British Whig (Kingston, ON), 10 Jul 1913

p.1 May Improve Service - Oswego, N.Y. - .... "The Richelieu & Ontario Navigation company proposes to establish a branch ticket office in this city, affording through passage between Oswego and Quebec, Montreal, Saguenay and Toronto. This would be done by passengers taking the Olcott to Kingston or the Thousand Islands and at either of these points change to any of the Richelieu & Ontario company's boats...."

A DRILL BOAT STRUCK BY A BOLT OF LIGHTNING

DYNAMITE EXPLODED

Alfred Pabrin, aged thirty-seven, married, living in Cornwall, internal injuries and scalp wounds.

William Reid, aged forty-three, married, of Bannockburn, Ont., leg and hip badly fractured, back badly bruised.

Blake Landon, aged thirty-three, single, living at Lansdowne, left shoulder badly dislocated.

Joseph Hurd, aged twenty-four, single, living in Montreal, body badly bruised.

Louis Quesnal, aged twenty-three, single, living in Cornwall, fractured leg, wounds on the head.

Milton R. Murray, aged forty-four, Buffalo, N.Y., scalp wounds and leg fractured.

When lightning struck a government drill boat, near Grindstone Island, late Wednesday afternoon, it set off a large quantity of dynamite which was on board, to be used to work in that vicinity. Six men were injured, the injuries of two of the victims being of such a serious nature that it is feared that they will not recover.

As soon as the accident occurred word was sent to Gananoque, and Drs. Bird and Davis hurried to the scene and after the injured men had been given first aid they were taken to Calumet Island.

The accident occurred at 5:30 o'clock. Gananoque and that district was visited by a very severe electrical storm during the afternoon.

The drill boat has been working in that vicinity for some days and has been engaged in the work of removing the big shoal between the foot of Hay Island and Grindstone Island.

The explosion was heard by a number of people in Gananoque. A man named Richards, who was engaged as foreman on the drill boat, was standing on the wharf at Gananoque when the explosion occurred. Some person standing near him made the remark "that was a terrible peal of thunder."

"I'm sure that was not thunder," said the foreman. "It was more like an explosion of dynamite." In a very short time they found that the foreman's remarks had been only too true. The foreman and a number of Gananoque people went to the rescue as soon as possible. Quite a number of motor boats and launches made the trip over to the scene of the accident from Gananoque.

Loss Is Large.

The drill boat and equipment is a total wreck. It is stated that the damage will amount to between $30,000 and $40,000.

This piece of work has been rushed along, and for this reason both a day and night gang have been on the job. The day gang had just about finished work when the accident occurred.

Pabrin received the most serious injuries and it was stated that it was very doubtful if he would recover. Reid and Quesnal are also in a serious condition but are doing as well as can be expected. Report states that the other patients are doing well.

The accident caused quite a sensation in and around Gananoque. In addition to the electrical display, which was vivid, the district also had quite a down pour of rain. No other place suffered as a result of the lightning.

A report of the accident reached Kingston late on Wednesday night, and it was stated that four men had been killed. Travellers coming up on the train from Gananoque knew of the explosion and the report they had was that four men had lost their lives and that four others had been badly injured.

p.2 Uncle of Dead Man - arrives in Kingston and identified the body of the young man who drowned off the steamer Kingston as Thomas Homersham.

p.5

IN MARINE CIRCLES.

The steamer Iroquois, from Port Colborne, is discharging grain at Richardsons' elevator.

The schooner Julia B. Merrill cleared on Thursday for Oswego.

The schooner Ford River, loaded with feldspar, cleared for Charlotte on Thursday.

The schooner Horace Taber cleared for Oswego to load coal for Gananoque.

The steamer Missisquoi was in port from Gananoque today.

M.T. Co.'s elevator: The steamer Turret Cape arrived from Fort William, and is discharging a cargo of oats and wheat; steamer Ames, which was aground, is discharging grain; steamer Cornwall arrived with schooner Maize loaded with flax seed taken off the steamer Ames; tug Emerson from Oswego with the barge Dunmore, cleared with three grain barges for Montreal; the oil steamer Fordonian is due to arrive tomorrow from Fort William to discharge grain.

At Swift's wharf: steamer Toronto passed down and up on Thursday; steamer Dundurn due on her way east today; steamer Majestic called on her trip west; the steamer North King due east and west on Thursday.

The schooner Horace Taber, of Toronto, which has been in the Davis' dry-dock undergoing repairs, left the dock on Wednesday afternoon. The schooner D.P. Dobbins immediately took its place and will also have a thorough overhauling and caulking.

p.6 photograph - "Neagha, the American yacht who won the second race in the George Cup series. The Nirwana, a Canadian yacht, won on Monday and also on Wednesday, retaining cup"

p.8 George Cup Retained - the Nirwana, of the R.C.Y.C. of Toronto, beat Neagha of Watertown to take George Cup; Neagha was faster in light airs. (1/2 column)

p.9 New Steamship Co. - Toronto, July 10th - The new steamship company organized by Mr. Cawthra Mulock, of Toronto and his associates, will, it is stated, be used exclusively for companies in which Mr. Mulock is interested. On the west-bound trips the steamers will handle the output of the National Iron Works while on the east-bound trips the steamers will carry cargoes to the mills of the Maple Leaf Milling company, at Port Colborne.