The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-04-26
TITANIC SURVIVOR IN VIRGINIA
Visits the Enterprise Office and Tells
Of the Horrors Surrounding the
Sinking of the White Star Liner
"Titanic'' on the Coast of New
foundland ON the Morning of
April is.

Nlkola Lulich. one OF the suryi-
vors of the Inflated White Star liner
Titanic" arrived in Virginia Tues
day evening and was met at the de-
pot by a large number Of his friends.
Lulich came to this country from
Austria a number of years ago, and
had been employed about the mines
of the range towns since his arrival.
About six months ago he left for
a visit to his family in Austria and
was returning to this country to re-
sumo his work at the Alpena mine
In this city, when the terrible dis
aster to the Titanic occurred. Lulich
has a wife and two children, but
they are still living at their native
home in Austria. He called at this
Office Wednesday afternoon and to
representative of the Enterprise
recited his experiences on the ship
and told Of the many horrors attend
ant upon the sinking of that boat.
Lulich set sail on the Titanic from
South Hampton on April 10, and
was third-class passenger togeth-
er with about 175 of his countrymen
with their wives and children, who
were coming to this country for the
purpose OF making it their future
home. He says that only a very few
of these were saved from a watery
grave. Lulich tells of the awful dis
aster as follows:
when the Titanic made it's
plunge l, in company with those
that had shipped with me, jumped
from the topmost deck of the great
liner. I swan short distance and
then discovered an infant that had
just come into view, apparently. l
grabbed It instantly and then began
to swim with my free arm as fast as
could toward one OF the lifeboats.
Il believe it was one Of the last of
the boats that were launched. AL
though there were from 40 to so
other passengers swimming all
about the boat and imploring aid
from the people seated in it, no at
tention could be paid to them. That
l had a baby girl gripped in one arm
was not overlooked by the women
In the boat 1and they promptly
pleaded that the oarsmen take the
child and myself in. Their appeals,
of course, resulted In myself and my
charge being at once hauled into the
boat, but that my fate would have
been the same as the other poor men
around me had it not been for my
living burden, there can be no ques-
ton. The unfortunates shouted
and pleaded to be saved, but there
was not room for any more and the
boat simply had to leave them to
their awful fate.
lice began to form about my legs
and large part OF the lower section
OF my trousers had to be cut away
to free me.
The appeals of those we could
not take into our boat will ring in
my ears long time. The howls of
some Of the victims as they came
up following their jump or dive from
the ship shall never forget.
Then, after time, all became
as still as grave, the silence be-
ing broken only by murmers of those
in the lffeboats. And 80 the hours
wore on until we were rescued by
the Carpathia.'
Recurring to the time of the i'm
pact with the giant iceberg, Lulilch
remarked:
when we realized the danger, we
OF the stesrage began a struggle
toward the upper decks. Naturally
there was considerable confusion in
the steerage. l believe l was among
the first from my part of the ship
to reach the upper decks,
The crew and passengers exhibit
ed great heroism in allowing the
women and children to go first into
the lifeboats."
Lulich gave it as his opinion, that
a great many more could have been
saved II the getting out of the boats
and the placing of the passengers
therein had been begun sooner. He
was also of the opinion that the
number saved would have been great
er had the boats been employed to
land passengers on nearby ice foes.
He thought this was all of an hour
after the collision before the start to
get of the lifeboats was made.
"One Of the sadest scenes" he
continued, was the entreaties of one
of the boat hands who was accom-
panied by his wife and two children
that they be permitted to go togeth-
er In boat. But this was refused"
Discussing the balance of the trip
on the Carpathia, Lulich said that
nothing was too good for the Titanic
survivors. when we got into New
York" he said, 1.-The baby I had res
cued was turned over to a sisters