The Green Forest tribune., 1912-04-26
SAW TIE DISASTER
 AT CLOSE RANGE
Quartermaster hiCkinS Tells 0t Titanic Disaster as He
 Saw It.
WAS ON DUTY AT WHEEL
by Boiler Explosion and in Water
 Two Hours.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
 New York-"Rebert Hiekins, one of the six quartermasters of the Ti- tanic-the man who was on duty at the wheel when the ship struck the iceberg-has told the story of fine wreck of the Titanic.
 Save for the surviving fourth officer, Boxhall, whose lips are sealca. by death, Hickins saw Sunday lights tragedy at closer range than any man now living. His story was ts5z
 "T went on watch at l1-k Sun day night and stood by the man at the wheel until 10. At 10 l took the wheel for two hours. On the bridge from 10 o'clock were First Officer Murdock. Fourth Officer Boxhan and Sixth Officer Moody. In the crows nest lookout tower) were Fleet and another man, whose name I do not know.
 Second Officer Lightoller, who was On watch while I stood bt. from 8
 
 penter to tell him to look out for fresh water supply, as there might be danger of freezing The temperature was then about 31 degrees. He gave the crows nest a strict order to look out for small icebergs
 "tSecond Officer Lightoller was re- lieved by First Officer Murdock at 10, ho A three gongs sounded from the crows nest, the signal for something right ahead"
 TeIephoned the Bridge.
 "At the same time one of the mer in the nest telephoned to the bridge that there was a large iceberg right ahead. AS Officer Murdock's hand was on the lever to stop the engines, the crash came. He stopped the engines, and then immediately by another lever closed the watertight doc
 "The skipper, (Captain Smith), came from the chart room onto the bridge. His first words were Close the emer- gency doors.'
 They're already closed, sir Mur- dock replied.
 Send to the carpenter and tell him to sound the ship" was the skip per's next order. The message was sent to the carpenter, but the carpen- ter never came up to report.
 "The commutator showed the boat carried degrees list to starboard. She then was rapidly settling forward All the steam sirens were blowing. By the shippers orders the engines. were put to work at pumping out. \ship distress signals were sent by <oni and rockets were sent up. were on deck and life-belts ! onto passengers. / The stewards and other her ep- ed the sailors in getting the 5S < out. The order, Women and children first was given and enforced. There was no panic.
 CT was at the wheel until P 25. IL was my duty to stay there 1ptil re- lieved. I was not relieved by al. one else, bs,t was simply sent away @y Secon5 Officer Iightoller, who told n. t9 take charge of a certain boat and lead st with ladies.
 "1 did so, anGz Shere were 32 ladies, sailor ana myself in fihfe@ boat when it was lowered, some time after l o'clock
 The Titanic had 16 lifeboats ana two collapsible boats. All of them got away loaded except one of the collap- sibles, which did not open properly and was used as raft. Forty sailors and stewards who were floating in the water got in this raft and were picked up by the different boats. Some others were floating about on chairs when picked up.
 Every boat, so far as I know, was full when it was lowered and every boat that set out reached the Carpa. thia.
 "The green light of the boat helped to keep us together, but there were other lights. One was an eletric flash light that a gentlmean had carried in his pocket.
 Our boat was 400 yards away when the ship went down. The suction only rocked us little.
 '1 heard revolver shots as every ; one did. l cannot say who fired any of them.''
 No Blame on Captain.
 From Washington also came the opinion of expert naval Photographers that no blame should attach to Capt. Smith, because, as they contend, analy- sis of ocean charts has shown that the skipper, warned of the presence of ; icebergs had steered the Titanic fully 60 miles southward from the regular course. In spite of this caution the mass of ice was struck and as a pre- ventitive of similar disasters the Photographic office issued an order shifting the lanes of transatlantic liners 1S0 miles southward from the path which the Titanic followed.
 After giving his testimony before