The Hemisphere: Noronic Settlement

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In Cleveland's federal court last week, survivors of the S.S. Noronic disaster and relatives of the 119 victims who died when the Great Lakes excursion steamer burned at a Toronto dock in 1949 were awarded $2,150,000. It was the largest settlement ever made to passengers in a marine disaster. Only twelve of 575 claimants, who originally sued for nearly $19 million, rejected the offer made by Canada Steamship Lines Ltd.

Still to be determined, after hearings, is the amount to be given each claimant. The biggest single slice of the settlement, $716,666, will be split among some 90 lawyers who prepared the suits.