The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-04-25

and after walking on deck and looking
over the rail, returned TO their game
Ono Of them had left his cigar on the
card table, and while the three others
were gazing out on the sea he re
marked that he couldn't afford to lose
his smoke, returned for his cigar, and
came out again.
The four remained only few
moments on deck. They resumed their
game under the impression that the
ship had stopped for reasons best
known to the commander and not In
volving any danger to her. The
tendency of the whole ships company
except the men in the engine depart.
ment, who were made aware OF the
danger by the inrushing water, vas 10
make light of Ii and In some instances
even to ridicule the thought of dan
ger to so substantial fabric.
Slow to Realize Peril.
Within few minutes stewards aad
other members of the crew were sent
round to arouse the people. Some ut
terly refused to get up. The stewards
had almost to force the doors of the
staterooms to make the somnolent
appreciate their peril
Mr.. and Mrs. Astor were in their
room and saw the ice vision fash by.
They lad not appreciably felt the
gentle shock and supposed then moth
ing out of the ordinary had happened.
They were both dressed and came on
deck leisurely.
take a heavy list to starboard that a
tremor of fear pervaded 1t.
Launch Boats Safely.
The crew had been called to clear
away the lifeboats of which there
were 20, of which four were collaps-
IDLE. The boats that were lowered on
the port side of the ship touched the
water without capsizing. Some Of the
others lowered to starboard, including
one collapsible, were capsized. All
hands on the collapsible boats that
practically went to pieces were res
cued by the other boats.
Sixteen boats In all got away safely.
1t was even then the general impress
sion that the ship was all right and
there Is no doubt that that was the be-
lief of even some of the officers
At the lowering Of the boats the
officers experimenting 1t were armed
with revolvers, but there was no ne
cessity for using them as there was
nothing in the nature of panic and
no man made an effort to get into a
boat while the women and children
were being put aboard.
AS the ship began to settle to
starboard, heeling at an angle of near
ly As degrees, those who had believed
it was all right to stick by the ship
began to have doubt and few
jumped into the sea. These were fol-
lowed Immediately by others and in
few minutes there were scores
swimming around. Nearly all OF
them wore life preservers.
One man who had a Pomeranian
dog leaped overheard with it and
striking piece of wreckage was bad
! ly stunned. He recovered after few
lifeboats and was taken aboard Most
OF the men who were aboard the Car
pathia, barring the members of the
crew who had manned the boats, had
jumped into the sea as the Titanic
was settling.
Ship Breaks In Two.
Under instructions from officers and
men in charge OF lifeboats were row.
ed considerable distance from the
ship herself in order to get away from
the possible suction that would follow
the laundering. The marvellous thing
about the disappearance was so lit
tie auction as to be hardly appreciable
from the point where the boats were
floating.
There was ample time to launch all
boats before the Titanic went down, as
it was two hours and twenty minutes
afioat.
So confident were all hands that she
had not sustained a mortal wound that
it was not until II: Is a. M. or IS min
utes after the berg was encountered,
that the boats We're lowered. Hun
dreds Of the crew and large ma
jority of the officers. including Capt.
Smith, stuck to the ship to the last.
1t was evident after there were sew
eral explosions, which doubtless were
the boilers blowing up, that she had
but few minutes more Of life
The ship broke In half amidship and
almost simultaneously the after half
and the forward half sank, the for
ward half vanishing bow first and the
other half stern first.
John Jacob Astor stood on deck and
fought off man after man until his
wife was in lifeboat Then he re-
manned on the deck to the last.
Many of the survivors assert posi-
lively that aot woman was to be
seen on any of the decks at the time
the officers of the Titanic gave thu.
word for the men to enter the life
boats. 1t is therefore believed many
of those who lost their lives must
have been killed in their cabins, as the
survivors also say that every one had
ample time to dress.
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