Excerpts from Newfoundland Posts and Telegraphs Daily News Journals

Newfoundland Posts and Telegraphs 
March 1924

Mar. 8:
The S.S. "Kyle" has succeeded in passing through ice blockade and has gone to [the]
rescue of the S.S. "Obernai" [a] French steamer leaking and in distress off Cape Race.

All sealing steamers are in the Stream [area in St. John's] waiting for the ice to move
off. Reports from points north indicate a general ice blocade of whole coast.

Mar. 10:
The crew of the "Obernai" which steamer sent out distress signals on Saturday
abandoned their steamer and were picked up in their boats by the American Line
steamship "Kungsholm" and are due at Halifax today.

The sealing fleet passed through the Narrows about eleven this morning and are
attacking the heavy jam of ice which with today's wind still presses against the shore.
At half past two the ships were about one and a half miles off Cuckhold's Cove
making very slow progress with Capt. George BARBOUR of the "Neptune" slightly
leading. Ships are making for a lake of water a few miles off shore which they think
may give them a lead northward.

Mar. 11:
Halifax reports that S.S. "Kungsholm" with crew of the sunken ship "Odernai" arrived
there yesterday. Five of the crew were Newfoundlanders, their names being Simon
MARTELL of Lardois, Alex HANN, Petites, George BANFIELD, Bay L'Argent,
William DRAKE and Edward POWER, Marystown. Whe the crew were picked up
they were in an exhausted condition and unable to hold out much lnger. All personal
belongings went with their ship.

Late yesterday afternoon Bowring Bros. received a message from Capt. Abraham
KEAN as follows: "Extremely sorry inform you that when crew was helping haul ship
through ice this morning about a dozen men fell through weak pan of ice. Before they
could be hauled out three of them were drowned. The names are as follows: David
WHELAN, St. John's, Maurice BREEN, Ferryland, Hubert HISCOCK, Champneys.
Stopped engines and made thorough search for the bodies but all efforts were in vain."

The position of steamers today is practically unchanged, about three miles off
Cuckhold's Cove.

Captain RANDALL of "Sagona" reports having four stowaways from St. John's.

Three sealers walked ashore  from"Ranger" to Fort Amherst [in St. John's] this
morning and returned to their ship. It will be impossible to get clear of ice jam until
wind changes they say.

The body of Mr. Denis HYDE who was drowned few days ago was recovered this
morning by diver SQUIRES.

Mar. 12:
Five of northern sealing fleet jammed off St. John's got clear last night and this
morning. "Neptune" worked way out of ice before midnight and passed Cape
Bonavista [at] eight this morning.

Message from Cutwell [Arm], [now Beaumont] reports Cecil PARSONS, courier
of Lush's Bight drowned yesterday when dogs and sled went through ice. [He would
have been carrying the mail.]

Mar. 18:
Lawrence BARRON a resident of Hoyrood. aged 62, was killed yesterday by train.
It is presumed he fell from train while taking a ride from Brien's Stand to Holyrood.

Mar. 20:
Yesterday afternoon the tug "John Green" made a search for the bodies of the three
unfortunate victims of the "Terra Nova" disaster but search was [in] vain. The locality
will be dragged first opportunity.

Mar. 24:
The memorial window erected in St. Thomas Church for the late John Shannon
MUNN and daughter, victims of the "Florizel" disaster was dedicated yesterday in
a special service at that church.

Mar. 27:
Hon. Mr. CAVE was informed that four men from Greenspond who were sent
hunting [from their ship, presumably] had drifted off in a boat with the ice and all
efforts to rescue had failed. The "Daisy" was immediately despatched to the scene
yesterday afternoon. It is not known if the steamer has reached the men. A very late
message states "Daisy" is 10 miles south of Cape Bonavista and apparently ship is
stuck in ice.

Mar. 28:
The "Daisy" sheltered last night at King's Cove and left there at eight a.m. to
search for the unfortunate Greenspond sealers who were driven off. A message
from Magistrate JANES to Hon. W.H. CAVE indicated no further news
regarding them though the probability exists they were able to land on one of
the islands.

Mar. 29:
Messages received from Greenspond state the four men of whom the S.S. "Daisy"
was sent in search are safe at Deer Island.

Mar. 31:
The [seal-spotting] airplane has flown and reports very near the ship a patch of
white coats measuring about three miles by eight in which 50,000 seals are
estimated. Capt. George BARBOUR is of the opinion seals will not take to the
water for a few days yet.