TANGIBLE SYMPATHY
From far and wide, in fact, warm messages of sympathy and offers of assistance were sent. The cities of Canada came valiantly to the rescue, councils and individuals appropriating money for the relief of both victims and bereaved. For instance, Acting Mayor McCarthy immediately asked the Social Service Commission to prepare a list of the relatives of all Torontonians lost in the wreck, and to estimate the amount of money that would suffice for their adequate relief. The procedure was then to establish a public fund in the city, one-half being contributed by grant of the council, and the other half by citizens.
Arrangements were made by the city to meet all Toronto survivors of the disaster upon their arrival at the Union Station, and, wherever necessary, to provide them with outfits of clothing.
Thus in one way and another the friendly hand of help was offered to both survivors and bereaved.
CHAPTER XVI
Placing the Blame
INQUIRY CONDUCTED BY CORONER PINAUT—NO REPLY TO “STAND FAST” CRY—TESTIMONY OF JAMES RANKIN—CHIEF ENGINEER EXPLAINS—WIRELESS OPERATOR’S STORY—GOVERNMENT INQUIRY—CAPTAIN LINDSAY’S WORK—CAPTAINS’ STATEMENTS CONTRADICTORY—STORSTAD DEFENDED—PILOT NAULT TELLS STORY—AN OFFICER’S STORY—THIRD OFFICER’S STORY—“WAIT FOR THE VERDICT”
WHILE final tabulations of the casualties in the sinking of the ill-fated steamship Empress of Ireland were being made on Saturday, May 30th, Captain Kendall, of the liner, was telling his story of the disaster at an inquiry conducted by Coroner Pinaut at Rimouski.
Captain Kendall in substance declared that he had taken all possible precautions against a collision. His ship had been stopped, and he had given the requisite signals when the collier which dealt the blow that sent the Empress to the bottom, was still two miles away; but the collier had kept on through the fog, which settled down after the two vessels sighted each other, and had rammed the Empress of Ireland while the latter was virtually motionless. Then, despite his plea to the master of the collier that he run his engines full speed ahead to keep the hole in the liner’s side plugged with the Storstad’s bow, said Captain Kendall, the Norwegian vessel backed away, the water rushed in and the Empress sank.