The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-19

preSsions Of alarm n | suppose
this can no for by tho cx-
r"cdingly calm night and tho absence
of any sign of an accident.
No Calamity Expected.
The ship was absolutely still and
except for a gentle tilt downward,
which | don't think one person in
ton would have noticed at that time,
no iSns of the approaching disaster
was Visible. She lay just as if she
was waiting the order to go on again.
when some frifling matter had been
adjusted. But in a few moments We
saw tho covers lifted from tho boats
and the crews then standing by and
coiling up ropes to lower them into
the water.
linking Of Something Serious.
We then began to realize it was
moro serious than had been supposed
and my first thought was to go down
and get more clothing and some
money. but seeing the people pouring
upstairs. decided it was better to
cause no confusion to tho people
coming up. by doing so. Presently
We" heard tho order:
Men Ordered to Stand Back.
"'All men stand back away from
the boats and all ladies retire to the
deck below the smoking room deck,
or f deck. The men all stood away
and remained in absolute silence.
leaning against the end of the rail.
ihSs of the deck. or by pacing SLOWLY.
up ana down. The boats swung
n lowered from the A deck.
When they We're to the level OF tho n
deck. where all the ladies were coll
iccted, the ladies got in quietly with
.ho exception OF some. who refused
to cave their husbands. In some
cases they We're torn from them and
pushed into the boats. but in many in.
Stances they were allowed to remain
because there was no one to insist
should go.
Life Boats Lowered.
LODGING over the side. one saw the
hoatS from the aft already i'm the wa
ter slipping quietly away into the
darkness and presently the boats near
TO me Wcr" lowered with much creak-
ing as the new ropes slipped through
he pulley blocks. down the ninety
feet which separated them from the
water. An officer in uniform came up
as one boat won't down and shouted:
"'When you are afoat. row round
70 tne companion ladder and stand by
with the other boats for ORDERS
Aye, ave-. sir came up the reply,
" vi any OodI WAS able
to obey the order. When they were
afioat and had the oars at work. the
condition of the rapidly settling boat
was so much more IA sight for alarm
for those IN the boats. thar those on
board. that in common prudence the
sailors saw they could do nothing but
row from the sinking boat to save at
any rate some of the lives. They no
Doubt anticipated a suction from such
an rn1n I1E l-acCn1 70 -, ~
usually dangerous to a bo,,
mostly filled with women.
Still Orderly.
a this time there was no trace of
amy dlSordorly panic or rush to the
noats ana no scenes; the women were
sobbing Historically, such az ono gon-
orally pictures happening at such
times: every one seemed to realize so
slowly that there was imminent dam
ger. When 1t was realized we might
all be presently In the sea with MOTH
ing but u life boats to sun.
port US until NO were picked up bv
passing steamers. it was extraordinary
O calm every n was and how
completely self-controlled.
Lowered One by One.
One by n the boats were filled
with women and children. lowered
-HA1 o"S iva III Tue nl2nJ Pres
emily the word went round among the
men:
'Men are to be put in the boats in
the starhoard side
II was on the port side and the most
of the men walked across the deck to
see If this was SO. remained where
l was. and presently heard the call:
ANY more ladies?'
Looking over the side of the ship I
saw hOaf No 10 cU,irp 1o,.o1 ,-:.l. A.
r deck half full of ladies. Again the
call was repeated:
ANY more ladics?'
Il saw none come and then one of
the crew looked up and said:
ANY ladies on your deck, sir?'
No. no. replied.
Then o better lump"
Jumped in Life Boat.
i dropped in and fell in the bottom
as they cried, Lower away As the
boat began to descend. two ladies'
pushed hurriedly through the crowd
on the B deck and were heaved over
into the boat and a baby ten months
old was passed down after them.
Down We went. the crew calling to
those lowering the end to keen her
level.
Aft 'stern'-'both together un-
til we were some ten feet from the
'A'SA "AN iCI' cu tht OnIN
anxious moment we had during the
whole of our experience from leaving
Tbs deck to reaching the Carpathia.
Only Danger was From COndensers.
Immediately below our boat was
the exhaust of the condensers. a huge
stream of water pouring all the time
from the ships side just above the
water line. 1t was plain we ought to
be kept away from this in order not
to be swamped by 1t whcn we touched
the water. We had no officer aboard
nor petty officer. or member of the
crew to take charge, so one Of the
stokers shouted:
Some one find the pin which re-
leases the boat from the ropes and
pull it up
NO one knew where it was. We
felt as we'll as We could on the floor
and sides, but found nothing and 1t
was a hard move among so many peo-
Pile. We had sixty or seventy on
board.
Down we went and presently
1oated with our ropes still holding US.
The exhaust was holding us away
from the side of the vessel. and the
against the side again. The resultant
Of all these forces was an impetus
which carried us parallel to the ships
side mad directly under boat IA. which
filled rapidly with men, and was COM
ing down on us in a way hat threat
ened to submerge our boat.
Almost Hit by Another Life Boat.
"'Stop lowering IA our crew shout
ed. and r. No. IA. now only twenty
feet above, shouted the same. But
the distance to the top. some seventy
feet. and the creaking Of pulleys must
have 'deadened all sound to those
above. for down she anne. fifteen. ten
feet. five feet. and a stoker and 1
reached up and touched her swinging