The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-04-18
APPALLING DISASTER
Steamer Titanic Strikes an Iceberg
and Sinks, over 1900 Persons
Gojno Down with the Ship.

ana SinkS, over l3UU TerSOnS
Goino Down with the Ship.
The most appalling ocean disas-
ter in the history of the world re-
sulting in the loss Of at least l,34l
persons, passengers and crew OF the
giant liner Titanic, occurred Sunday
night, when the largest steamship in
the, world struck a sunken iceberg
at a point about 600 miles south of
Halifax and 1880 miles east of New
York, the vessel going down few
hours later, before any vessels could
respond to the wireless signals of
distress, although vessels from diff
ferent directions were rushing with
all possible haste to the assistance
of the doomed ship.
On board the vessel were many
noted persons, and although the
steamer Carpathia reached the scene
a couple of hours after the ship sank
and rescued from open boats 868
survivors, mostly women and chill
dren, there still remains to be ac-
counted for 1,341 persons, who
doubtless have, found watery graves,
as the wireless dispatches say that
none of the other vessels which went
to the scene of the accident found
any of the survivors. In the list of
missing are Col. John Jacob Astor,
the multi-millionaire, who with his
bride was returning from wedding
tour. His wife and maid were among
those rescued. Other prominent
persons who met death are Major
Archie Butt, personal aid to Presl-
dent Taft, w. T. Stead, the great
London journalist, w. A. H. Roeb-
ling, the famous bridge builder, and
many others.
The steamship Titanic of the
White Star line, the largest vessel
afloat was on her maiden voyage,
having sailed from Southampton on
Wednesday of last week and was
due in New York yesterday. The
Titanic was of 46,328 tons register,
with a diplacement of $4,000 tons.
Her total length was S82 feet six
inches, her breadth ninety-two feet
six inches, and she was 175 feet from
the keel to the top of the smoke
stacks. She had eleven decks, which
is equal to what was called sky
scraper few years ago. The vessel
carried 1000 persons, including
passengers and crew, and this in
spite of the fact that the state rooms
are unusually spacious, beds taking
the place of hunks in most of the
apartments. Two regal suits on the
Titanic cost $4,350 each for the trip,
the occupants having private prom
enade deck on which they had as
much privacy as on the piazza of
their own home. When the huge
passed near the New York Of the
American line, and the sfsm ens1ous
suction developed ny tho passage Of
the leyiathian caused the seven baw-
aers holding the New York To. snap:
and turn that vessel loose. She was
pushed back into dock without mis-
hap. simultaneously with the first
of the Titanic comes the in
formation that the North German
Lloyd line has let a contract for a
vessel that will eclipse the present
queen of the seas. The boat to be
built will have a registered tonnage
of $4,000 and will be more than
800 feet long. In the meantime the
Hamburg-American line is building
the 1mperator, which will be of So
900 tons and will be in service within
a few months. To show the tremen-
dous advance made in the building
of the ocean greyhounds in recent
years it may be said that the Titanic
rs nearly four times as large as the
Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse, which
ten years ago was one Of the largest,
finest and fastest boats in commits
sion. -..