Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-26
THE PASSENGERS LANDED.
Continued from Page One)

blow she dealt the Republic and bearing
the bodies of three dead and some in
jured members of her crew. But of the
scenes of anguish which would have been
had not the fortuitous circumstances aid
ed human courage and scientific marvel
there was hardly a suggestion.
With the alI-important work of res
cue thus practically finished, attention
turned to endeaVor to learn definitely,
If possible, how the two vessels hap
,peneJ to collide and whether their
fatal meeting was as unavoidable as
first appeared. On the Republics side
little was to be learned. Her passen-
gers told a graphic story of the acct
de:it, of the excitement on board, of
the bravery of the officers. the good
behavior of the crew and the efficient
work of rescue
That all did not go so we'll with
Florida and that possibly on her
might be sought contributing cause
of the disaster. was indicated by the
reports today. There are two versions
OF what happened on the bridge Of the
lorida when the Republic doomed ul
in front Of her in the morning fog
Little could be learned from Capt
Rospini when he was seen on board
his vessel on her arrival in the har-
Dor.
But, according to others who We're
OH board the Florida and were brought
to port by the Baltic, something went
wrong with the Floridas steering
WHOM 70 collision mr.,
nent One account has it that the
quartermaster who had the wheel
when the commander yelled for it to
be janimed to starboard, put it to port
instead.
Another account Is that the man lei
go the wheel in terror when danger
iinrended. Both versions agree that
the commander felled the man with a
spike for what he must have cOnsd-
cred the Scaman's cowardice. An in
jured quar- termaster from the Florida
was brought to port on the Baltis to-
day. He stoutly asserted that he was
not at the wheel when the accident
occurred.
Probably not until both commanders
have made their formal statements
will the fact be known. Possibly the
verdict of a marine court will be
NEEDED to determine them. Fortunately
there are few cases of questionable be-
htvior of anyone concerned. On the
one hand there is the conduct of the
captain of the Republic, who. true IL
the best traditions of the sea, stuck to
his ship as long as there was enough
of her afoat to afford him a fOOthold.
And practically all accounts agree
that. aside from an incipient panic
among the steerage passengers on the
Florida, both ships companies and
passengers kept their heads well in the
most trying conditions.
/ What the wireless apparatus accom-
plishcd for the rescue of the many
souls on board the shattered Republic
is history. And the brave. tireless men
who stuck to their instruments and
summoned all the resources and Won
derS of the invention at their COM
mand to bring help are the heroes of
the narration. It was the same wireless
telegraphy he used so well that flashed
the news from the Seneca approach
ing the harbor tonight that Jack"
BinnS, the operator on the Republic
was sleeping we'll after his hours of
gallant devotion. Equal mede of praise
is given II. G. Tattersall of the Baltic,
who remained at his post. for ~ hours.
while the ship was cropping her way
in the fog to aid the Republic. Sur
vlvorS. too, had warm words of COM
mendation for the officers and men of
the Florida. who worked superbly with
their own ship in a sad plight to get
the passengers from the worse dam
aged Republic to comparative safety
on bonr6 the Italian vessel.
When the Florida passed up the har-
Dor late today she looked every bit
tine part Of the ocean battering ram
she had played. Flying the signal mot
under control she was guided up the
bay by two tugs. Her bows were
smashed by the impact with the Re-
public. the plates and beams being
buckiod and twisted for a distance of
fully 30 feet. Caught on the jagged iron
braces and angle-irons was tarpaulins
to keep out as much water as possible
from her forward compartment With
her fore peak full of water. her bur-
dened bow dipping and her stern
high above tie surface she was slowly
and with difficulty warped into her
pier in Brooklyn.
When she reached her dock it was
learned that three and not four of her