Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1909-01-28

New York, Special-Grave anxiety
perNalled here Saturday and Satur-
day night as the result of tue thril-
hng maritime drama being enacted
off Nantucket on the coast of New
England, following the ramminer
carly Saturday of tho big White Star
liner Republic with 7Gl souls
aboard. by the steamer Florida. of
the Lloydltalian line. The wireless
telegraph played an important part
in the grave incidents happending a.
sea. far from the shore, and proved
its utility ms il has never done before.
Blt by bit It told the tale, first IN
nouncing the news of the collision
and the plight of the liner, which
news came direct from the injured
ship itself. Then il told of the res
cue of the Republic s passengers, the
condition from time 10 time of tho
sinking ship and finally summoned
from the adjacent seas the White
Star line Baltic, the French steamer
La Lorraine. the Curnader Lucania
and the revenue cutters Aehusllnet
and Gresham.
At o clock p m. the wireless
brought reassuriug news from Cap
tain Ransom, of the steamer Baltic.
He said that the Republic was stiR
afloat; that the Florida, with her
own people and most of those from
the Republic aboard. close to 1000
souls in all, was nearby and that the
Baltic was near the scene. standin.,
by ready to lend aid. The steamers
La Lorraine and Lucania. Captain
Ransom said. were also in the vicinity
and the Republic through her wire
less outfit, was directing the move
ments of the shipe of rescue.
% Until an early hour Sunday II was
believed the crashino together OF the
two big ships had not resulted in
death of injury to single passca-
ger or member of the crews. Shortly
after midnight, however, the wireless
telegraph flashed the news that two
passengers on the Republic had beer;
killed and two others injured Late
In the dnV another wireless message
told of four deaths on board the
Florida, either of members of the
crew or Steeragc passengers.
1t is apparent that The Florid:r
must. have been between 30 or 40
miles OH her course in being any
where near the RapubTic. rs the east
bound and wcstbound steamer lanes
here are that distance apart.
The collision, being amidship. al
most immediately flooded the engine
room of the Republic and of course.
rendered her absolu' ~Iy helpless.
Fortunately, her wireless equipment
was well supplied with storage bat
tcries and three were used for more
than six hours, until they gradually
became exhausted. After that, re-
course to signalling by means of sub
marine bells was adopted.
In the middle of the forenoon the
transfer OF passengers to the Florida
was made, and although the fog was
very dense, unusually calm weather
for this season of the year In the
North Atlantic enabled the transfer
to be- made without accident. By
noon the Baltic and LaLorraine were
close to the scene of collision. but
owing to the dense fog, wero unable
to locate the Republic, although the
submarine bells could be heard fire.
quentfy.
The prompt closing of the Repub-
he's water-tight compartments which
kept her afioat and undoubtedly
saved the lives Of many of those oo
board. In the afternoon it was learn
cd from the Baltic that these com
partments were still holding the yes
sci above water. but that the bulk
heads and Cor'paI' mcnt doors were
under a fearful strain and likely &c
give way at any moment.
A dspGtch at $50 Sunday night
said: "Kcpublic gone down. No one
aboard All crew safe on revenue
cutter GIcsham.N
An hour later another wirele5.
message was received stating that the
revenue cutter Gresham, with the
Republic crew on board was pro-
ceeding to Gayhead
The Republics passengers found
900 returning Italians, many of them
survivors of the earthquake. on board
the Florida, which left Naples On