TERRIBLE STEAMBOAT ACCIDENT IN ONTARIO.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 9456, 23 July 1881, Page 3

TERRIBLE STEAMBOAT ACCIDENT IN ONTARIO.

(ELome News.) On May 24 the steamer Victoria, while turning from Springbank, Ontario, th over .600 excursionists on board, psized at a point one mile down the rer, in 12 feet of water, and became a tal wreck. All the j>assengers were stantly plunged into the stream. The tal loss of life is estimated at nearly 0. and 250 bodies have been recovered. any prominent citizens have perished the disaster, and terrible distress preils in consequence. The disaster is said to be the result, in c first instance, of overloading, and :ondly, of the rushing of the panicicken passengers from one side to the ber. As the ship careened the stanchis on the upper deck gave way, and c whole structure, which was thronged th passengers, fell on the crowded cks below. The Victoria then graally settled on her side, precipitating mbers of people into the water. Later details of the above terrible amity state that on the day the accint happened large parties of excurnists had gone down the river Thames, iich is near the city of London in itario, to spend the Queen's birthday liday at a favourite resort called ringbank, and on returning in the icing the boats were much, overiwded. One of tbem, an old steamer led the Victoria, had between 6QO and 3 persons on board after leaving the t calling station ; there was also a ad on board, and a space had been ared on deck for dancing. About a [c from her destination, when near jCove Railway Bridge, the steamer Idenly heeled over on one side; a mber of persons rusbed to the oppoe side, but the boat gave a sudden eh and went down almost immeitely, going completely to pieces. The amer's boats and lifebelts are said to re been in good order, and at the ice where the accident occurred the ter is only about thirteen feet deep ; t the catastrophe was so sudden, and i panic so, intense, that a large number lives were sacrificed that might lerwise have been saved. A number pftople were picked up by boats which stened to the rescue, and others were ?ed by clinging to the wreckage until 3y could be taken off. The scene is scribed as heartrending. Men made sperate efforts to save their wives and ildren, but the confusion was so great it nothing could be done. The air is so full of shrieks and cries that ices could not be distinguished. The ijoiity of the drowned were fathers d mothers and their children, who ing together. Persons of all positions life are among the dead. Whole nilieshave in some cases disappeared, lilst nearly every family in the city stained bereavements. The accident pears to have been due to gross recksness, as the boat was " disgracefully ercrowded." The manager, before it irtcd, was remonstrated with, and getl not to let the boat go out in such dangerous condition. He is said to vi! replied, " All right : I know my siness." Nearly 250 bodies have been recovered, d it is believed that there are many no beneath the wreck. Amongst the jst prominent citizens drowned were essrs James Robertson, manager of c Bank of British North America ; J. Meredith, clerk of Divisional Court ; illiain Mcßride, city assessor and cretary of "Western Fair Association ; tl William Millrnan, of Montreal, and > two sons. A survivor says that upon c steamer commencing to rock, the sseugers ran from one side to the ber, with a view to balancing her, but c swinging and swaying still increased, itil the top deck fell off with a crash, riny to the posts which supported it ving way, in consequence of so many ople holding to them to save themIves from being swept overboard, and c vessel then toppled over and broke to several pieces. The scene was most lartreuding, the greater number of issengers on board being women and lildren.