Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-25
PASSENGERS OF
REPUBLIC ARRIVE
One Of Them Gives a Graphic
Description Of Ramming of
Steamship by Florida.
IMPACT AND WITHDRAWAL
So swift No ono Recognized Vessel
Colliding-Nery Little Panic
Aboard Injured shin.

New York. Jan. 25.-As the steamer
Baltic. carrying the passengers from
the steamers Republic and Florida an
chored three miles east Of the Ambrose
channel early today an Associated
Press tug ran alongside and succeeded
iH opening communication with Il. J.
Hover of Spokane, Wash. one Of the
Republics passengers. Mr.. Hover and
wife planned an extended automobile
trip abroad and were outward bound
on the Republic when she was rammed
By the Florida Saturday morning
Through the megaphone Mr.. Hover
described the transfer OF tine passengers
from the Republic and later from the
Florida 20 the Baltic. The transfer OF
scantly dressed and frightened men
and women from the vessels lasted -
hours. beginning al S o'clock on Satur-
day night and ending at o'clock yes
terday morning. Duiing the night the
search lights Of the Baltic illuminated
the sea making a weird picture as
b0atl0ad after boatload were safely
gotten on board the Baltic. two OF the
Republics passe myers tumhled into the
sea while being placed In a boat, but
were promptly rescued.
INJURY TO THE REPUBLIC.
AIr Hover said that the injury TO the
Republic was about midships just for
ward Of the center hatch.
State rooms "a and 2S were stove
by the bow OF the Florida which
withdrew from the gap almost in
stantly and vanished in the mist
astern, leaving one of her anchors in
the wreckage Of the demolished state
room Of the Republic. The impact
and withdraw were so swift that no
one aboard the Republic had a chance
to identify the steamship. In half
am hour, however. summoned by the
distress blasts Of tho Republic the
Florida picked her way through the
murk and came almost alongside.
Capt. Sealby had his own boats lower
ed and IN these and those OF the
Florida am the passengers OF the
wounded liner were put aboard the
Florida. This operation took two
hours In "a placid sea. Among the
wounded who were put on the italian
liners was Eugene Lynch. whose wife
had been killed In their state room
on the Republic. Mr. Lynch's leg
was broken in three places and he
was otherwise Injured. AS il was
considered unsafe 10 transfer him 20
the Baltic, he was left ~ charge of
the Florida's surgeon.
VERY LITTLE PANIC.
Mr. Hover said there was very little
panic aboard the Republic, although
many came on deck in their night
clothes, and that tho discipline OF the
crew was perfect The collision, he
said. occurred between 9 and o'clock
on Saturday morning when everyone
was In bed. A great many passengers
We're thrown from their hunks by the
crash, and many rushed wildly on
deck I'm their bare feet. With the re-
passengers began. Carrying out the
rigid rule OF the sea, the women were
placed in the boats first and iu two
hours an were safely on board the
Florida. That ship was terribly crowd
ed. however and az the conference be-
tween the captains Of the Florida and
the Baltic 10 was decided that another
transfer OF passengers was necessary
Accordingly this second hazardous
undertaking was begun. While the
sea had been smooth during the trana-
Ter OF passengers from the Republic 20
the Florida. tho waters We're now
rough. and the operation was necossarl-
~ more dangerous and 90 longer dura-
ton Thinly dressed passengers
crowded 10 the Balucs rail and watched
tho work. while those who remained
on the Florida waiting Tor the next
boat load saw their companions lifted
safely 60 the New Haven. IL was
during this that the two paasonFers
ten overheard but We're rescued little
the worse FOR their experience.
plocod out into a continuous story
the account of the collision as related
90 tho reports by MI Hover was az
tullOWH.
THE SHOCK.
"The shock came whom am of the
passengers Of the Republic, and most
of hon crew were alacep Mrs. Hover
and j. like most of the Republics pas
seugers were awakened hy being NlO-
leutly thrown out OF the side of our
hunks The shock was terrific out
side. iu the passageway ! could hear
the sound of running feet From the
deck above came cries and the shout
ing of orders.
II turned on the electric light and
hastily throwing an oVcrgarment over
us. Mrs Hover and / made orr way
barehcaded and harcfootcd a. the mus
a. room on the promenade deck While
the alarm gonrs were sounding an
over the ship the stewards were going
from state room 90 state room arous-
ing M passengers. By the time We
GOT 3D. fhe music room tho place was
PM n men and women some with