Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-01-28
A CALAMITY
WAS PREVENTED
THE REPUBLICS PASSENGERS
AND CREW WE'RE SAVED
BY WIRELESS.
WONDERFUL SEA STORY,
Wireless Telegraph Prevents Loss
Of Hundreds Of Lives.

The Republic, of the White Star
line, cut down in the fog by the Italian
steamer Florida, early Saturday morn
ing 65 mics from the nearest land,
flashed out wireless kilograms for help
while she was sinking that brought to
her all of the transatlantic racers
within $50 miles. They sped up and
down the seaboard and over the ocean
and saved the lives of her passengers
and crew. Helpless and alone in the
dense fog, except for the crippled Ital-
ian, with the sea pounding into her
crushed side, the Republic managed to
tell her story so briskly and clearly
that within few hours after the col
lision off Nantucket lightship the
world knew that all was we'll with her
people; that they had been transferred
to the ship which rammed her. BY
midnight the wireless, fiinging out
message after message had told the
tale OF what had happened in the fog,
and capped the most wonderful story
that has come from the sea in many
years with the news that the weather
had cleared, and the passengers of
both the Republic and Florida were
being transferred to the Baltic, one
OF the ocean giants which went to the
rescue. Twenty boats were used for
the purpose OF transferring passen-
gers. Ten passengers were being taken
in each boat. About 1900 people in all
had been transferred. The forward
compartment of the Florida was In
bad shape. The transfer was COM
pleted by 1870 p. m. Four passengers
are reported to have been killed in
the collision.
Carrying 1861 passengers of the
wrecked Republic and the damaged
Italian line steamer Florida which
rammed the Republic Saturday, the
Baltic steamed up TO her pier in New
York Monday noon.
She also had on board members of
the crew of the Republic. 800 persons.
which brought the total number VI
survivors up to 1861.
The Florida, with her bow smashed
in and deserted by all save her Off
GERS and crew, reached Ambrose chan
mel lightship at noon, proceeding to
New York under her own steam.
When the Republic went down Sun
day night she carried the bodies of
Mrs. Eugene Lynch. of Boston, and
w. j. Mooney. OF Langdon. y. d., with
are apparently the sum total of cas-
ualties but the Republic, having sunk,
will be a total loss.
Pausing for q moment in its legisla-
tive activities. the house of represen-
tatives today listened to an eulogy of
John r. Binns, the Marconi operator
aboard the Republic, who remained at
his post until the ship went down,
following her collision Saturday with
the Florida. Mr. Boutell Ull) was
given unanimous consent to address
the house Ion a matter Of public in
terest.' After referring to the col
lision, Mr. Boutell amid loud applause
said that throughout the whole criti.
cal period there was one silent actor
in the tragedy whose name should be
immortaliZed." He said
"Binns has given the world a splen.
did illustration of the heroism that
dwells in many who are doing the
quiet, unnoticed tasks of life Is it
not an inspiration for all of us to
feel that there are heroes for every
emergency, and that in human life no
danger is so great that some Jack
Binns is not ready to face it?"