The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1912-05-02
SURVIVORS OF
TITANIC TALK.
The Tale Told by Eye-Witnesses
of the Greatest Marine Dis
aster in the History of
the World.
The best accounts of what oc.

The best accounts of what oc
cured on the Titanic are given ir
the stories told by the survivors
Naturally the stories differ ir
some details. The doomed yes
sci was almost a city in itsell
and the scenes in different parts
of it were not all alike, Some
extracts from survivors stories
are given below:
Following is the account OF
Sir. Beasley of London: 'Ihad
been in my berth for about II
minutes when, at about Ills in
the evening, 7 felt a slight jal
and then soon after a second
one, hut not sufficiently heavy
to cause anxiety to anyone.
Going on deck, [ saw there
was an undoubted list down
wards from stern to bows, but
knowing nothing of what had
happened, concluded some of
the compartments had been fill
ed and weighed her down.
went down to put on warmer
clothing and as | dressed heard
an order shouted:
All passengers on deck with
life-belts on.
There was a total absence of
any panic Or any expressions of
alarm, and l suppose this can be
accounted for by the exceedingly
calm night and the absence of
any signs of the accident.
The ship was absolutly still
and except for a gentle tilt down
ward, no signs of the approach
ing disaster We're visible, She
lay just as if she We're waiting
the order to 90 on again.
But in a few moments we saw
the covers lifted from the boats
and the crews allotted to them
standing by.
We then began to realize it
was more serious than had been
supposed. Presently we heard
the order:
All men stand back away
from the boats and all ladies re-
tire to the next deck below
The men all stood away and
remained in absolute silence.
The boats were swung out and
lowered. When they were to
the level of B deck. where all
the women were collected, the
women got in quietly with the
exception of some who refused
to leave their husbands.
In some cases they were torn
from them and pushed into the
boats, but in many instances
they were allowed to remain.
Looking over the side, one
saw boats from aft already in
the water slipping auitelY away
into the darkness.
All this time there was no
trace of any disorder; no panic
or rush to the boats. Mr.. Beas-
ley told how he was allowed to
get into one Of the boats which
was about to push off, because
there was place and there Were
no W omen in that part Of the
ship. The boat was rowed a
mile or more from the ] itanie.
because the sailors at the oars
were afraid Of being drawn
down by the suction when the
steamer sank. Continuing, he
sad:
1T is now about l o'clock in
the morning; a beautiful, star
light night with no moon light.
The sea was as calm as a pond,
lust a gentle heave as the boat
dipped up and down in the swell;
all ideal night except for the
bitter Geld. One of the men al
the oars said he had been al sea
26 years and had never yet seen
such a calm night on the Az:
lantic.
In the distance the Titanic
looked an enormous length, her
great bulk outlined in black
against the starry sky, every
portfolio and saloon blazing with
light. It was impossible to
think anything could be wrong
were it not for that tilt down
ward in the bows where the
water was by now up to the
lowest row Of port holes.
About 2 It. m, we observed
her settling very radidly with
the bows and the bridge com,
pIetely under water.
She slowly tilted straight on
end with the stern upward. and
as she did so the lights in the
cabins and saloons which had
not fiickered for a moment since
we left, died out, came on again
for a single flash and finally
went out altogether. At the
same time the machinery roareC
down through the vessel with q
rattle and a groaning that could
be heard for miles The engines
and boilers seemed to have fal.
len through the forward half OF
the ship as it stood on end. Tl
cur amazement the ship stooC
in that upright position for 6
time which I thought was five
minutes, though others in the
boat say twas less. Then with
a quick, slanting dive she dis
appeared beneath the waters
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