The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-05-13

VA3AAAAniAi6 i61kS0hbAsANsAI 1Aun1n2n
and children from the Merida. declared
crash SO terrific thai many people we're
knocked out of their hunks.
81 got out on deck in time to see the
Farragut pulling away from our snip.
We did not know what was wrong al hrst.
hut when the Merida set up shri III call
with her whistle everybody rushed from
their staterooms.
Il saw two men rushing about crying
for their children sawtwo little babies
run about the deck crying for their
parents. There was no panic among
the passengers The women were fright =
ened Of course, but nobody tainted
Capt Robert son handled the situation
like a veteran He cheered the men.
encouraged the women and pa,;ed the
little children Oh the head.
Into the arms of one of the men in
a lifeboat he dropped two small chill.
dren. Don't YOU cry. Tat one. he sad
TO the boy. 'lf you do YOU won't get
any of that candy the first officer has
in that boat"
Phillip IL Wilson of i?7 First street.
New frighton. y. ' was next to the last
person TO leave the Merida lie remained
with Capt Robertson until every soul
was of the ship and the vessel itself
WAS III uhnHer any Hn'h"' VI ociHS
swamped
Mr Wilson. who is said to be a cade
ct West Point. but who refused to talk
much about himself, said.
Il did all | could TO help rescue tn.
women and children on the ship. ] car
end two mothers held out their arms and
grabbed them from me One of them
kissed me in her excitement and | thint
| shall never forget that. She was so
glad to find her baby that she cried and
, laughed all at the same time.
Capt. Robertson took charge, Of the
situation like real hero. He had the
| men lined up by the lifeboats, lowered
them at his command and then put the
women and children in first. He die
not have to yell at his men. lie Just
gave the order and the work was done.
1T seems strange and perhaps II nigh,
| be the workings Of fate. but don't yo,
know that yesterday afternoon the ner
on the Merida had drill in lowering th'
| life boats. The 900 or more passenger,
sat around the decks admiring the quick
| ness with which the boats We're lowered
None of them thought that in few hour
these boats would he needed and needec
badly.
We had everything with VS. last night
There was no sea to speak OF. no storm
no bad weather excepting the fog
! Herbert Benson OF ~ Newell street
Brooklyn. who was wireless operator
on the Merida. said that when he founC
the ship was sinking he endeavored tt
| get his apparatus to work. but II refused
he said il was wrecked beyond repair
by the force Of the collision and that al
his efforts TO call assistance were futile.
when l could not summon help
helped myself" he said. Il saw thu
ship would not remain af'oat very long
and heard the engineer say the water
|
| Several women asked me IL the shil
would sink and told them not for tw
days. Then a young woman told he
aged mother that the ship would remain
ahoat for two days. II no other shi
sees us We will be ssfe anyhow for tw
Il felt that l had done wrong in tellin
that lie. but then l believe II was tn
means of putting hope into the old woman
heart and was glad OF il.
The officers and crew worked lk
beavers to rescue everybody and tn
work Of transferring the passengers wa
carried on without hitch. The wome
were as cool as the men. In fact tn
passengers behaved just as well as any
body on board the ship. If there ha
been panic among the passengers m
work of rescue would have been handi
capped
Perry f. Benton, who halls from Nortl
wireless apparatus on the Admiral Far
ragut N shape so a message for helr
could be sent. said that the collision oc
CURED at 1928 O'Clock this morning.
by 1880" he said. "the fires had beel
distinguished and there was five feet o
water in the fireroom
The work Of rescue began at 1890 anc
by 2 O'Clock every passenger was of th'
sinking ship. From the deck of the Far
ragut we watched the Merida sink lowe,
and lower. and by o. clock just her stack
were visible above the water.
There was more than one PRAYER sal,
on the Farragut. just before the Merid
went down you could almost hear the drol
of a pin on the deck of the Farragut
Everybody was watching the ship. AM
when she was swallowed up in one hil
gulp of the sea hundreds OF throats almos
simultaneously uttered the one word Oh
IL was really thrilling moment.
when the Merida had gone the pas
sengers we're told that the battleshi
Iowa and the Old dominion steame
; Hamilton were steaming 10 our aid. tn
captain read messages from both ships an
each said they would bt with us shortly.
The Hamilton was the first to reac
| us and the work of rescue was almost ove
! when the Iowa arrived. But she lost n
time sending boats 10 our aid. Every
body was on the Farra gut and safe 0
, board the Hamilton before II O'Clock
we $1,000 Dy IOT Some IltlP ana " WA
thought that the Farra gut might want I
be towed in. But Capt. Nader of tn
, Farragut refused to come with us and hi
ship started away in another direction
Mrs Martha Herring Of New Yorl
said she was knocked out Of her bertl
by the collision. heard men and wome
rushing about on deck and she ran ou
with her baby in her arms.
Il did not have time to save thing
. she said Even the baby's shoes wer
lost. just managed to slip on this ol
dress ! have not another dress in tn
world no money and no prospects {
getting any. ! am happy, however
and thankful that our lives are safe
am glad that my baby is with me-"
Mrs. Hierling wept when she told he
story and cuddled her baby to her breas
Tho baby was eating chocolate cake thH