Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-01-24
Bulkhead Construction Of the
RamImIed Steamer Alone
Saved ffightful Holocaust
!. =. Passengers and: Grew
Transferred to Safety.
Wireless Brings J Quick
Assistance ...:.... -. .

=. =. Nantucket, Jan. 23.-In -groping her
= way through the dense fog off the Nan
tucket lightship at dawn today the
steamer Florida Of the Lloyd-1talian
= line; bound to New. York from Naples,
. dealt death Blow to the outward
bound steamer Republic of the White
! Star line, laden with pleasure seeking
passengers, for southern Europe and
=. with supplies for the United States bat
3leship Florida I'D. T.,
fhe steamer llorida proving 70 be
less seriously injured than the other
4 steamer, y took aboard the Republics
passengers almost Immediately and II
hours later all the o. GERS and crew .of
the Republic were also on board, save
Captain Sealby of the vessel who, in
his gig, refused to leave the sight of
his beloved ship until she had disap-:
peared forever beneath the waves. r..
The Republic was on her regular
course for the eastward, but the Flor
ida was 80 miles off the prescribed line
for inward bound steamers. Whether
she was seeking to return to that course
or was wandering still further astray in
the fog could not be learned from the
meager dispatches received up to- l
o'clock tonight. 4 . n.
While the passengers and the crew of
the Republic were saved by the Florida
the fact that the Republic had been,
seriously injured and was sinking was
spread broadcast over the Atlantic for a
distance Of more than hundred miles
BY means of the wireless telegraph.
The mystic Of the Marconi> waves
touched the steamers Baltic. and Lor-.
raine on their way to New York and
brought them around to, the aid Of the
sinking liner. y ,~ -. - II
The steamer: Lucania, four revenue,
cutters and a naval collier were also
notified of the plight Of the Republic.
Her stout water-tight compartments
prevented repetition Of the Burgoyne
disaster Of ten years ago, and kept the
Republic ahoat for more than fifteen
hours. The water-tight compartment
installation also kept the Florida not
only above the water, but enabled her
to return to the assistance Of the Re
public after the fearful recoil Of the
collision. n ..s5 s. =. sz3, II ~ n
The two ships collided at 9 80 this
morning about Stwenty-six miles south
west Of Nantucket lighthouse. The:
next three hours were occupied in SUM
sr1oning aid and transferring the 461
passengers, $50 in the cabin and 21l in
4 the steerage, from the Republic to the
Florida. s .<:.5ss 5<:ssSts e55@S.s
Captain Sealby, officers and crew,
however, refused to leave while there
was the slightes thope Of saving the
vessel. stSS " I'D :s5s5s ss4
One by one the great Right
compartments on board the Republic
filed as the bulkheads gave way under
the pressure and II 8 O'Clock all hands
were ordered to abandon the ship and
liz officers and crew went over the
side into their boats.
An hour later Captain, Sealby hav-
ING sent his boats crew ahead Of him. J.
came down of the bridge and left the
Republic, the last man over the side.
Captain Scalby resolutely refused TO
60 on board the other steamers while
his own ship remained afloat i had
been ascertained that the Florida was