The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-05-27
Said Boiler Lights Showed White, In
dicating Vessel Was Making
Full Speed Ahead.
THE CRASH TORE SHIPS SIDE
Let Water Into Compartment Five
Bulkheads Closed But Too Many
Were Ripped.

New York, May Outstanding in
the blazing heat Of the stoke hold OF
the big White Star liner Olympic, in
as near as he could judge the exact
spot he had occupied on the Inflated
Titanic, her sister ship, Frederick
Barrett, chief stoker of the lost
steamer, Saturday related to Senator
William A. Smith his story of the
tragedy of the Grand Banks. While
the perspiration poured from fore
heads of Smith and Rear Admiral
Todd, who was on hand to furnish
the senates inquisitor with technical
information. Barrett told of the en-
ormous speed that was being pro-
duced by the Titanic's engines when
she was hurled on the great mass of
ice that sent her to her doom. He
proved one Of the best witnesses
reached by the United States senate's
inquiry. Barrett's presence on the
Olympic was made known to Smith
by quiet tip from an agent in Eng
land and he waited until the big lin
er was about ready to cast off her
lines so that there could be no mis-
cue' before he went down into the
hold of the Olympic to get the men
and have him tell his story.
Barrett stated that the vessel was
booming along with the white lights
above the boilers indicating full
speed ahead when there came sud-
den alarm from the bridge, the red
danger signal showed and, before the
liner could be checked, there was a
ripping sound and the waters began
to pour through the mortal wound
above the coal bunkers into cOmpart-
ment No. 5.
The presence with Smith of score
of newspaper men and Vice-President
Franklin of the line made no impress
sion on Barrett, who told his story
Of the occurrences of the fatal night
in an even, firm voice that brought
home every point with clearness
Only Two Men Saved.
Second Engineer Heskett and he
were standing side by side, talking,
said Barrett, when the Titanic's
bridge signaled to stop and the red
lamp glowed. At the same time, the
bulkhead doors began to close
The engineer and chief stoker
jumped through the door to the en-
CINE room compartment as the doors
slammed shut, Barrett said. The 9TH
err men in that compartment were
shut off and staid there, drowning in
their tracks. After getting into COM
partment No. 6, Barrett said, he
climbed up to look into No. 5, which
he had just left. BY that time, he
said, there was nearly eight feet Of
water in No. S compartment.
With no show Of emotion, the
chief stoker related how the electric
lights went out, how he sent for Ian
terms, and, before they arrived, how
the electric lights went on again.
That he returned into section No. G.,
and while he was attempting to ham
die the boilers he heard a roar and
saw coming through the lane be-
tween the boilers green, foamy mass
of water that sent him hurting up
the ladder just in time to escape be-
ing drowned. He took charge of life
boat No. 10, the one to which Mrs.
John Jacob Aston had been assigned.
Smith States Conclusions.
Following the inspection Of the
Olympic and the Interrogation under
oath of Barrett, Captain Haddock
and Ernest Moore, the wireless op
orator, Senator Smith made the fol-
lowing statement: .--,. ....-
"The most important thing l found
today was the condition of that sig
the Olympic. The conditions were
almost parallel to the Titanic The
fact that the white light showed (ac-
cording to Barrett) proves what we
have been trying to establish-tha at
the Titanic was under full speed.
"The fact that twenty-four boilers
were lighted, there being only TWEEN
ty-nine, shows thatiothe speed was
close to seventy-eight revolutions.
. This. as Mr.. Ismay testified. was the