The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-02-04

New York. Feb. 1.-Here is Captain
6ealby's account of the last dramatic
hours on the Republic:
Williams and i had been together on
the bridge for a long time. We realized
that the ship was gradually going down
and at about 8 o'clock we could feel that
she was going pretty fast.
FINALLY there came a rumbling and
cracking sound in the after part of the
ship and we saw that her stern was set
ting. Turning to Williams L said, Well.
old man. what do you think about it?'
He answered, Il don't think it's going to
be a very long race from now on. My
notion is we'd better sprint for it. When
you are ready, let her 60
Into the Water.
"a few seconds later we became aware
that she was going down very fast and
/ told Williams to burn blue light and
get ready to get away. l fired my re-
volver to let the men in the boats near
US know that we We're about to go into the
water. Wed better take to the forward
rigging / said to Williams, and we ran
from the bridge to the saloon deck burn
ing blue light as we went. AS we ran
forward we could feel that she was going
down and the incline became so steep
that when we got to the fore rigging We
slipped back so that we could hardly keep
our footing.
uHdIly got llIO lile TlSSlHS as ldT aS
the mast headlights. l tried to burn more
blu light, but 1t was wet and so fired the
last cartridge in my revolver. The water
had now caught up to me-, coming up
under my great coat, and I partly f1oated
and partly swan away. The last l saw
OF Williams he had crossed the port rail
and was hanging on the side.
well, then came the final act. With
Q tremendous roaring and rushing Of the
water the ship went down. l was caught
in the whirlpool and churned about pretty
badly for some time, but finally came to
the surface again and began to catch at
the debris swirling all about me.
cat last 1 got hold of a hatch cover and
chung to 1t. sprawling out upon it spread
eagle fashion. 1t was cold. I remember
that very distinctly. i also remember that
1t seemed a very long time before tho
searchlights of the Gresham and Seneca
found me. They flashed all about, played
and f1ickered over the pot where the Re-
public had gone down, but 1t seemed as
IL they were trying to keep me in the
dark.
Picked Up at Last.
II had picked a towel out of the sea
while floating and kept waving that. I
shouted occasionally. but kept pretty
quiet on the whole, for l was somewhat
exhausted and wanted to save my
strength as much as possible. was
about all, except that the Gresham's men
finally saw me and picked me up in one
of their boats.
81 thought Williams had gone to the
bottom, and Of course it is unnecessary
for me to say that 1 was mighty glad
when 1 found him comfortably tucked
ava in a warm spot on the Gresham.
They found him before they did me-. To
be sure we got wet. but If there is any
praise due to anybody it should go to the
passengers of the Republic, who showed
remarkable fortitude all the way through.
Sailors are expected to keep their heads
and always be prepared for a ducking.
It's different with passengers-some pas
nge 1 mean
Companions Story.
Lieutenant r. j. Williams, second Off
Ger of the Republic. said:
T Republic settled stern first said
he. land the sensation that accompanied
that movement. when the nose OF the YES
sci shot up into the air was the most
horrible feature OF our whole experience.
The roar that accompanied the thrush of
the waters is something that cannot be
described. 1t was simply d%eafening. 1t
sounded as though the sides OF the vessel
were being crushed in.
II am not so sure that she didn't break
in two as she sank, although it appears
almost incredible that that could have
happened.
"Ine VeSeel was almost perpendicular
It seemed to me, when the bow began to
go down. The way the water was churn-
ing up around US was awful. I had
climbed up the inclined deck toward the
bow by holding on to the port rail until
I was past the foremost hen I saw tina
the final plunge was coming.
1T don't know why I did 1t, but I clam.
bered over the rail and slid down along
side the ship and then fell about 40 feet
1 should say. into the water. l knew
there was going to be a big whirlpool,
and I thought l might get out of the zone
of it.
Il suppose j went under about 20 feet
I thought a lot OF things. l remember
thinking of the marmalade and the raw
eggs that Captain Sealby and I had eater
on the bridge of the Republic just a shor,
while before. Funny what things a fellow
will think about in a case like that.
When 1 did come up I began swim.
ming as hard as Ecould and then climbed
on to a hatch.
I'm proud to have been with Captain
sealby. He was cool all that time W.
We're on the bridge together. He eve,
toked once or twice about our situation
and said that we were the entire crew
After we had eaten our last meal on TIL,
old Republic Captatn Scalby had a few