The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

US. Mrs. Hover and I made our way
bareheaded and barefooted to the music
room on the promenade deck " nlle
the alarm gongs were sounding all over
the ship the stewards were going
from state room to state room arous1ng
the passengers. By the time We got 10
the music room the place was fuII OF
men and women. some with nothing
over them but the clothes in which they
had been asleep. others wrapped IN
ships blankets and steamer rugs al
most frantic with fear and shIver1ng
with the cold.
Women HuddIed Together
The women huddled together, some
weeping a few hystericaI. Most of the
men rushed out on deck to ascertain
what the trouble was There they
found the crew Of the Republic taking
the tarpauIins from the life boats and
standing by ready to swing out the
davirs. There was no sign of any other
ship anywhere The fog horn of the
Republic was letting out shriu blasts
but there was no answering whistle 1
don't know how long we were left to
wonder what had happened
Finally the second officer informed
Us that there was danger of the vessel
going under The ma ajority became
composed at hearing this, but some of
the women were still beside themselves
and refused to return to their state
rooms to dress and their clothes had
to be brought to them from their
cabins.
In less than half an hour. however
mostly every one had managed to get
on After a little we heard an
answering whistle and the Florida came
up looming out of the fog on our star
board quarter. There was an exchange
Of questions and answers between the
two captain and the injury to the Re
public having been discovered more SER
ious than was at first supposed, we were
told that we were to be transferred to
more terror than had the shock OF the
collision. but after d while comparative
calm was obtained and the tranS-Shfp-
ment was begun The women and chill
dreH were first of course The Florida
could scarcely be seen. although less
than a cable length away. The boats
would stand out under the searchHght
and then fade away into the mist The
Florida's boat had also been put over
the side and it was a sort of contest
would take over the greatest number
Of people in the least time.
Officers Refused to Leave Ship.
When it came to the turn of Captain
SeaIby and the officers and men of the
Republic to abandon the ship they re-
fused.
We stayed aboard the Florida all
lay Saturday. packed like sardines. At
o'clock word came that the Baltic
would take Us of. Once more We had to
90 through the experience Of going
from the ship TO the life boats 1t was
The same thing as in the darkness Of
he early morning except that the sea
was running high instead of being
lutte still For more than eight hours
he little boats hurried from one ship
20 the other until !. 500 people had been
aiken over TO the Baltic. The crew of
he Florida following the example set
1y the crew of the Republic, remained
ID board as did one of our passengers,
Eugene Lynch. whose wife had been
killed In the crash between the two
ihfps and who himself, was too badly
INJURED to De removed
We are here now and it is all over,
Ind I intend to sail on another ship
lext week. but I hope that this is the
1nly experience Of the kind I viii ever
lave-'