Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-02-08

WEDNESDAY arrangements

7
company. Passengers and crew
still remaining on board, huddled
together on the saloon deck, now
the only part OF the ship not sub
merged.
In all seven boats and two life
RATS were lowered and only
thirty-seven lives saved out of the
10, leaving the loss Of lives lS5.
After two boat loads OF women
and children had been lost in the
attempt To save their lives the
remaining women in fear and
desperation positively refused to
leave the ship, preferring to run
the chance of being rescued by
boats III sight than try to escape
in small boats. They were en-
couragcd in their determination
To remain with the steamer by
the remarks of the stewardess;
mo true sailor will abandon his
ship" then she sang "Nearer My
God to Thee"
One passenger offered Sl,S00I
in gold to the man who would
save his life, and when he found
no takers he threw the bag of
gold 20 the deck, but no one cared
enough about il to pick il up.
AS the steamer gave way to
the persistent wind and ocean
swells continually encroachine
upon her, gradually sinking, the
company was forced to take ref.
uge in the rigging, Several were
dashed fast as precautionary
measure against being thrown
into the sea by the ceaseless toss
ing and rocking Of the ship.
Here, for hours, i'll the impene-
tratable darkness and gloom OF
that awful night aud for forty
eight hours thereafter, in a fear
full raging storm, chilled to the
marrow by the fierce wintry wind
and ocean spray, frail women and
children were exposed i'll the rig
ging until they fell to their
deaths or persisted in the final
tall of the mast supporting the
rigging. When the fatal mo-
ment came there were between
twenty and thirty still waiting
and what waiting! But the
end came, the spar fell, the deck
sank, and all was over all per-
ished, and one of the saddest
tragedies of the century was en-
acted but not ended.
The story of the dead is soon
told, but not so of the rescued
living. So terrible was the men,
tai agony and physical suffering
of those who were rescued that
some lost their reason, two COM
mltted suicide.
On the morning of the Goth
twenty-thrce survivors, were
brought to Seattle, cloth
ed and fed, and otherwise cared
for; Others were taken to Victoria.
Strong men wept as the dazed
and hali-iamished survivors, with
quivering voices, related each
his experience i'll choked accents.
The stories of II. +. Carrick, first
assistant Engineer; c. Allison,
passenger to ST. Paul; Frank
Bunder passenger to Seattle to
fill the appointment of Superin-
tendent of Public Shoots Of Sc
attic, who lost his wife and two
children; l.. {. Hancock, cook
j. McCaliery, passenger; John
ScgaliS, Greek and the hero of
the occasion; II. J. Mccarthy,
: boatSwain, and one or two land
men who witnessed the disaster,
, are all most pathetic and almost
staggering belief when detailed.
Miss Van WICK, one of the
victims, was on her way from
! San Francisco to visit her sister,
; Mrs W. a. Peters of Seattle.
; Mr.. Peters, All attorney, has
chartered tug and is now cruis-
ing around the wreck in search
! Of the body OF his sister-in-law
p, 1t was her sweet voice that Join
ed in singing Nearer Ny God
! to Thee" while dashed t. the rig
:. ging
The last lie Iait was intended
4 for only twelve persons. but il
did carry eighteen over the rag,
d ing deep until they were picked
i up by the Topeka When fount
4 some werr unable To stand NJ
l. without help, Others had los
Y their reason and all were lroth
h ing at the mouth, and il wa
o. with the greatest difficulty tina
the line from the Topeka wa
a made fast TO the raft.