Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1903 — SHIP SINKS; 100 DRDWN. [ARTICLE]

SHIP SINKS; 100 DRDWN.

French Eteamer Li baa in Collision Goes Down Near Marseilles. A terrible shipping disaster occnrred a little distance from Marseilles at noon Sunday, when two passenger steamers, the Insulaire and. the Liban,' both belonging to the , Fr<njU»seftet Steamship Company of Marseilles, came into collision, The Liban was started for the shore,-the captain’s purpose being to run agrpund, but the veabel snnk and over 100 of her passengers nnd crew perished. The steamer Liban left Marseilles Sunday, morning on her regular passenger trip to Bastia, Corsica, and was run down and sunk by the Insulaire off the Maire Islands.' The collision was witnessed from the pilot boat Rlechamp, which was about two miles distant. .The Blechamp immediately repaired to the spot to render assistance. The force of the collision had cut a great hole in the Libau’s side, nnd she-already was filling with water rapidly. Her captain saw the only chance was to run the steamer aground and the Liban was headed full speed for the shore, but within seventeen minutes of the collision and while still in deep water the fore part of the steamer plunged beneath the waves and a few minutes later had entirely disappeared. In the meantime the Blechamp and the steamer Balkan, also belonging to the Fraissenet company, nnd other vessels had drawn near the sinking ship and were making desperate efforts to rescue those on board. The Blechamp picked lip forty persons, many of whom were at the point of exhaustion. The Balkan rescued thirty-seven passengers, and it is known that in addition to the passengers seventeen of the crew were nlro saved. Officers of the steamer Balkan describe the scene just before the Liban disappeared as a terrible one. As the vessel was sinking she was inclined to such an angle that her masts struck the water, causing an eddy, which made the work of reseue most difficult. A mass of human beings were clinging to the foundering vessel and uttered despairing cries as she went down. At the same time the boilers exploled, intensifying the horror. For a few moments the victims ware seen struggling in the sea, then the waves closed over them and nil was client. Of about 100 who were aboard the Liban it is feared that at least half were drowned.