The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-01-29

it were. in the fog, and not knowing
how long We could remain af0at
Capt Sealby took the direction
from which the sound came and so
was then able to give the Baltic Capt.
Sealby's orders as TO what course the
sister ship was TO steer to reach us.
Il heard a cheer, and l at once real
lied that these sounds Of rejoicing
could not come from our men. as only
Capt. Sealby the officers, myself and
the crew were aboard our shin and
they were all busily engaged in stand
ing by the boats. Looking aft
through my splintered cabin / made
out the Baltic quite near the stern
Of our ship, the fog having again lift
ed somewhat. She was g blaze Of
light ana as I sat there IN KY cabin
tAs thouBht occurred 10 me that the
mOst beautiful sight IN the world u
q ship at sea, especially when that
ship Il needed to supply q link be-
tween life and death. / never expect.
ed TO see New York again, and as I sit
here writing this narrative, II all
comes back TO me Ike = terrible night
mare.
I'VE were now apparently settling
fast, and Capt. Sealby sent this mes
sage to me for the Baltic:
Come to our leeward and take up
our boats. Have Lorraine and Luca-
mia convoy the Florida"
This message concluded with the
words: Wireless now closed
The captain then sent word to me
to come forward from my cabin as
soon as l had sent the message of.
Reporting TO the captain, | was told to
take to the boats with the officers and
the crew who were about to be trans
ferred to the Baltic.
las soon as all the sailors and Off
GERS were aboard with the exception
Of Capt. Sealby, Chief Officer Cross
land the boatswain, and boats crew
who were standing by the ship Capt.
Sealby megaphoned to Capt. Ransom
OF the Baltic, asking him to go to the
assistance OF the Florida and leave
me, as am all right
when the Baltic came alongside
of the Florida, the Baltics and Repub-
lies officers and sailors, using the Re
public's boats, began to transfer the
passengers from the disabled Florida
to the Baltic. This task was extreme
ly difficult and perilous as there was
a heavy swell running, with the sea
momentarily, increasing causing the
boats to bump violently against the
gangway The greatest difficulty had
was in inducing the women passen-
gers to leap at the right moment
"The Baltic steamed back to the Re
public, and Capt Sealby shouted
across asking for volunteers TO 90 and
stand by the Republic. The officers,
many sailors, a cook. and one or two
stewards, including Chief Steward
Stanyar and the second class chief
steward, the saloon steward and my
self, all went over, which, including
the captain, who had remained aboard
all night, made SS Of US all told.
Arriving on board tested my wire
less apparatus, found IL to be all right
and so reported the same to the cap
tain, who at once made wireless in
quiries for the tugs that had been
sent to our assistance.
by this time the Furnessia had ar
rived and had been standing by; then
the Florida came alongside Of the Re
public, remaining there as safeguard
for those of us left on our ship, and
the Baltic took up her journey to New
York with her tremendous burden OF
human freight. AS she steamed by
our stern where our captain and Off
GERS had assembled, every living soul
on board the Baltic gave us hearty
cheer
The volunteer cook had just prepar-
ed us a meal and this we had just
partaken of when the revenue cutter
Gresham arrived She took one OF
our lines on board. and steaming
ahead. commenced TO tow us, with the
Furnessia attached by two lines to our
stern. to steer us.
At about 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon
we had shipped so much water that
Capt. Sealby decided TO order the
crew TO the boats and transfer them
to the Gresham. had put a box OF
cigarettes at my side so that in case
we left in a hurry could snatch them
up, but so Unexpectedly did the order
come that forgot to take them, and
being somewhat addicted to the tobac'
co habit, and with nothing to smoke
my pangs became more and more
acute as the night wore on.
One Of the officers then ordered me
to the boat Capt. Sealby and Second
officer Williams remained on the fast
Il