Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-01-28
REPUBLIC GOES
DOWN IN CRASH
Two Passengers and Four Seamen Kill
ed When Florida Dealt Death
Blow To Pated Vessel.

What has been, perhaps, the greatest
drama in all marine history-a drama
which because of the loss of six lives
has had it's heavy touch of tragedy-is
drawing to a close. The steamship
Baltic, with the 1000 survivors of Sat-
urday's Republic-Flor disaster, has
entered New York harbor. The wound
ed liner Republic has plunged beneath
the waves, and the damaged giant Flor
ida has also crept slowly into port.
Wireless telegraphy has rendered its
first great service to humanity in pre-
venting terrible destruction Of life.
The Republic sank at $50 Sunday
night, thirty-three hours after she col
lided with the Florida. Captain Sealby
remained by his ship until she plunged
to the bottom.
The Republic belonged to the White
Star Line and was bound from New
York to the Mediterranean, having on
board 761 souls, of whom $50 were
American cabin passengers, was ram
med during thick fog by the Italian
steamer Florida, carrying 900 passen-
gers and bound from Naples to New
York, and only escaped immediate
sinking by the prompt closing of her
water-tight compartment. The Flori-
da had evidently lost her bearings as
she was forty miles off her course when
she collided with the Republic. A call
for helpswas at once sent out by the
wireless operator on the Republic, and
within few hours had summoned about
the injured ship a large feet of ocean
liners, while vessels of every descrip-
tion within q radius of two hundred
miles were churning the ocean into
foam as they ploughing the waters that
lay between them and wounded ship.
The collision being amidship almost i'm
medistely flooded the engine room of
the Republic, and, of course, rendered
her absolutely helpless. The Florida,
though herself badly crippled, took all
the Republics passengers aboard, and
upon the arrival of the steamship Baltic
the passengers and crews of both the
Florida and Republic were transferred
to that ship, and then conveyed to the
port of New York where they were put
ashore.
Following the Baltic up the New
York harbor crept the liner Florida, bat
tered almost to the sinking point herself
by the force Of the blow she dealt the
Republic and bearing the bodies of her
own three dead and the injured members
of her crew.
The Republics passengers told gra-
phic details of the crash, of the excite
ment on board, of the bravery of the
officers, the good behavior of the crew
and the efficient work of rescue.
1t seems but little short of a miracle
that all of the 1900 passengers of the
two ILL fated ships were not lost. Cap
tain Rospini, of the Florida, stated he
had heard the Republics whistle at in
kervals for some time on the morning of
the disaster, but they seemed quite
far away. Suddenly the big liner loom
ed out of the fog and the vessels came
together with a crash. The Florida
Veered off and the Republic was swal-
lowed up again in the mist. A careful
search for her was then begun, and it
was two hours before the Florida again
located her partner in misfortune and
began the work of rescue which resulted
so fortunately.