The Washington herald., 1909-01-24


Il was the Florida. OF the Italian Lloyds
Line. with so Italian immigrants and 40
ldrst cabin passengers. that drove her steel
bow into the Republics side. She cut
deep into the White Star liners side She
vas coming 10 New York with her immi-
grants from Naples. and was due here to-
morrow morning.
Apparently the submarine signals. which
indicate the proximity Of submerged bells
OF the United States ships. and are meant
Ito sound warnings when other metal bot
toms are too close for comfort. failed to
speed g hint Of the approaching Florida
10 the pilot room OF the Republic.
The Florida, with her bow imbedded in
the Republic hung long enough for most
Of the Republics passengers to be trans
ferred 10 her as hastily as possible, the
wireless hinted. The transfer was made
speedily and in excellent system
Already well filled BY her crew and her
own passengers, the Florida must have
been crammed with people when all Of
the Republics passengers managed TO get
aboard Of her She Is now taking care OF
/ nearly 1900 people in quarters that are
not designed for many more than 100
| The fear arose that the Florida herself
/ would go under. When her captain. Volt
/ din. yanked her back from the crushed
/ Republic. II was seen that her bow was
broken Ike the nose Of an egg that has
/ been jammed hard against a plate The
/ FlOTida's bow was shattered, but the
| force OF the collision was not enough TO
break the buIkhead back Of the bow
and sink the ship. She took in water.
perhaps from the starting Of seams. and
/ il was thought at first that she would
certainly sink Later on Il was seen that
I she could stay aflOat indefinitely
Florida Lacked wireless.
| The first rImor that the italian steam
/ ct Florida was herself damaged filtered
/ into the marine exchange from the opera
Tor AZ SiascoHset about ) O'Clock. 1t had
come from another boat, since the Ital-
/ ian was not equipped with wireless. and
( il was hSzy and inconclusive.
/ Then al 6.s5 O'Clock came a long mes
/ sage into the White Star Office which
threw the first light upon the situation
/ The message read;
Florida In bad shape, IN need OF as
sistance. Ia Lorraine and Lucania
searching for her Handicap ped by lack
/ Republic. which is still afoat and o.
recting Battles steering"
A later message sent from one Of the
searching ships AZ 80 O'Clock and re-
ceived at the Cunard Line pier Office said
that the LuCania and La Lorraine were
( searching OF Nantucket for the disabled
steamer. The message was known 10
refer to the Florida which. unequipped
with the talking wires as she IS. could
well be an object Of search by boats 80
close together as 20 chat comfortably
with each other over their wires
Capt SesIby and his officers stuck to
the Republic when they had got their
/ people safely or They had work 20 do
they and Binns. the Marconi man. Ten
minutes after the collision they had got
word TO the Siasconset operator. who
buckled TO his work and helped them
call up the ships at sea This business
went on for hours.
Baltic Answers First.
First OF al 10 answer was the Baltic
OF the White Star Line She was per
/ haps 80 miles east Of Sandy Hook when
her wireless man picked the Republic call
out OF the air. Capt. J. 3. Ransom
promptly sent the Baltic 10 the right
about and headed her for latitude 0I7
and longitude 20 He was the first 10
reach the two crippled ships. although Il
took him hours 70 locate them in the
fog
La Lorraine. OF the French Line. sew
enty-five miles from the Ambrose Chan
mel. nearly into port. caught the cry Of
the Republic and whirled around and
went to her aid. Il took her hours 10
discover the location of the Florida and
the Republic. but when she found them
she stood by in case her help was needed.
The LUcania was another Of the big
boats that reached the Republic in her
hour OF need. The CunaTder was
speeding 10 New York. and was sixty
five miles east Of Nantucket lightship
when the sOunder Of her wireless clicked
the tale Of the Republics danger. Her
captain obeyed the call instantly flashing
news 10 his cOmpany's Offices that ne
would get TO the Republic at about 4
o'clock in the afternoon.
Government Ships Assist.
While the liners were turning on their
heels and steaming toward the Republic,
the operator at Siasconset was tapping out
the story Of the Republic TO New York,
to Woods Hole. to Newport. 10 Charles
town, to a dozen points where assistance
might be summoned for the distressed
vessels He got the news to New York
at about O'Clock this morning. The tor
pedo boat Cushing sped away from Bos-
ton, the revenue cutters Gresham and
Acushnet steamed out to sea. the former
from Cape Cod Bay. the latter from
Woods Hole Other revenue cutters fol-
lowed.
By late afternoon II became certain that
the rescued passengers on the Florida
would be brought here tomorrow morn
ing. The Florida was able TO make her
own way. The big Baltic was conveying
her, ready to give help at any time need /
ed The crew OF the Republic were forced /
TO abandon their ship at 8 O'Clock to- /
night according TO a wireless message re-
ceived az Boston The Republic was low
IN the water and seemed IN danger OF |
sinking at any moment
At 10 O'Clock tonight the White Star /
Company posted the following bulletin in
its Offices:
The Florida is heading this way ct 4
eight knots an hour. No. l hold Is filed 4
with water. She win probably arrive in /
the harbor at ( or o'clock tomorrow 4
afternoon She IS being conveyed by a 4
steamer. either the Lorraine or the Bal 4
Il