The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-05-01
EVER In maritime history has
there been u sadder scene
than was witnessed Thurs

~3 VIVA u ANOO oNSAG
than was witnessed Thurs.
day night when the Cunard
steamer Carpathia came to her dock at
her pier In New York bearing the sur
vivors OF the passengers and crew OF
the lost Titanic. OF these there were
but a pitiful 662 left, or less than one-
third Of those aboard the worlds great.
est unsuitable" floating palace. Many
OF the survivors were i'll, some Of them
dangerously so, others were in a state
OF nervous collapse from the shock,
and still others We're reported on the
verge of insanity. Among them were
newly made widows, while many. per-
haps a majority. had been torn from
loved ones in the last black hour be-
fore the gigantic liner had gone down.
Mrs. candee's Graphic Story.
Mrs. Churchill Candee of Washing.
ton gave the following account of the
disaster:
Il retired to my cabin shortly after
IL and had barely entered it when
there were two terrific shocks, one i'm
mediately following the other. was
thrown to the floor and rs soon as DOS
sible ran out into the companionway.
There met som passengers and went
up to the main deck. As we were pass
ing through the saloon a passenger ran
through with a cake Of ice and called
out. 1ce--ice from the iceberg!' There
was absolutely no excitement, and the
matter was not regarded seriously, al.
though steam was escaping from one
OF the smokestacks, the others appar-
emily being silent.
THE night was clear and cold, and 1t
seemed incredible that anything seri-
GUS had happened. However, the or.
der soon came to 60 down and put on
heavy wraps and life preservers and
return to the deck. We learned then
That the entire bottom had dropped
out of the ship and the fires of at
least three Of the boilers had dropped
into the cea The order soon came
to take to the lifeboats. l was In one
OF the first that vas lowered. There
was no disorder or confusion, and all
of the women and children passengers
~ the first, second and third cabin
were treated alike.
"The order was Immediately given
to launch the boats, and both on the
port and starboard sides the orders
were carried out in an admirable man.
ner. Only one collapsible boat was
broken, but otherwise all the other
lifeboats were safely launched. By
the time the last boat cleared the ship
she had sunk to the level Of IT,. second
deck. Only two hours had elal I'd.
"She was settling fast at this time
bow down. At the last she was poised
for about thirty seconds with her stern
clear Of the water, then slipped gradu-
ally into oblivion. There was no sue
ton whatever when she went down,
although there were horrible sounds of
explosions, cries, etc. Up to this time
the action of the men had been very
courageous.
Last Seen Of Colonel Aston.
Colonel Astor was last seen stand.
Ing on the top deck. All women and
children were taken off except those
who refused to leave. Mrs. Isidor
Straus refused to leave her husband
and went down.
"The scenes after the boat went
down We're terrific. The people in the
water struggled and fought. Many
Were picked up by the boats, although
the boat l was in did not pick up any.
The captain was seen hanging to q
raft for some minutes and then slipped
of.
"The next morning we found we
were In an ice field that they say was
from fifty to a hundred miles in
length. The iceberg we ran into was
clearly to be seen. 1t had two enor-
NOUS peaks, and it appeared to be very
huge. The quartermaster, who was on
the bridge at the time of the accident
and who was at the helm Of our life
boat, said they We're making full speed,
and, although the night was clear, they
had absolutely no idea Of any danger.
The first they knew Of the proximity
OF the iceberg was when the crash
came. They were under orders to
make $40 knots. Early the next morn
ing we were taken up by the Carpa-
thia."
Saw No Evidence Of Cowardics.
1.-THE crash came at 11:4O," said n
woman. 1.-THE lights of the Titanic
went out at 2:20 o'clock. l saw no evil
dences of cowardice."
Women and children, frightened by
the prospect Of being set adrift upon
the dark and ice strewn ocean, refused
to enter the h~feboats." said another of
the rescued passengers. "Some of the
boats were launched with only fifteen
or twenty on board them, although they
could have held seventy-6ve."
Passengers Shot by Officers.
Mr.. and Mrs. Washington Dodge of
49,