The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-02-03
SAFE IN PORT
Steams Into New York Almost
In Sinking Condition.
BALTIC COMES FIRST

Graph1cally describes Tragedy
The Frenzied Cheers Of Thous.
ands, Gathered at Water Front,
New York, Jan. 25.-Less than
seventy-two hours after the crash be-
tween the ocean liners Republic and
Florida, off the Nantucket Shoals,
which eventually sent one to the
bottom and reduced the other to a
state of staggering helplessness, the
survivors of this thrilling deep sea
tragedy have found a haven at last.
At nightfall 1850 passengers from
the two vessels were safe in this
port, brought here by the Baltic,
while nearing it we're the rescued
officers and crew of the Republic
safe on board the derelict destroyer
Seneca, to which they were trans
ferred from the revenue cutter Ores
ham, after staying up to the last mo-
ment by their sinking vessel.
At her dock in Brooklyn was the
battered Florida, about which her
crew had remained throughout her
trying experiences.
Only the Inflated Republic was
waiting to complete the list. She
lies beneath 20 fathoms Of water,
fifteen miles south Of Nantucket
South Shoals light ship.
Frenzied cheers from the thous-
ands at the pier when she locked
greeted the arrival Of the Baltic,
tears Of t~hankfulness were shed, af-
feet .Jtnate greetings were exchanged
and only here and there did a note
of sadness appear upon the scene.
Following the Baltic up the har-
Dor was the liner Florida, battered
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 in
jured members of her crew.
The Republics passengers told
graphic details of the crash, Of the
excitement on board, of the bravery
of the officers, the good behavior of
the crew and the efficient work Of
rescue.
From some, who had been on
board the Florida, and were brought
into port by the Baltic it was learned
that something went wrong with the
rlorida's steering wheel when the
collision was imminent. One story
had it that a Quartermaster had the
wheel when the commander yelled
for 1t to be damned to %starboard
He put it to port instead, and the
liners crashed into each other.
Another version of the story Is
that the man dropped his wheel in
a panic when danger impended.
Both versions agree in saying that
the commander felled the quarter
master with an iron spike following
what he must have considered the
seaman's recreancy. An injured
quartermaster from the Florida was
brought to port on the Baltic today
He stoutly asserted that he was not
at the wheel when the accident oc-
Cured.
Capt. Sealby. Of the Republic, true
to the best tradition Of the sea,
kept his ship beneath him as long
as there was enough of her afloat
to afford him a foothold. And prac.
tically all accounts agree that, aside
from the starting Of an incident pan
lie among the steerage passengers on
the Florida, both ships forces and
passengers kept their heads we'll In
the midst Of most trying conditions
When the Florida, in from hel
fateful experience, ipassed up the
harbor today she looked every bit
the ps.t of the ocean battering ram
she had played. Flying the signal,
Not under control" she was guided
up the bay by two tugs. Her bows
were crumpled up from the impact
with the Republic, the plates and
beams being buckled and twisted for
a distance of fully thirty feet.
Caught on the jagged iron braces
and angle irons was a canvas Gov
ering to keep out as much water as
possible from her forward compart'
ments, with her forepeak full Of wa
ter, her burdened bow dipped low
while the stern showed high above
the surface. When the Florida
reached her dock it was learned thai
it was three, and not four, Of hel
crew who had been killed when the
steamers collided.
They were sleeping in their fore
castle quarters and met instan'
death, two of them being badly
mangled and 50 tangled IN the
wreckage that it was not until aftel
the steamer got her berth tonigh'
that their bodies could be extricated
The men killed were Paquale Laval
10, Caterogo Martuscelli and Saliva
tore D'Abico. Three others were Sc
verely injured.
Capt. Rospini stated that he hac
heard the Republics whistle at in
tervals for some time on the morning
t of the disaster, but they seemed
: quite far away. Suddenly the bi,
liner doomed up out of the fog ant
the vessels came together with
.., Tho Florida yaared off an