Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-06-12
VICTIM OF TITANIC.
Carl Janson of Chicago Tells of
Spending Six Hours i'm Water
Before Rescue.

Traces of salt water blisters still
showed on the hands of a stalwart
young man who reached Chicago
yesterday from New York where he
was landed from the Cunarder Car
patEia. He was Carl Janson, TWEEN
ty-two years old, third cabin suryi-
vor OF the Titanic, who spent six
hours in the water among floating
ice cakes before he was rescued by
one of the Carpathia's boats.
All around him he saw drowning
passengers and heard their means as
one by one they sank. Only his ex-
traordinary strength permitted jan
son to endure the terrible ordeal. He
was half frozen when rescued
And for that fearful suffering the
White Star Line generously gave
Janson a cheap suit of clothes, a
cheap overcoat and $40 in cash, to
sign a general release of the line
from further damage. He lost $50
on the Titanic and all his baggage
Janson saw Chief Officer Murdoch
shoot himself just before the last
hoat was launched. He gave graph
ic story of the sinking of the great
liner with its human freight. His
story proves that the passengers al
most two hours after the ship struck
the iceberg were not warned of the
danger that confronted them. The
steerage passengers especially, even
when told to get up, were given the
information that there is not great
danger"
Il had gone to bed" said Janson,
land was asleep when | was awaken
ed by stewards who called out that
the ship had struck an iceberg, but
that there was not great danger;
told US, however, to get up. That
was about 1880 or more than an
hour and five minutes after the I'll
tanic had struck the iceberg.
Il arose and dressed, even, put
ting on my overcoat before going on
deck. There did not appear to be
quarters. | went to the top deck.
No one attempted to stop me.
Women and children only were
allowed to come out of tie steerage
after that. Shortly before the last
boat was launched l glanced toward
the bridge and saw the chief officer
place a revolver in his mouth and
shoot himself. His body toppled over
board | waited for the last boat to
leave and then jumped overheard
myself. | was swimming not more
than twenty feet from the ship when
she upended and went down. The
Titanic did not break III two, though
there were two explosions. | saw
her propellors as she went under
The suction was small. A door from
the wreck was flung near me and
grasped it with more than twenty
others. We chung to that door fol-
hours. One by one the others slipped
eff and sank
The water after the sinking of the
ritanic was dotted with persons and
floating ice cakes. The cries and
means continued for hours. can
not see why more could not have
been rescued. 1t was in the morn
ing when | was picked up.
Janson left on the Chicago &
Northwestern Railway last night fol-
Swedburg, Neb., where he has q
brother.
Miss Annie Kelly of 303 Eugenie
street who was one of the survivors
OF the Titanic, also signed releasS
while in the hospital in New York
Tor $25.
Other Titanic survivors who pass
ed through Chicago were Edw. Lund
strom, his wife. their two daughters
Marguerite and Beatrice, and Karin
Abselseth, a Norwegian girl, bounC
for California. Five others of Lund
strom's party We're lost on the ship
hey were Mrs. Hulda Classen. Al
bin and Gertrude Classen and Huldi
Verstrom.
Anton Nelson of $3.50 Latin st.
uncle of Oliver Myhrman. a youth
who was lost on tAe Titanic, me
Lundstrom at the Union station, Il
show MIN picture of the boy. Lund
strom said Myhrman was on decl
when the boats were being launched
Helga Dahlberg OF 1880 Calumet av
enue also met the Lundstroms Il
ask in vain If they knew aught o
her sister Gerda, who is reported t
have been lost.
(The above from a Chicago pape
refers to the man who had the tickle
on display in the J. o. Groves dru!