Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-04-20

j. p. Morgan. Jr., was an early ar
rival There was a committee from
the stock exchange. headed by Ran
som III Thomas. the president; p. A.
B. Widener, Of Philadelphia. the trac-
ton magnate, who waited for his
daughterinlaw, but with no hope left
for the survival Of his son, George ID.
Widener, and Grandson. Senator VIII
liam A. Clark, DIR. Herman Frauen-
thai and others with relatives and
friends aboard the incoming boat en-
deavored to master their anxiety and
waited with what patience was posi-
Bile.
How the Tintsnic Was Wrecked.
The Titanic was plunging through a
comparatively placid sea. on the sur
face of which there was much mushy
ice and here and there number of
comparatively harmless looking foes
The night was clear. First Officer
Murdoch was in charge Of the bridge.
The first intimation of the presence
from the lookout.
They were so close upon the berg
at this moment that 1t was practically
impossible to avoid a collision with 1T.
The first officer did what other star
tied and alert commanders had done
under similar circumstances. that is,
he made an effort by going full speed
ahead on his starboard propeller and
reversing his port PROPELLER, simulta-
neously throwing his helm over, to
make a rapid turn and clear the Ice
berg.
The maneuver was not successful
He succeeded in saving his bows from
crashing into the iceberg, but nearly
the entire length of the underbody OF
| the great ship on the starboard side
| was ripped The speed of the Titanic.
/ estimated to be at least twenty-one
knots, was so terrific that the knife
like edge of the iceberg's spur pro
truding under the sea cut through her
like a can opener. The shock was al
most imperceptible.
The first officer did not apparently
realize that the great ship had re
ceived her death wound and none OF
the passengers had the slightest sus
picion that anything more than q
minor sea accident had happened
Hundreds who had gone to their
berths and were asleep were not wax
ened by the vibration.
|
| Mr.. and Mrs. Aston were in their
room and saw the ice vision flash by
but they had not appreciably felt the
gentle shock and supposed that moth
| ing out of the ordinary had happened
They were both dressed and came on
deck leisurely. 1t was not until the
ship began to take heavy list TO
starboard that tremor of fear per
raded her. The crew had been called
to clear away the lifeboats, of which
there were twenty. four OF which were
collapsible. The boats that were low
cred on the port side of the ship touch
ed the water without capsizing. Some
of the others lowered to starboard,
including one collapsible, were cap
sized All hands in the collapsible
boats, that practically went to pieces
were rescued by the other boats. Six
teen boats in all got away safely. 1t
was even then the gentle impression
that the ship was all right, and there
is no doubt tht this was the belief OF
even some of the officers of the ship.
At the lowering of the boats the of.
ffcer experimenting the lowering of
the boats were armed with pistols.
but there was no necessity for using
them, as there was nothing in the ma
ture of panic and no man made an
effort TO get into a small boat while
the women and children were beino
put aboard
Scores Jumped Into Sea.
AS the ship began to settle to ar
board, heeling at an angle of nearly
forty-five degrees, those who had be
lieved it was all right to stick to tbs
ship began to have doubts and a few
jumped into the sea. They were fol
lowed Immediately by others, and IN
a few minutes there were scores OF
persons swimming around. Nearly ali
6; them wore life preservers. One
man, who had a Pommeranian dog.
leaped overheard with II and. striking
a piece of wreckage, was badly stun
ned. He recovered after few min
utes and swan toward one OF the
lifeboats and was taken on board.
MRS. wIDENERwORE NECKLACE