Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-04-26

FRANC CALLS OF THE TITANIC
j. Durrant, Morconi wireless opera
tor on the steamer Mount Temple, yes
terday in St. John, New Brunswick,
denied that the steamer was only live
miles from the Titanic at the time Of
the accident. His story follows:
81 was lying in bed reading, with
the telephone over my ears, at l2.23
ships time, or l2.ll New York time,
when caught the first call, immedi-
ately getting out of bed answered,
asking the position of the stricken
ship. This was sent back with the
addition. Come at once; have struck
berg
".As soon as | got this message |
notified the captain, who at once
doubled the watch of firemen below,
called all hands on deck and changed
the ships course toward the position
of the Titanic. Then | went back to
my instruments and sat there. ! did
not call the Titanic again because
other ships, which judged to be
closer, were working, and did not
wish to jam them.
"!At 1921 heard the Carpathia an
swer the c. @. D. calls of the Titanic,
and heard the operator on that ship
give his position, adding: Have struck
iceberg; come to our assistance at
once
"At l2.43 heard the Frankfurt an
swer the Titanic. That ship asked,
What is the matter with you? The
answer was: We have struck an ice
berg; please tell captain to come To
this the operator on the Frankfurt
replied: %. X. we will tell the bridge
right away The answer to this was:
Yes; quick
".All this time the c. @. D. messages
were being sent out incessantly form
the sinking liner, and at l.06 ! heard
the Olympic answer the call. To this
steamer the Titanic said: Captain
says get your boats ready; going fast
by the head
".Another five minutes of anxious
waiting passed, when the agoniZed c.
O. D. again cut the air, accompanied
by the words: Engine room flooded.
Out of the darkness, the Olympic ag-
ain asked: How is the sea around
you?' to which the reply was: The
sea is calm
Another four minutes passed,
when the operator of the Frankfurt
was heard asking the Titanic: Are
there any boats around you already?'
To this there was no reply, and two
minutes the Olympic sent message
to the Titanic, which the latter bare
" acknowledged by the code words
X. d. That was the last message
heard, and presume the flooding OF
the engine room had put the wireless
out of commission.
1T was not until 4.30 that we ar
rived at the position Of the Titanic,
having been much delayed by thick
field ice. At that time we saw no
signs of the ill-fated ship.
81 received the first messages when
| would Judge the Mount Temple to
be fifty miles from the Titanic'S poslt-
ion, and when the big ship went down
there was still twenty or twenty-five
miles between US.
DR.. Quitzrau, who has been asking
to testify before the Senate lnvestlga-
tion of the Titanic disaster, yesterday
at Toronto described his experiences
aboard the Mount Temple when the
steamer was near the sinking White
Star liner. He said that he was going
to Washington tonight in compliance
with request from Senator Smith.
81 only know from heresay what
transpired previous to my being a"-
~ retired about nine o'clock on Sun
dav night. April IA, and was awaken
ed by the sudden stopping OF the mach
;nerv of the Mount Temple. opened
the cabin door and looked out. saw