The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-26
MISS PERKINS
ON REPUBLIC
Gives a Vivid Account Of the
Accident and the Trans
fer Of Passengers.
MISS HALVES ALSO PASSENGER

Miss Grace Perkins was one Of the
passengers on the Republic which was
rammed by the Florida while at sea
Saturday morning. Miss Perkins, ac-
companied by Miss S. M. Hawes and a
maid, were on their way to Madeira
and Spain, though not occupying
staterooms together. Miss Hawes is
at her home on South street in ahigh-
'ly nervous state and is unable to see
visitors, while Miss Perkins, who re-
turned to Morristown Monday after
noon, and is very nervous, told her ex-
perlences to a reporter last evening.
She had only words Of praise for the
crew of the Florida in caring for the
survivors of the Republic, but did not
hesitate to censure the White Star
line management for not making some
effort to get the baggage off the Re
public before it sank. as for twelve
hours the ship fioated about. Many Of
the passengers, she said, stood upon
the decks in their night clothes and
bare feet at the mercy Of the storm.
Miss Hawes, who lives at 287 South
street, occupied a stateroom on the
port side Of the ship and next to where
the crash came from the Florida.
Both Miss Hawes and her maid were
awake at the time, and were thrown
from their births by the terrific inn
pact. Although uninjured, the wo-
men were subjected to shower Of
glass, pieces Of which lodged in their
hair.
" / was on the opposite side of the
ship" said Miss Perkins. 81, too,s
was awake, but could hardly realize
what happened. l thought we had
struck an iceberg. The light went out
Immediately. l was in my bare feet,
but had thrown a wrapper around me.
Crawling out of my room, all / could
see was one poor lantern which hung
up in one of the saloons. BY the time
! reached an upper deck there were
many of the passengers, crying and
nervous from the shock, cropping their
way about. One Of the officers APP
peared and said to the women and
men, Put on life preservers; there is
no danger 1t was such an absurd
thing to say, but many of the passen-
gers seemed to be calmed by it. The
Republic had no fog horns, but kept
its bells going. Soon they stopped.
As it dawned nothing could be
seen Of the Florida, and it was some
time before the boat came around to
the Republic. Then the work of trans
ferring the passengers was started.
The physicians on this boat did every
thing they could, as did the crew. /
know many OF the passengers of the
Republic offered the Italians money
for bed and other things, as we then
thought we would have to stay on
board this ship all night, but they re-
fused all money considerations. and
gave to each one the best they had.
But the transfer from the Florida
to the Baltic was a sight | shall never
forget. 1t was night and the sea rough.
| saw the little boats, some of them
without rudders and oarlocks broken,
capsize in the trough of the sea. One
woman l saw in the beams Of the
ships searchlights go down twice, and
l have wondered if she was ever res
cued. Although the crews of the
Republic and Florida were kind
enough in trying to get the people into
the little boats, they we're far from be-
ing sailors.
lone officer in command Of one Of
the small boats became so seasick that
he couldn't give orders for the direc-
tion of the boat to the side Of the big
liner. Then the separation of the
wives from husbands and children
from parents in that night transfer
was most pitiful sight. The plead
ing OF the little ones could be heard
even above the noise of sea and the
moving vessels. ("
/