New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-09
THE LOST STATE OF FLORIDA
cARELEssNEss, PANIC AND MlsMANA1h-
MENT.

- nyxprpIrNCEs-LIvEs THAT SHOULD HAVE
BEEN SAVED. nut. ..;,od
MoxrRrAI. Nav S.-The steamer T1tanla arr''eu
here at o'clock this evening. large huihoo
nersons had gathered at the wharf 10 "i'noSo VIC
landing of the shipwrecked crew and passengers VI
,ho state Of Florida A soon as the 11tania was
oorod IN the wharf she was boarded Dy ousVoin
uo,se ofseers the American consul ana repoi'ci''
shor.lv afterward the crew and passengers Oh V'o
r.cred steamer came ashore in charge OF the
agent Of the State Line, who had secured aceoh'''
dations for them at the Albion Hotter.
The first person seen was James IL. Dehno.'' W
London. Ont He said the collision occurrou az
about 11:15 o'clock. At the time OF lne acoiu'n' n'
uas IN the surgeons cabin and had narrow eS
go s.om be;pg crushed to death when the
ponen,a came crushing into the State OF florida
om;dsb;ns with an awful crash The vessel tha'
struck them went down ct once, with all on ooaru'
excepi the captain and three men, one VI "Ho
became mad from exposure and want Oh "a'ei "n'
died in the boat before the party was res'u1u
After the State of Florida had oeeh slIuoA '
ouivered like an aspen leaf Tremendous 'o
umes of water rushed into the body OF 'he .oosV'
which Immediately began to settle down IN 'he
bow.
THE CAPTAIN LOSES HIS WITS
Tho oontain seemed to have lost his head COM
rletelv He awakened the passengers ana toio
them they must take 10 the boats instantly ou' II
anpears that he made no effort TO devise pian oy
which the passengers could get lnto the ooa''' "
the time of the collision the captain wac
in his cabin. He rushed on the oecA II
his nightdress and assumed command the uo'A
having been up to that moment under INC on"'
of the first officer. Many of the passengers came o
deck in their nightclothes, too bewlldered anu
dazed TO make an attempt to save themSoi'V
\ he women went into Mysteries, and the men WouIu
mot awaken them to sense of their terrible oan
Ger until the boats pushed away from the snip ai''
the hinges preparatory to the sinking TOOK pi"ce'
when the most heartrending cries and appears lor
belp were heard, until the final plunge was MADE
THE BOATS MIsMANAGED.
The wrecked steamer carried elght poa's' e"oO
which were crushed by the collision anu loui u
which were launched Mr.. Bennett saw one OF the
remaining two hanging by one davlt' lie hea,u
that il was not considered safe boat and that 'he
rones were cut in order to hinder any one from
nsing IL What became of the other boat he does
not know. Walter King, of Toronto, occupied the
cabin with Mr. Bennett, and when tie snip was
about going down came to him ana salu' 'oi
Gods sake, Bennett, stay by me; L am ho'
ohle 70 svim.D Bennett and King then |
cot into one of the boats the lashings |
of which were cut at one end, throwing all Vi inc
occupants into the Thirty might nave peen
saved but for this mishap. Only seven were picked
MI Be0DeJl says ut CluhS "A'H
boat all night Their position was terrible one
Int none lost hope, and toward morning they sue
ceeded in haihng one of the other boats
AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE.
AIpight long they could hear people groanlng
and struggling underneath the boat, and as many
of those on the top had lost friends ana one d
brother their feelings can be better imagined IMAM
described Toward morning the noise ceased, anu
tbev came to the conclusion that their conoaniohS
had succumbed When they were rescued tney
broke through the bottom of the boat with |
oars. and a horrible sight met their
ewes. Eight bodies were fioatlng theIe'
while a man, one Donaldson, was sun alVe'
although unconscious from the effects of the long
imprisonment
Mr. Bennett was of the opinion that though the
boat was hanging by one davit, they might nave
succeeded in launching it safely had 1t not Oeeh lor
the captalns order to the third officer to 60 ahead
which had the effect of drawing the boar uhueT'
The night was very clear and the ocean slhoolh'
He cannot account for the collision Atter drlit-
ing thirty-six hours they were picked up oy
the Louisa, of Cardiff, which transported
them TO the Norwegian bark Theresa
THE CITY OF ROME CESsURFD.
Mr. Bennett says that the conduct OF the captain
Of the City of RSlne was shameful as 'hat S'e"nel
nossed not more than half mile from them, aud |
might easily have hove to for a short time and
taken them all oil the bark. Upon being asked to |
explain why so few passengers were saved, he SAID
il was all their own fault. When 1t is remembered
that within fifteen minutes after the vessels came
together the steamer went down, 1t Will be seen that
the suddenness of the catastrophe prevented any
being saved except those who kept their wits about
them and leaped into the boats
THE STORY OF A. y. STEELE.
Andrew n Steele, surgeon OF Montreal, mas
81, IN hat of Mr. Bennett. |
They were together when the collision occurred,
and when he reached the deck everything was in
terrible state Of confusion No one seemed to know
what TO do great many more might have been
saved if GOODNESS had been preserved He says that
King got back to the steamer and went down Win
The CAPTAINS FAREWELL.
He also says that the captain blew three whistles
when the vessel was sinking, and, upon being asked
the reason for this said he bidding those III the
boat farewell and that he wanted TO show that he
was sticking to his vessel until the last.
The boat that capsized contained three Canadians,
Ellington, Bennett and Bethune. Mr.. Bennett was
the only one saved.
ONE EFFICIENT OFFICER.
Mr. Allan, the third officer, is not cOmmun-
icative He is either unable or unwilling to give
an opinion as to the cause of the collision. Both
Mr.. Bennett and the surgeon, however, give him
great credit for the manner in which he acted
They say that he the only cool man on board
and that had il not been for bis efforts the loss
would undoubtedly have been greater, as it was he
who launched four of the boats, remaining on deck
himself until the last moment and then reaching
his own boat by desperate jump.
The crew cannot give any information beyond
that already reported.
HAVE MORE PERSONS BEEN SAVEDi
DISCUSSING THE POSSIBILITIES OF TIE BOATS
PICKED UP BY THE DEVON.
All day yesterday there was quiet in the office of