The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-01-29
JACK" BlNN's STORY

and sent the messages that brsGght
aid to the sinking liner, thus tells the
story Of the disaster.
Il had just turned In for \ few
hours after the previous days work
when the shock OF the impact shook
me out Of my bunk. A crunching, rip
ping noise followed as the Floridas
bows crumpled up on our side. The
panels and side OF our cabin fell In,
one panel being smashed to splinters
but fortunately lie wireless appara-
tus was unhurt and remained stand
ing.
Il had a fear, however, that the aer-
ial wires between the masts might
have been shaken down, so I hastily
tested them and most fortunately
they were still intact.
My first impression was that we
had run ashore, which was streng-
thened when l peered through the in
terstices of the, wrecked woodwork
Of my own cabin and saw dark OBJ
iect outside over which the sea was
washing This l took to be a rock,
but later found it was boat No IS,
which is always swung out from the
ship and which had been torn from its
dayits.
Five minutes after the collision the
lights all through the ship went out,
and we were in total darkness. |
tried to make my way to the bridge
in order TO report to the captain that
my gear was all right, but, unable to
make my way through the wreckage,
returned TO my wrecked cabin. The
dNamos being stopped greatly handi-
capped the working distance of our
sation but the accumulators were in
good condition. and so J Immediately
sounded the c. d. signal, which an
nounced TO surrounding ships the per
il Of our position.
Just then the captains steward
came to me from the bridge and pilot
ed me through the debris. reported
to Capt Sealby that everything was
all right with my wireless instrum-
ents, and he FASTENED to reassure the
passengers, brave but anxious, with
this most comforting bit OF news.
This having been done, | returned
Immediately to my cabin and had the
satisfaction Of gaining the attention
OF our station at Sasconsett on Nan
tucket Island This is the message
flashed to A. H. Gilman, the operator
there:
"The Republic We are shipwreck
ed. Stand by for captains message"
This was the answer that was i'm
mediately flashed back TO US:
AN right. old man. Where are
your"
At this stage our chief officer
came and anXiously inquired If / had
yet got in communication with any
body, and was greatly relieved to
learn that Siasconsett had answered
me. He at once fastened to the cap
tain TO convey this intelligence. Capt
Sealby then sent me this message for
transmission:
Republic rammed by unknown
steamer. Twenty-six miles southwest
of Nantucket lightship. Badly in
need of immediate assistance, but no
danger to life. Sealby
Five minutes later SiascoDsett in.
formed NE that he had sent for the
revenue cutter Acushnet, then lying
Lat Woods Hole and that it was to pro
coed 20 assist u.s. Word had also
been sent TO the steamships Baltic, La
Lorraine and City Of Everett.
was now working under extreme
difficulties as it was very dark. had
unfortunately broken the lever Of my
sending key just after the lights went
out, but eventually managed all right
by holding the broken lever with one
hand and sending with the other.
Then came the first respite | had
had since the force Of the crash had
hurled me from my bunk. 1t was now
getting light and with the first streaks
Of dawn | was enabled to look about
me and comprehend the damage that
| had been wrought, together with the
! extreme peril Of our position. This
was more wildly brought home to me
when, glanciug at the floor just out
side my wrecked cabin, | saw the man
gled bodies OF two passengers.
Capt Sealby was on the bridge all
this time but soon after l discovered
the bodies lying near me- DR.. Marsh
came along and after examining the
bodies, announced that both had been
killed outright.
Sick with the horror OF the scene
| that had been enacted before my very
eyes, ! was indeed grateful for the
brief respite that followed. | drew
on my boots and a waistcoat and was
lucky enough to find an apple and
some water at hand but It was bitter
ly cold in the cabin. | was soon busy
again, however and once more in com
munication with the Siasconsett sta
ton, doing my utmost to locate the
Baltic. ! could hear the Baltic's wire
less signals as they were being flash
ed to shore. but my disabled spark
was too weak to reach the Baltic's
operator.
Just as the Florida returned TO us
| the Baltic began to pick up my sig
nails and from then on | was kept
busy notifying that ship Of our posi-
ton, and from that time forward 1t
was a steady interchange Of messages
between Tattersall and Balfour, the
| Battles operators, and myself.
about , o'clock | realized for the
| first time that | was hungry and Doug
| las, my steward, who had been run
ming to and from the bridge all morn
ing with messages for and from the
captain was able to get a bite of food
and a cup Of coffee for me which |
deyoured while sending and receiving
messages.
Early in the afternoon the Lorraine
was able to read us, and We began to
give her steering directions but It was
very difficult for her navigator to find
us on account of the blanket OF fog
that enveloped the sea. The hours OF
the afternoon dragged slowly, and
they we're filled with anxiety for the
captain and all on board Darkness
set I'm early, superirduoed OF course
by the thick weather. The most anx'
lous hour of the day was at about six
o'clock In the evening, when Capt
Scalby heard, only family the ex'
..t,.tor 90 , hornh In tho far digtanCo