Viking Survivors Estimated at 118

Captain Abram Kean jr. Injured but Reached the Shore

Shortage of Food and Medical Supplies on Horse Island

First Message This Morning 

            The following messages were received this morning by the Department of Telegraphs, from Operator Bartlett, Horse Island – “One hundred and eighteen survivors of the Viking landed here safely.  A number of the men are in a weak condition.”  The operator states he had short conversation with Capt. Abram Kean, Jr., last night after he landed.  The captain stated he was thrown from the bridge over the side to the ice, a distance of twelve feet, at the time of the explosion, and sustained bodily injuries.  The operator made further inquiries and learned that all the men who were able to walk have been rescued.  A dory containing five survivors who are badly injured, with two others offering assistance, failed to make the mainland during the night.  The position of the dory when last seen was about five miles due east of Horse Islands.

Position Of Rescue Ships.

            At 8:30 a.m. the Department of Telegraphs advised The Telegram that the rescue steamers Foundation Franklin and Sagona, which were dispatched with haste yesterday afternoon from this port to the scene of the disaster are making excellent headway.  Captain Burgess sent in a wireless message via Fogo stating the Foundation Franklin would reach Horse Islands about one o’clock, while Capt. Jacob Kean reported at 8 a.m. the Sagona had passed Cabot Island.

Telegram Message

            A special message from Operator Bartlett to The Evening Telegram at 10 a.m. was as follows:

            “118 landed here safe many suffering severe injuries.  Six men left here to search for operator.

Crew of “Viking”

            One Hundred and Fifty Signed On – Twelve Did Not Answer Roll Call.

            The Viking signed on 150 men of crew.  According to a message received by Capt. Kean shortly after leaving port, twelve did not respond to the roll call.  In addition to the crew the ship had two stowaways, Edward Cronin, Plymouth Road, Michael Gardiner, Fleming St., also M. Varick Frissell, A.E. Penrod and Harry Sargent and helper whose name is not known.  The chief engineer of the ship, George Ellsworthy, did not sail.  He was replaced by Fredrick Carnell, Quidi Vidi Road, who went as second engineer.  Mr. Joseph Murphy, Cabot Street is chief engineer.

            The subjoined is a full list of the crew that signed on the ship.  The twelve men who did not respond to the roll call and are indicated by a star.  It is not definite, however, that these are the twelve men who did not sail.

 Capt. Abram Kean Jr.                          Brookfield                                Master
Alfred Kean                                         Brookfield                                Second Hand
David Winter                                        Valleyfield                                Master Watch
Patrick Gushue                                     Conception Hr.                        Sealer
R. J. Wheeler                                       Lower Isld. Cove                     1st M. Watch
W.G. Johnston                                     Conception Bay                        Master Watch
George Day                                          Little Hr. P.B.                           Bridgemaster
Henry Brown                                        17 Mullock St.                         Galleyman                   
John Lambert                                       79 Kings Road                          Sealer
Robert Cole                                         Conception Hr.                         Sealer
William Goodwin                                  Trinity Bay                                First Cook
Alfred Butt                                           Freshwater                               Bridgemaster
Charles Fry                                          Brigus                                       Second Cook
Michael Martin                                     Flatrock                                   Sealer
Alphonsus Doyle                                  Gt. Island                                 Sealer
Israel Foley                                          Bonavista                                 Sealer
Chesley Martin                                     Bonavista                                 Sealer
James Street                                         Bonavista                                 Sealer
Yetman Mouland                                  Bonavista                                 Sealer
WM. Bartlett of John                            Georgetown, Brigus                  Sealer
*WM. Cole                                          Colliers                                    Sealer
Walter Batten                                       Bareneed                                  Sealer
Herbert Ryan                                        Port Rexton                              Sealer
*Michael Martin                                   Torbay                                     Sealer
Jacob Bradbury                                    Torbay                                     Sealer
Nicholas Roache                                  Middle Cove                            Sealer
Dan Fleming                                         Spillar’s Cove                           Sealer
Isaac Bradbury                                     Brigus                                       Sealer
Michael Kinsella                                   Outer Cove                               Sealer
*Edward Spracklin                               Brigus                                       Sealer
James Coady                                        Outer Cove                              Sealer
George Cross                                       Badger’s Quay                         Sealer
John Soper                                           Carbonear                                Sealer
*Fred Percey                                       Brigus                                       Sealer
Arthur Richards                                    Brigus                                       Sealer
*Abram Dyke                                      22 Beaumont St.                       Sealer
Albon Oakly                                         Wesleyville                               Sealer
*Walter Power                                     Flatrock                                   Sealer
Stephen Lush                                        Georgetown, Brigus                  Sealer
James Linthorne                                    Georgetown, Brigus                  Sealer
John Whitty                                          Georgetown, Brigus                  Sealer
*John Ryan                                          Logy Bay                                 Sealer
John Austin                                           Brownsdale                              Sealer
Malcolm Webber                                 Cupids                                     Sealer
Jerry Quinlan                                        Red Head Cove                       Sealer
Frank Dawe                                         Bay Roberts                             Sealer
George Linthorne                                 Georgetown, Brigus                  Sealer
Arch Linthorne                                     Georgetown, Brigus                  Sealer
John Breaker                                        Brigus                                       Sealer
Roland Legrow                                     Bauline                                     Sealer
James Burke                                         Colliers                                    Sealer
Benj. Ganey                                         Colliers                                     Sealer
Ernest Newell                                       Burnt Head                               Sealer
Richard Conway                                   Colliers                                    Sealer
Alfred Fifield                                        Trinity                                       Sealer
Henry Sparkes                                     Georgetown, Brigus                  Sealer
*Robert Bartlett                                    Marysvale                                Sealer
Harold Bishop                                      Burnt Head                               Sealer
James Dawe                                         Burnt Head                               Sealer
Richard Fowler                                     Burnt Head                               Sealer
William Fowler                                     Burnt Head                               Sealer
John Newell                                         Georgetown, Brigus                  Sealer
John Boland                                         Calvert                                     Sealer
*James White                                       Greenspond                              Sealer
Joseph Kelly                                         Brigus                                       Sealer
James Fry                                             Brigus                                       Sealer
Sydney Burry                                       Greenspond                              Sealer
John Gosse                                           Torbay                                     Sealer
Patrick Brown                                      Colliers                                     Sealer
Charles McGrath                                  Colliers                                     Sealer
Joseph Cole                                         Colliers                                     Sealer
Patrick Burke                                       Colliers                                     Sealer
Joseph Brown                                      Colliers                                     Sealer
Albert Sparkes                                     Sibley’s, T.B.                           Sealer
Joseph Lambert                                    King’s Bridge Road                  Sealer
Edward Conway                                  Colliers                                     Sealer
Jacob Ralph                                         Brazil’s Square                          Sealer
Harold Batten                                       Bareneed                                  Sealer
Wm. R. Boone                                     Bareneed                                  Sealer
William Fleming                                    Bonavista                                 Sealer
James Murray                                       Pouch Cove                             Sealer
Jacob Newell                                       Pouch Cove                              Sealer
Tom Fleming                                        Bonavista                                  Sealer
Israel Pearce                                        Bonavista                                  Sealer
David Chaulk                                       Catalina                                    Sealer
Gordon Loveys                                    Western Bay                             Sealer
Stanley Johnston                                   Job’s Cove, W. Bay                 Sealer
Eli Garland                                           Caplin Cove                             Sealer
Simeon Garland                                    Caplin Cove                             Sealer
Edward Oliver                                      Gull Island, C.B.                       Sealer
James Oliver                                         Gull Island, C.B.                       Sealer
Joseph Kennedy                                   Gull Island, C.B.                       Sealer
Michael Martin                                      Flatrock                                   Sealer
Wilfred Martin                                       Flatrock                                   Sealer
Ninshi Tippett                                       Catalina                                    Sealer
Isaac Efford                                          Bareneed                                  Sealer
Vincent Hawco                                    Torbay                                      Sealer
Henry Codner                                      Torbay                                      Sealer
Peter Berg                                            Wesleyville                                Sealer
Joseph Stockley                                   Brookfield, B.B.                        Sealer
Victor Hicks                                         Bonavista                                  Sealer
*Albert Spracklin                                 Brigus                                        Sealer
George Efford                                      North River                               Sealer
Zack Thistle                                          Pouch Cove                              Sealer
Walter Bursey                                      Lower Isld. Cove, C.B.             Sealer
Frank Flynn                                          Brigus                                       Sealer
Ira Percey                                            Brigus                                       Sealer
Thomas Kennedy                                 Brigus                                       Sealer
Simon S. Spracklin                               Brigus                                       Sealer
*Noah Way                                         Bonavista                                  Sealer
Alfred Way                                          Bonavista                                  Sealer
Wilson Kennedy                                   Western Bay                            Sealer
Ernest Spracklin                                   Brigus                                       Sealer
Edward Dalton                                     Gull Island                                Sealer
Paddy Spracklin                                   Brigus                                       Sealer
Walter Carew                                       Flatrock                                   Sealer
William John Doyle                               Gull Island                                Sealer
Dan Brown                                           Brigus                                       Sealer
John Roberts                                        Brigus                                       Sealer
Fred Payne                                           Brigus                                       Sealer
George Adams                                     Brigus                                       Sealer
Edward Bragg                                      Pouch Cove                              Sealer
Roland Gushue                                     Brigus                                       Sealer
George H. Youden                               Brigus                                       Sealer
John Kennedy                                      Brigus                                       Sealer
Richard Walker                                    Brigus                                       Sealer
John Doyle                                           Gull Island                                Sealer
Richard King                                        Brigus                                       Sealer
Ben. Antle                                            Brigus                                       Sealer
Patrick Bartlett                                     Brigus                                       Sealer
Samuel Morgan                                    Seal Cove                                Sealer
Henry Sparkes                                     Brigus                                       Sealer
George Spracklin                                  Brigus                                       Sealer
Thomas Spacklin                                  Brigus                                       Sealer
Charles Spracklin                                 Brigus                                       Sealer
William Kennedy                                  Job Street                                 Navigator
John J. Roche                                       Top Battery Road                     Doctor
Clayton King                                        Brigus                                       Marconi Operator
A. James Young                                   26 Mcneil St.                            Food Inspector
Stephen Mullett                                    Wesleyville                               Store Keeper
Roland Carter                                       Pleasant Street                          Boatswain
Joseph Murphy                                     29 Cabot St.                            Chief Engineer
Fred Carnell                                         Quidi Vidi Road                        2nd Engineer
H. Hansford                                         Shaw’s Lane                             3rd Engineer
P. Whelan                                            18 Spencer St.                          Fireman
Patrick Breen                                       43 Flower Hill                           Fireman
John Burke                                           18 Spencer St.                          Fireman
Richard Adams                                     Brennan St.                               Fireman           
Harold Wiseman                                   Water St. West                         Fireman
Anthony Taylor                                     MacFarine St.                           Fireman           

The Evening Telegram, March 18, 1931           

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