfield, the wife of an employee .of the' Grand Trunk:- Railway Company, at Toronto was the most noteworthy. Although thrown into the water with her children, she did not lose her presence of mind,, touti clinging, to a rope with one hand, with the .other , she kiept the head of a child above water, 1 holding another up by fastening her -'teeth m its drsss. Under this heavy, load two of the lady's teeth gave way. At last a vbioa/t went towards her. Men strugrgling around her were shouting to be taken m, but ,the devoted woman COULD NOT .SCREAM.. X (boatman, however, observing th ; a't she needed assistance more than many others, got hold of her just dn the nick of time. This appalling fire resulted m tbe loss of- several hundred lives, but the exact number is unknown, as the los*; for the most part were strangers to the country and to one another..