Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-28

ionAu VI WHItS Star Line.
8. Senator Smith Chairman.) A.
Major Peuchen. a Survivor. s. Mrs.
Peuchen. 6. J. Bruce Ismay.
tiers corresponding to the initials Of the
names Of survivors they came to meet.
was the mass Of the 1000 on the pier.
Women wept, but they wept quietly.
not Historically. and the sound Of
their sobs made many times less noise
than the hum and hustle which is usual
on the pier among those awaiting an
incoming liner.
Then the Carpathia was made fast.
the gangplanks shot into place. and
from the forward one walked a sailor
dressed completely in yellow oilskina-
About each gangplank a portable
fence had been put in place marking off
some 90 feet Of the pier, within which
stood 100 or more customs officials
Next to the fence, crowded close against
1t, were anxious men and women. THAR
gaze strained for glance of the first
from the ship. their mouths opened Ia
ara" their breaths in spasmodic. ouiv-
erlng gasps. their very bodies shaking
with suppressed excitement, excitement
which only the suspense itself was
keeping, in subsection.
The sailor hurried outside the fene.
ana disappeared, apparently ON a mis-
sion Tor his company. There was a
deep drawn sigh as he walked away.
shaking his head sadly toward those
VINO peered eagerly at him. Then came
man and woman of the Carpathia.s
own passengers. as their orderly dres,
showed them to be.
Again sigh that was like . .ob
swept over the crowd and again the
staring eyes turned back to the gang
plank, canopied structure like those
winch are used at weddings.
several minutes had passed already
and then woman, the dress che wore
OBVIOUSLY patched up from contrfbu-
lions OF the Carpathia's passengers. her
race red from weeping, her eyes start
Ing almost from her head with the
eagerness with which she stared for a
known face, started down the gang
plank. stopped. perplexed, almost ready
10 drop with terror and exhaustion, and
was caught by a customs official
A SURVIVOR" he questioned ranidIv
and nod Of the head answering him.
he demanded:
Your name?"
The answer given he started to lead
her toward that section of the pier
where her friends would be waiting.
When she stepped from the gangplank
there was quiet on the pier. The an
swers of the woman almost could he
heard by those fifty feet away, but as
she staggered rather than walked,
clinging to the officers arm, toward
the waiting throng outside the fence. a
low wailing sound started from the
crowd. It's cadences. wild and weird.
grew steadily louder and louder till
they eliminated in a mighty shrek.
which swept the whole big pier as
though at the direction of some mas.
ter hand.
In the roaring volume, the shriller
cries of women could be DISTINGUISHED
above the heavy sobbing of men. No
other sound was audible. and to the &C.
compartment Of the terrible chorus
the woman was led from the Enclosure,
to be swept into the arms Of a man
who threw his arms about her. his
tears falling over her as he struggled
to greet her with e voice that broke
into sobs.
AT the appearance OF each the cries
OF the crowd swelled stronger and
stronger. Nurses and doctors rushed
to the sides Of women who seemed
about to faint. and half led. half car
ried them out Of the crush to parts of
the pier then almost deserted.
Steerage women. recognizable by
their dress and appearance. came down
the gangplank, some Of them not Weep
ing as others were. but gazing with
fixed eyes hopelessly about them. There
was no relative with an automobile,
heavy rugs aid additional clothing
waiting for them, but there were the
Sisters OF Mercy, the Salvation Army
corps, and the Women's Relief Com
nittee, and no Storage passengers left
he ship without receiving q welcome
Ind q helping hand. Some carried
babies in their arms. babies who gased
about them. and even crowed or chuck
ed as weeping mothers carried them
lown to the pier.
Minute after minute tho scene was
epeated until, late at night. the last
# the survivors able to walk had left
hoard many women too seriously Ill.
lot from physical exposure entirely. but
rom the awful mental strain an well.
o be,moved.
fCoatinned On believing PACED