Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-04-18


WIS no time 10 stop or reverse the en-
glncs Tho onconing steamer crashed in
to the Republic, lurching her over to one
side as the sharp prov of the collidlng
vessel gouged through tho iron plates in
! to the engine-room of the White Star
liner Then the vessel pulled away, right
ed herself, and staggered off into the fog
In a moment Captain Scalby had called
his crew to quarters, and had the COLI
sion bulkheads closed down, shutting of
the engine room from tho rest Of the
ship. All that no could do himself had
then boon donc, and he turned to the last
hope that remained, the wireless instru-
mont Tho operator needed no orders.
| Already his fingers were pressing the
kay, and out from the masthead leaped
the ambulance call Of the sea. the sig
nal &C. @. D." which, translated from
tho code, MEANS "All ships. Danger
RUSH OF THE SHIPS.
Then message after message was f1ashed
away from the stricken vessel, carrying
the word that the Republic had been in
collision, that che Was In danger, and
that che iay in latitude 40.lT. longitude 10.
On the steamer Baltic on the French
liner Lorraine, at tho Nantucket wireless
station. at the naval stations at Newport,
Woods Hole and Provtncetown the mes
sage was plokod up
Euch ship which got the message turned
in her tracks and sped toward the stricken
ship. The revenue cutters Acushnet and
Gresham started toward the scene, and
the Lucania. incoming. notified from the
shore, also turned off her course to hunt
the Republic.
Then messages were EXCHANGED with the
shore. Capt Sealby got into communica-
ton with the white star Offices in this
city, notifying his owners of the accident.
but conveying the WELCOME news that
there was no danger to life, and that his
vessel would foat for some time at least
With the sending Of these messages all
that could be done on board the ship had
been done. and there remained to Can't
Sealby. his passengers. and his crew
nothing TO do but wait until thev could
be transferred to the Tloride. which was
quickly done.
Capt. Imam Soalhy of the wrecked
steamship and his second officer. r. WI
liams told their own story-the most
thrilling narrative that came from tho
disaster.
The last few minutes of the Republic.
the fight of Seaby and Williams who
stayed by her to the last: their partinc
at the sinking ships rail, their swim in
tumblnS. icy water their dramatic meet
Ing in the boat of the cutter Gresham,
and the sentiment that passed between tha
two: Game to the last'-this WAS the
In gi,
captain and his mate
captain Sealby and his men, forty eight
al 'oiu' with parrot and three canaries
arrived at New York on the evening Of
Monday, the 2Sth, on board the dereljct
destroyer Seneca. which, with the rcveruo
cutter Gresham, had been towing tho Ro-
public toward Nantucket. when she enaI,v
sank, on the evening of The 2ith. Whom
the cutter took them from the Seroc,
early the next morning they chcered her
crew. and when they reached the North
river dock they We're the objects of n re-
markable demonstration on the mart NJ
the SURVIVORS. who had landed previously
sealby was carried on the shoulders NJ
halr dozen men the length of the picr
surrounded by a cheering crowd 80
stewards and sailors, most ~ whom s,,oa
not more than the clothes In which thev
stood e'
OVATION ON THE PIER.
bugler played See. the Conouerin,
Hero Comes" and He's a Jolly Good Eel
low. and the pier fairly rang with the
shouts OIL sealoy S men. Binns. the Repub-
hcs Marconi operator; Williams, and the
other onicers. one by one, were also
cheered over and over again.
Beginning his story on the deck of the
Seneca. Captain Sealby continued il as no
came up the bay, and when he had
finished, Williams took the narrative Tho
captain said:
When 1t was close to the time for us
to leave the Republic the vessel bepan ~
rumble and crack aft, and the stern began
to 20 down rapidly. Williams and were
on the bridge.
Well what do you think about ,t?'
said 10 Williams
1 don't think it viii be a lon,, roo,.
let's make II sprint of it," he said 'vhen
you are ready, let her 60
" 'Elrn the blue lights 7 said and .,o
/ fired five shots from my revolver Tba,
49, ''n''eA' W tHe tiTcSIdln to cut
away rhe hawscr Let's make Tor tho
highest point; take to the -o-a cir,,n.
! shouted.
We ran from the bridge t. t;,n .o,oo,,
oeck' burning blue lights as We Wen, ava
carrying lanterns. When We got ~ ,,,
0ecR' the water was coming ov., ~,
after-end OF H. As We ran rd 49,,
stern OF the ship was sinking rar,,l,. 49,,
ING '"cihc or the deck was so sloan IT,.
We hc';an styling hack. ''''''
LsIT SHOT. From AI<,;rr
IN" last scw ot Williams Wa ,.,o,
ne had caught tho per. rail- ara -,.a
hanging on. took 70 the foror,c,,;,,,,
'ho went UP as far rs the masthead lIrht
--apoat il" :cct-and rested there while
TOOK out blue light from my pocka, 7,
was wet and would not 90 of Thor
nrcf the last shot from my revolver
iheh the water caught me, and :,
''oated. 1t got under my great coat Tho
ar inside supported me. while the weigh.
OF my revolver. binoculars and cartrtdpos
acted as ballast, and made a sort of life
preserver
by this time there was a roarinr
"eetH'nS mass of water around me Was
e"urhe0 down into II. but came to III.
i'oe ana tried to pull OF my coat.
oio not succeed. There was a consider
ado DEBRIS around, and finally | succeed.
Z" IN reaching hatch. On thts lay
spread-eaRle II shton.
Inc searchl!Ehts OF the revenue cut
Tors Gresham and Seneca had PLAYED On