The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-19
sNEesr was with group Of the ships
deck. as the slant Of the seas sank.


amid all their grief the Survivors. in
sentences interrupted by sobs and
calculations told in brief moments
Of their experience THAI had TO be
pieced together TO make "a coherent
narrative.
The ocean was calm as mill pond
when the Titanic crashed into the ice
berg. Most OF the passengers were
in their cabins.
Then came the shock Of collision
not so violent a crash as had been
depleted, but enough 10 disauiet all
who felt IT. There was a general and
orderly exodus To the decks.
NO Danger"
Sailors were scurrying hither and
,hither crying; Nothing TO be afraid
Of There's no danger
Some of the passengers even re-
turned to their rooms and prepared
10 retire. But grs dually the cessation
of the engines vibra ton caused un-
eeasiness. and the groups on the decks
grew greater and greater still The
sailors announced there was nothing
IN he feared
Then. with perceptibie suddenness.
the shin began to list.
All passengers on deck with life
belts" was shouted. Then for the first
time the gravity Of the situation began
to dawn upon the passengers.
The sailors. working silently ana
without excitement. Yet fast as their
hands could move, began to remove
the tarpaulins from the life boats, and
--terseiy. without excitement--cane
the order repsa ted upon every SIDE:
lfeboats Manned,
Women and children In the life
boats"
The sailors helped the nearest worn
en- and children into the boats. And
1. was the beginning of excitement
other sailors began tn lower the boats.
Thus far the men. standing IDLY
by. failing entirely to grasp the sfgnIn-
canoe Of the moment. had helped the
sailors. many OF the passengers report
that the men We're Laughing.
Wen be safer here on the snip
than in that cockle-sneII'" one man
cried to his wife. as she was helped
over the rail.
Boat Began to Settle.
But the Titanic began to settle In
tho ocean. and 1t was difficult for tho
mon 10 remain on their feet. Then
/. was that the appalling nature OF ~
All dawned upon those men. Ano
then. also II rms, that the officers OF
the shin drew their revoivers' o.,
towering sides Of the ship. Other
women and children 20 into tbs
boatA"
some Of the men leaned agains
,hn raj, and looked down over tbs
towering s.dwes Of the ship. other
slowly paced the deck as II they Wer
waiting.
The ship sank lower and lower
Three revolver shots were heard
three passengers in the STORAGE ha'
sttem pied to force their way past IN
sailors and hSd been ruthi1ssly sho
down
he ship had now listed to terri
bile angle. Men in the throes or pan
SC, attempted to reach the boats an'
were pushed back. And in that mo
rnent. the heroism of hundreds as
serted itself. It was the passenger
who pushed back these. panic-strich
en- few and not the sailors. OF tbs
individual deeds Of heroism only
few have as vet been told.
Finally all the boats we're lower
ed Then the sailors, seing womeI
standing and running about, cried
IAN women to the lower deekl
There began rush to the lowe
deck. and here II was that the near
est sembiance 10 a panic began. som
Of the women were seized by sailor
and deliberately thrown over the raj
into the boats.
TAs weaker men. by scores, began
to z mp overheard. The fifehoats be
gan to draw away from the ship.
Cried Aloud For Help.
Az they drew away those who wer
roatinE among the cakes of Ice In tn
sea cried aloud piteo'niy for help
Those who could. seized the sides o
the lifeboats. In many cases the,
were pulled aboard.
In many cases the sailors wht
manned the boats rowed deliberatel,
ON, Needless OF all suppitcations. fol
their boats were full. One boat wa,
observed to overtnrn. What capsizet
II is not yet known--probah'y MIN
her of men In the sea struggling tt
board her.
Several more pistol shots were
heard on board the ship. And then
suddenly, above the murrnur Of tbs
wea and the crunehing Of the ice foes
there rose a steadily increasing cry
from the doomed ship--a cry in whicf
hundreds upon hundreds OF voices min
rled.
And the women in the hfeboats
were screa ming. eacn to her husband
or her brother; -.
Jump We1l pick you up! was
heard on every side.
the Titanic began 10 increase In vol
un1e From the llfeooats the huge
Titanic loorned huge mass OF black
ness. dotted with few tiny lights
None Of these Examinations were sur
essssst 40, rsswf.ss s4thar 81 sc. ors aFl4.i'
dent. But these lights were steadily
sinking.
In the hurry ~ ernoark!ne one OF
the 1ifebnats had been lowered with
ont single sailor IN II. Three men
had been picked mn by this boat, nut
the women were rowing. Ana the
women between the thwarts were
screaming to their loved ones In agony
Then suddenly. above ell the wall
snr nf that desolate scene, there
rose the strains Of the ship's mand.
playing, Nearer Ny God To Thee
And fer tbs arst time those IN Inc
1,fe boats realized that those who
were left behind knew that they
were doomed. a few voices rose In
accompaniment II the melody"Tne
chorus swelied louder and louder.
The lights sunk liver and lower.
The life boats We're pulling from
the scene or fost ar they could, But
while they were still within sight OF
the ship the lights Went out with
startling swiftness-
The screams and shouts OF those
on board still resounded through the
air.
The last light went out and the music
ceased
The peerless Titanic had sunk.