Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-04-18
Great Disaster at Sea.

The most appalling maritime disaster
ever known occurred last Sunday night,
when the great ocean steamship Titanic,
steaning from Southampton, England, to
New York, struck an iceberg and was
sunk. The Titanic was spendldanew
vessel-the largest and most costly ship
in the woodland was making her first
voyage. When she sailed from South
ampton last Wednesday she had more
than 1000 persons aboard, including
passengers and crew. While steamlng
swiftly toward New York, off the coast
of Newfoundland, the great vessel struck
an enormous iceberg about ten O'Clock at
night. Battering against the impregnable
wall of ice, the ship was rent almost to
pieces. Great masses OF ice crashed up
on its decks from the iceberg. the upper
works were splintered, and there was
appalling confusion.
For four hours the battered bulk was
kept ailoat, slowly but steadily sinking.
The lights went out and the engines
stopped. The life boats were launched,
but they were utterly inadequate to carry
the people who sought safety in them.
They were quickly filled, women and
children being given the preference, until
TOO persons were rowed away from the
doomed ship, leaving more than 1900
despalring souls aboard. Within tour
hours from the time the vessel struck,
these went down TO watery grave with
the giant liner, sinking in water 10000
feet deep.
In the meantime, wireless calls for
help had been sent out. These were
heard by several ships, but none happened
to be near enough to render timely aid.
The Carpathia was the first TO respond,
but when she arrived at daybreak the
Titanic was gone, and the only thing that
could be done was TO rescue the TOO
anguished survivors who were in the
small boats. These were taken aboard
and cared for, and the dreadful news was
flashed to land.
Among the passengers on the Titanic
were number of persons OF worldwide
reputation, and many American Million
aires, most OF whom went down TO wa
terry graves. Among those who are be-
lieved TO. have been lost are Col. John
Jacob Astor, OF New York, who was
worth SIZE, 100000; his wife was saved !;
George D. Widener, Of Philadelphia,
worth $50,000,00O, whose son was lost
but whose wife was saved; Benjamin
Guggenheim, the copper magnate, worth
$75,O00,000; Major Archibald Butt, mill
tary aid to President TAFT; Jacques Flu
treble, the writer; Frank d. Mlllet, the
artist; w. A. Roebling, of New York.
worth $50,OOO,0O0; W. T. Stead, the
London editor; lsidor Straus, of New
York, worth $50, 900, and Mrs. Straus.
West Virginia is also represented amoug
the victims, Lucien P Smith, a young
millionaire OF Morgantown, being among
the missing. He and his wife, who was
adaughter of Congressman James Hughes,
of this State, were on their honeymoon
trip, returning home, when the ship went
down. Mrs. Smith was saved, but he
was lost.
The Titanic was the largest an5 most
costly vessel ever built. She was float
ing palace fifteen stories in height and
could accommodate $500 passengers.
She was SS2 feet long, 90 feet beam, and
ga feet deep, and had displacement Of
$4,000 tons. The cost of building her
was 10000 900, and the furnishings were
$1,000, 900 additional. Her rudder alone
weighed 100 tons. The vessel was the
very latest thing in marine construction
and every luxury was provided. 1t had
elevators running up and down nine sto-
rieS; it had restaurants, theatre, music
rooms, card rooms, tennis courts, SWIM
ming pools, gymnasium, bathrooms, sun
parlors, winter gardens, palm courts
everything to be found in great modern
hotel. She carried a cargo valued at
$3.50, 900, and 3,423 bags of mail.