Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 37, Number 142, 19 April 1912 — Page 1

B PAX ABIUM AND SUN-TELEGRAM VOL. XXXVII. NO. 142. RICHMOND, IND., FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 19, 1912. SINGLE COPY 2 CENTS.

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ittei lei Ik tyfctims of Titanic Live Up to Examples of Courage of Anglo Saxon Race-Graphic Are the Stories Told Today By the Survivors -Craze for Speed Was the Cause for the Great Sea Disaster Butt And Asior Died Gallantly

TITANIC DISASTER TOLD IN FIGURES Rescued by Carpathia, 705 Lost 1,535 The Rescued: First Cabin Passengers . . . Second Cabin Passengers Steerage Passengers. .202 ,115 ,178 Crew ..210 NEW YORK, April 19 That the pritanlc wn plowing through the waiter on her fatal voyage under orders ' of high official of. the White Star :llne In.sthHHtng effort to make a J new . transatlantic record ; ? that the I collision with the gigantic iceberg did jnot immediately convince the, ship's -officers that a disaster was imminent; that after the collision the passengers were first ordered back to their berths .and that some of them were ignorant , ;of the seriousness of the accident until some time after; that an actual ipanic was subdued until the final (plunge was'made, were facts learned today concerning the greatest sea tragedy In history, when, Sunday night, the Titanic, with her band playing, sank to her death. I y . ,,, ... . (National News Association) , NEW YORK, April 19. With all its .tragic details the complete story of the (Titanic disaster, the world's greatest ea horror, was told here today by 'the survivors, who arrived last night on the Cunard liner Carpathia. After striking an iceberg that towered 150 .'feet above the waterline, the Titanic sank slowly. As the inrush of icy wajter reached the engine rooms, the boilers exploded, sending up showers, of fjive flame, sparks and smoke that icaused the four great funnels of the Jlilp to resemble craters of active volcanoes. It is believed that the explosion broke the ship's back for she ank at once in water two miles deep. jShe carried down with her leading txaen of America and England. Band Kept On Playing. As the ship went down the band was .playing. Captain Smith stood upon the bridge. The last glimpse of the ship Iby those in life boats was accompanied (by strains of the orchestra. The Titannc went down on her nose. As she took - the final plunge her stern rose high dn the air, she left the sea covered with struggling men. The water and ir were bitter cold and hey could not survive the exposure. There were some cries, but these soon died away and nothing more was heard. The narratives of the various survivors gathered into a consecutive story makes one of the most thrilling tales of modern life. It is a story filled with herotjsm, unparalleled, bravery and heroism performed by American business , (jnen. They were men of millions who lad everything to live for and yet in hat crisis at sea they worked coolly, steadfastly, to save women and children. Then they went down with the White Star liner Titanic, the greatest ship afloat When the Carpathia came ,!nto port carrying 705 survivors of the disaster in which 1,535 were lost the .curtain which had hidden the story of Ithe disaster since the first word of it ras flashed to a startled world Monday morning was drawn aside. Here is the real story of the sinking of the Titanic which at 11:35 o'clock Sunday night struck an iceberg and went to the bottom less than three hours later. Came Without Warning. The Titanic was athrob with the joy tbf life on Sunday night, when without ' warning, the .great liner was jammed .Against a partially submerger iceberg. fTbe blow which was a glancing one, jdld not cause much of a Jar and there were some on board who did not know (that any accident bad happened at all jtintil later. The liner struck the berg fin the starboard amidships. Only Captain S. E. Smith, the comjpaander realised that there might be

grave danger and even he did not re-;

gard the collision as fatal. Going to the wireless "cabin where operator Phillips was in conversation with Cape Race on traffic matters, he gave orders to the wireless man to hold himself In readiness to flash out a distress signal. ' At the time there was a great throng in the main saloon where the ship's orchestra was giving a concert. Despite the bitterly cold weather, some of the passengers were taking advantage of the bright moonlight to stroll upon the decks. Survivors who were upon the starboard side said that the Ice mountain, which the ves sel struck was at least 150 feet high where exposed. . At the time the ship was steaming ahead under nearly a full head of steam, about 21 knots an hour. If she had been going slowly the disaster probably would not have reached such horrible proportions. Acting under orders from Captain Smith, the ship's -officers passed among the pas-J sengers reassuring them when the rumor spread that the ship had struck. - Told To Keep Cool. "Keep cool; there is no great danger," was the message which was repeated over and over again, gradually became monotonous. The warning was hardly necessary, for none, save the highest officers of the ship who were in Captain Smith's confidence, knew the gravity of the situation. Captain Smith immediately went below and began an examination. This showed that quick action, was necessary and within fifteen minutes of his first warning, the captain again entered the wireless cabin and told operator Phillips to flash the distress signal. "Send the international call for help so that all will understand," said Captain Smith. Assistant operator ; Harold Bride, who had been sleepiug, was standing at Phillips' side. He thought so lightly of the accident that he made a jesting remark which caused both Smith and Phillips to" laugh. Some of the passengers who had been sleeping, were aroused and left their berths. Many hastened on deck , to get a glimpse of the berg, but so swiftly was it moving in the gulf stream "current, that within twenty minutes after the vessel had struck it the ice mountain had disappeared from view. At 11:50 p. m., fifteen minutes after the collision, the first intimation of impending danger was given. Officers passed among the passengers warning them to put on life belts and the tarpaulins were, cast off the life boats and life rafts and the davit guys loosened so that the boats could be swiftly slung over the sides. Members of the crew also donned life preservers, but with studied forethought Captain Smith ordered the principal officers not to don their belts. Ship Began to List. They were told, however, to be

Map Showing How the Great Sea Tragedy

Map showing how the appalling Titanic catastrophe would have been avoided had the giant ship been taken over the safe, sane and somewhat longer southern route. Instead of-following the perilous northerly route, which cuts through the wide expanse of ice fields that extend over an area of several hundred miles of th Northern Atlantic off the coast of New Foundland. At this time of the year this expanse of water is especially dangerous because of the enormous ice bergs that drift down from the Arctic regions and float about along th line of the Northern Route, a constant peril and dread to the passenger liners that follow this course in an effort to save fnel expense and time for their companies. The northern route Is in -the neighborhood of two hundred miles shorter than the safe southern route.

Ice Field and

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Bergs and ice field photographed from S. S. Niagara last Friday in latitude 41:50, near the Tltantic's grave. The Niagara arrived at her New York dock Tuesday with her starboard bow badly crushed. The Captain reported that on last Friday she creashed into two small and almost submerged icebergs near the vicinity of the Titanic catastrophe. The photograph was taken from the deck of the Niagara at daybreak after the collision.

ready to do so in an emergency. The ship had soon begun to list. The wireless masts were sputtering a blue streak of ejarks.- Phillips sat at his key, pounding out one "S O 8" call after another. He alternated between the ?'S O S" and the "C Q D" so that there could be no possible chance of the signal "being misunderstood. ...Thst, first ship to respond to the Titanic's wireless appeals was the Frankfurd. The second was the Carpathia. , Phillips told the Carpathia wireless man that the accident was serious and that the White Star liner was sinking by the head. "We are putting about and coming to your aid" was the reply flashed by the Cunarder. At 12:15 o'clock the officers began warning the women to get into the boats. Even at this time no one realized that there was any danger. Many of the women refused to get into the boats and had to be placed In them forcibly by the crew. Col. and Mrs. John Jacob Astor were walking upon the deck. They were approached by Captain H. D. Steffason of the Swedish embassy at Washington. Captain Steffason advised Mrs. Astor to leave the ship. She demurred Baying "there' was no danger. Finally Col. Astor said: "Yes my dear, it is better for you to go". I will follow in another boat after all the women have been taken off." They kissed and parted. It was their final parting. Mrs. Washington Dodge, of San Francisco, "wife of another, prominent passenger, was asleep in her state room. She was aroused by her . husband who urged her to get into a boat. So certain were both that the measures were only precautionary and not necessary that they did not even kiss each other goodbye. Mr. Dodge embarked in another' boat. These incidents are given because they are typical. They show how little the passengers knew that they were standing at the brink of death. - The riven plates under the waterline increased the gap allowing more and more water to pour into the hold. The steel frame had been buckled by the impact of the collision and water was rushing into the supposedly watertight compartments around the doors. J A' 9

Bergs Near Titanic9 s Grave

. The dynamo supplying the ship's searchlight and the wireless outfit were put out of commission. Officers hurried hither and thither reporting to Captain Smith. This master marine hero- of the White Star line knew that he was doomed to death by all the traditions of the sea but did not flinch. He was the coolest man on board. As life boat after lifeboat was filled and swung over the side it pulled off some distance and stood by. When the officers began to load the women of the steerage into the boats, trouble etarted. Men refused to be separated from their wives. Families clamored to get into life boats together. .The ship officers had a hard time subduing some of the steerage passengers. The survivors ' say that some of the men of the steerage were shot by the ship's officers. Mrs. Straus Remains. As the officers were loading the women of the first cabin list Into the boats they came upon Mrs.- Isador Straus, the elderly wife of the noted philanthropist. She started to get into a boat but held back, waiting for her husband to follow. Mr. Straus tenderly took her in his arms, bade her farewell and explained that he must abide by the inexorable rale of the sea which says women. and children must be saved first. '. '. "If you do not go I do not go," exclaimed the devoted wife. She clung to her husband's arm and, despite his efforts and -the efforts of officers to persuade her to get into one of the boats, she refused. The devoted couple went to deattt together. While the vessel was going down the calls for help were picked up and acknowledged by the White Star liner Baltic and Olympic. Both turned their heads toward the Titanic but were too far away to render any aid. The band", which Jtiad been playing incessantly in the,main$aloon, moved out to the open deck and the strains of music arose above the shouts of the officers and the cries of the passengers. By 1 o'clock even those who itnew nothing of seamanship began to realize by the danger angle at which the giant liner careened that she was in grave danger. By, this time over half of the life boats bad been sent away

A.TL.A.IM T"I C O CCAKI

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and they formed a ring In the darkness about the great ship. - Acted Like Americans. Excitement began to run high. Major A. W. Butt, military aid to President Taft, W. T. Stead, the famous Journalist, Col. Astor, and ..others of the passengers volunteered their services to Captain Smith. They helped the officers hold back other male passengers who by this time, had become thoroughly frightened. ' " As one of the life boats was being swung over the ship's side a "frantic mother, who had been 6eperated from her eight year old boy, cried out hysterically. Col. Astor was standing by the boat assisting the officers.' The little boy, in the last stage of fright and despair, stretched out his arms ' appealingly to his mother but the officer in command of the boat said that it would not be safe for another to enter. Col. Astor, seeing a girl's hat lying upon the deck, stealthily placed It upon the boys head. Lifting up the child, he called out, "Surely you will not leave a little girl ' behind." . The ruse worked.' The child was taken on board. , . ... ' . , Up in tho wireless room, Bride had placed a -life preserver upon his companion Phillips while the latter sat at his. key. - -. , . Shoots Stoker Down. Upon returning. from the captain's cabin with a message. Bride saw a grimy stoker of gigantic proportions bending over Phillips removing the life belt. Phillips would not abandon his key for an instant to fight off the

stoker. . Bride is a little man (he was subsequently saved) but nluckr Drawing his revolver he shot down the intruder-and the wireless worker went on as though nothing had happened. Bv 1:30 o'clock the treat - vessel. which but a short time before had been the marvel of the twentieth century, s a waterlogged hulk.' Panic was steadily growing. The word had been passed around that the ship was doomed. The night continued calm The sea (Continued on Page Six)

Could Have Been Avoided

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Gave TestoittiDiy

High Official of White Star Line Appears Before Senate Committee Today and Testifies Ship was Running 21 Knots When Accident Occurred Admits He Jumped into A Lifeboat No Life Rafts Aboard The Ship

J. Bruce Ismay, managing director of the International Mercantile Marine company, owners of the White Star line, was sitting in the cafe chatting with some friends when the Titanic ran upon the berg. He was the first one informed by Capt. Smith. Ismay rushed to the deck to look -at the berg. "The ship cannot sink," was the reply which he gave with smiling assurance to all inquiries. Nevertheless there are survivors who say that Mr. Irmay was one of the passengers of the third life, boat which put off. Few saw htm enter the boat (National New Association) , NEW YORK, April 19. J. Bruce Is may. managing director of the inter national mercantile marine owners of the White Star line testifying under oath today . before the United States Senate committee investigating the Ti tanic .disaster, swore that at the' time the liner crashed into, the Iceberg off Newfoundland she was .making twenty one knots or twenty-six miles an hour. . This conlrms the statement of Quartermaster J. H. Moody who stated that the Titanic was making twentyone . knots, traveling at high speed when she hit the iceberg. It had been charged that the -high speed at which the Titanic was traveling. was responsible for the terrific crash which sent the -vessel to the bottom. ; Ismay admitted that there were no life rafts on board the vessel when she sank after crashing-into the Iceberg. He also admitted that he left the vessel in one of the first boats lowered. He said that he jumped into It.. In explaining . his theory that a side blow was the cause of the loss of the gigantic liner Mr. Ismay said, "the ship was especially constructed so that she would float with any two of her compartments filled with water. I think I am right in saying that very few ships have ever had that capacity. If she had hit the iceberg head on in all human probability she would be floating today." .. Denies High 8peed Order. In his testimony, however, Mr. Ismay declared that the ship had not been ordered to proceed at full speed, in order to establish a new record. He made this statement to controvert the (charge that high speed orders had Deen J"!. y tne executive oncers jof th lin- He 8aId he wa" "kep wnen the vessel struck, I "Captain Smith awakened me and Bald. 'w bave struck Ice.' I asked him whether he considered the situation i ous ana ne saia tnat ne aia. I tnen c"5 the chief engineer and he also considered the situation serious.' Mr. Ismay then stated that he had sent no message from the Carpathia. - "Were you on deck when the order was given to lower the boats, he was asked.

He replied that he was; that Captain Smith had simply turned and given the order to lower the life boats. All the life boats, he said, were on the sun deck. The women and children were put In them and they were lowered into the sea. Ismay said he saw two or three' boats lowered and that these were lowered from the sun deck. In reply to questions he said that the officers superintended the loading of the boats and assigning the men to care for them first, and then filling them with women aa they appeared on deck. As a rule, he declared, four sailors were assigned to each life boat and that one of them was a quartermaster. Mr. Ismay said be did not know whether all of the women and children on board . had - been accommodated, but that there were forty-five persons In the boat in which be was. Saw One Beat Lowered. Mr. Ismay said he saw the first boat lowered on the starboard side but that he did not know whether It was the first boat that had been lowered from the ship. He denied knowledge that -any of the life boats had been insufficiently manned. ' . ' "Did you seo Charles M. Hays, or know of any prominent American on board?" "I knew Hays was on board but did not see him after the accident.' ."What were the circumstances of your departure from the boat?" "I was opposite the life boat. The boat was lowered. There were no wpmen on that. part of the deck. Captain Smith called out. 'Are there any more women to go.'. I was the only passenger there and I jumped in." "At what point was the Titanic rammed?" ... "I am told between the cut water and the bridge." "Did you see any men passengers on board with life preservers?" "All had them 'on as far as I can remember." , - "When you went Into the boat you say there, were no passengers on that part of the boat?" , "No. there were not." . . . , Was No Confusion. "Did you see any struggle or confusion?" ISO. -.-.- "Before you entered the life boat did you see passengers jumping over?" . "No." - ,. "Can you describe the life raft?" "There . were none on board tb ship." ... "Isn't it customary for White Star liners to carry life rafts?" "I believe they did In the old days: Life rafts are not suitable at the pre:

ent time." - "Do you know what capacity there was on the ship?" . "The ship was especially, constructed so that she could be pulled with any two of her compartments tiled with water. If she had hit the Iceberg headon in all human probability she would be afloat today." '"How did she strike?" "I think she struck between the forecastle and the captain's bridge. I belpea to get a number of boats out and assisted tn getting the women Into them. I left the ship the last to leave so far as I know in the star-board collapsible boat. I floated about all night. It was terrible." Continuing Ismay admitted that he knew lee had been reported . in tbe seas tn which the Titanic was traveling. The ship was not running at fall speed, be said, "as we never want a new ship to try for a speed record. Af(Continued on Page Ten.) THE WEATHER STATE AND LOCAL Increasing cloudiness, probably followed by rain; 8aturday, warmer. HIGH SCHOOL OBSERVATORY . Forecast for Richmond and vicinity: Fair today. Increasing cloudiness, probably showers. Maximum temperature, 50, at noon Friday.. Minimum temperature, 31 at a. m, Friday. Temperature at 11:20, 50. Barometer. 30.1. Direction and velocity of wind, west. 25 nlles an hour.