The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-01-29
GRAPHIC TALES Of CRASH
Bravery and Good Behavior Of Crews
Praised-Something Wrong on
FlOrida's Bridge.


enty-two hours after the crash be-
tween the ocean liners Republic and
Florida of the Nantucket shoals,
which eventually Sent the former to
the bottom and reduced the latter to
a state Of staggering helplessness, the
survivors of this thrilling deep-sea
tragedy have found a haven at last.
At nightfall last night 1850 pas
sengers from the two vessels were
safe in this port, brought here by the
Baltic, while nearing it were the res
cued officers and crew Of the Repub-
lie, safe On board the derelict Destroy
er Seneca, to which they were trans
ferred from the revenue cutter Gresh-
am, after staying up to the last mo-
ment by their sinking vessel.
AT her dock in Brooklyn was the
battered Florida, aboard which her
crew had remained throughout her
trying experience.
Graphic Tales Of Crash.
With the important work of rescue
thus practically finished, attention be-
gan to be turned to %endeavors to learn,
definitely if possible how the two big
ocean travellers had come to crash
into each other and whether their
Hateful meeting was as unavoidable as
at first appeared. On the Republics
side little was to be learned. Her
passengers told graphic tales Of the
crash, OF the excitement on board. of
Of the crew and of the eff
cient work of rescue. That all had
gone so well with the Florida and
that possibly or her bridge might be
a contributing cause for the
was indicated by a ate de-
%velopnlent Of the day.
WheeIsman Felled by Captain.
There are two versions of what hap
pened on the bridge of the Florida
when the Republic doomed up in front
OF her through the morning fog. Lit
tie could be learned from Capt. Ros-
PM when he was seen on board his
vessel on her arrival in the harbor.
According to others who had been
on board the Florida and were
brought into port by the Baltic, how
something went wrong with the
steering wheel when the COL
!lsion was imminent. One story had
that a quartermaster had the wheel
when the commander yelled for It to
be damned to starboard. He put It to
port instead and the liners crashed
each 9th #.
Marine Court May Settle II.
Another e.sion OF the story is that
the man copied his wheel in a panic
when &c .rer impended. Both versions
agree I. saying that the commander
fellec he quartermaster with an iron
sp,N' following what he must have
ron Tered the seaman's
t~)ab!y not until both commanders
oAade their formal statements
Ill t''c' actual facts be known. Pos
IDLY ~,hr"crdict of a marine court
viii be - ed to determine them.
Standing out prominently, on the
other hand, is the conduct Of Capt.
Sealby OF the Republic. who. true to
the best traditions of the sea, kept his
ship beneath him as long as there
q CAOusu VI ueT AHOAt 10 anOrO him
a foothold.
Worked Like heroes.
Survivors had warm words of COM
mendation for the officers and men of
the Florida, who worked like heroes.
with their own ship in a sad way, to
get the passengers from the worse
damaged Republic to comparative
safety on board the Italian vessel.
When the Florida reached her dock
1t was learned that 1t was three and
four OF her crew who had been
killed when the steamers collided.
EAgene Lynch, n of the Repub-
lies passengers. who was severely in.
jured, was On the Florida when she
came In. When he was taken later to
the Long Island hospital 1t was found
that both his legs were broken, his
right thigh fractured and that he was
Internally injured. 1t is feared he will