Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-04-19

self and b0bbed up an down. It,
TOD was black with men and women
who could not be taken off because
there were not enough lifeboatS
and RATS. Another explosion came
and then the great mass of steel
sunk down into the waters, raised
again, and then plunged forward to
disappear forever. And as she went
down. from the wreck came the last
feeble strains of the music of the
heroic ships band, playing Nearer
My God to Thee"
Women, horror-stricken, tried to
Jump overheard. They had to be for
chilly restrained. Others fell back
unconscious. Meanwhile many of the
boats were rowed to the scene of the
wreck. There was a mass OF f1oat-
ing debris, dotted with bodies. One
man, powerful of frame, was found
with blood pouring from his ears
and mouth. He was still alive, but
as he was dragged into the boat, he
died. The people in the boat believe
that he was Major Archibald Butt,
U. S. A., aide to President Taft. His
body was quickly put over side, as
live survivors were noticed and hur-
riedly picked up.
Then came the awful wait. 1t was
not known that assistance was COM
ing. Most of those on the vessel did
not know that the Carpathia had
heard the last frantic appeal for help
and was rushing through the ice fields
piloted by brave Captain Rostron, at
faster rate of speed than she was
compelled to make on her trial trip,
to save the pitifully small number of
survivors. And with daylight the
survivors, in the midst of grinding
ice fields, with the sea rising and a
storm plainly approaching, saw the
smoke of the Carpathia coming up.
Her crew were at their posts, sings
were already oversize to hoist the
survivors on board, and there was not
an instants delay in the transfer.
New York, April lS.-That Captain
Smith of the lost Titanic was ut
dinner party last Sunday night in the
big restaurant on the liner, despite
the fact that he had received numer-
GUS warnings by wireless of ice ahead
was the direct charge made today by
Major Arthur Peuchon of Toronto.
Peuchon is an officer in the Queens
Own Rifles Of Canada and president
of big chemical company. HEIDI
rectly charged that the loss of the IL
tanic was due to careessness going
at full speed through the ice with a
new crew, and insisted that if the
captain had been on the bridge the
Titanic would not have hit the berg.
"Why, even if the lookout had been
on the job in the crows nest, he should
have seen that berg" said Peuchen.
at was a monster and the night was
beautifully clear, and the stars were
shining.
The captain was at dinner with
Bruce Ismay and number of Million
aires for more than three hours that
nipht instead of being on the bridge
where he belonged, knowing that we
were going into ice fields. Not a sin
rle extra lookout was posted, and the
speed was never reduced a particle.
We were running very fast when we
struck"
Major Peuchen declared that he
was probably the last person to talk
with Charles NJ Hays, general man.
aper of the Grand Trunk. The latter
told him that he believed the wreck
would float at least eight hours and
that bv that time help would be at
hand.
ave had bad luck from the start,
declared Peuchen, "narrowly escaping
A smash in Southampton Harbor. ms
convinced us all that Captain Smiths
ill-luck was still maintained. Ana
the steamer was manned by picked
up crew who had never worked TO-
pether. But this wreck was due 10
! criminal carelessness. Ordinary eau
ton or judgment would have pre-
vented it. But the Titanic was good
boat, luxuriantly fitted up, but she
was not given fair show.
Sunday it was very cold, and we
knew we were in the ice zone. But
there was no checking of speed. When
we struck that berg we were running
% miles an hour.
al know that the wireless warned OF
danger from the ice. Why, lsmay
told Miss Ryerson that we would pass
beres. She asked him if we would
slow down, and he is reported to have