Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-04-19
Henry Blank Tells
His Story of Wreck

Henry Blank, manufacturing jeweler
of this city. who was Of the Titanic
survivors, today described his expert
ence in leaving the sinking ship at his
home. 1873 R%idgewood avenue, Glen
Ridge.
"At the time the Titanic struck the
iceberg" said Mr.. Blank. Il vas sit
ting in the smoking-room, fully
dressed, of course, with a number OF
other passengers. The great length OF
the boat prevented the shock being felt
at the end where We were seated, but
I thought there must be something un-
usual, so / went to the upper deck.
There were lots of ice scattered all over
the deck, and l could see at once that
the ship must have mad a terrific
jam. l then realized that h situa-
ton was more grave thai was APP
parent at first. Very few of the other
passengers came out with me because
many were asleep. and those who were
not in bed were playing cards. or do
ing something else, and as the shock
was not very great they laid no at
tention to it.
Going to the lower deck [ saw the
water rushing in at a great rate and
the forward end of the boat was far
in the water, as if it was about to
dive. | realized hen that the situa-
ton was indeed critical, and went back
to the upper deck, where / assisted in
getting all women and children in sight
into lifeboats.
81 believed, the same as others did,
that there were enough lifeboats for
all passengers and crew.
AT the time | boarded the lifeboat
there were no women or children in
sight on the deck. and I believed from
the appearance of the passengers in
the lifeboat, which was about to be
lowered. that more help was needed to
man the boat. so l got in"
Replying to a question as to whether
he had seen any stampeding of pas
sengers to get to the boats or observed
any shooting by officers to keep back
men, Mr., Blank said that he did not.
when 1 boarded a boat everything
was orderly; everybody seemed cool
and in fact nobody thought the situa-
ton was grave. Neither did l. Later
I heard that it had been necessary to
use guns to get the women into the
boats
1.-THE men in our llfeboat tool off
their coats and gave them to the women
to protect them from the cold, which
was intense. ] escaped with only the
clothes which l had on"
Asked how far away he was from the
Titanic when it went down, Mr.. Blank
replied:
"a bout a n1iln No Lived that
when she sank she would pull every
thing else within a quarter of a mile
with her, so we rowed hard to get away
When we were a mile off. ! saw that
an explosion had occurred aboard the
Titanic. That caused her TO sink rap
idly.
Il did not see anybody leap from the
Titanic with life preservers or leave
the boat in any way except by life
boat.
I'VE rowed about, keeping a constant
lookout for a rescue ship. The suspense
was terrible, for we did not know
whether the Titanic's wireless signals
had been heard. We were in utter sus-
pense for five hours; then we saw the
Carpathia. By the time we reached
her side the women were numb with
cold and some were almost frozen,
despite our efforts to make them COM
Portable by putting them down in the
bottom of the boat and giving them all
of the clothing we could. Their suffer
ing was intense. The majority of them
were lifted aboard the Carpathia by
ropes tied about their bodies.
The hospitality shown by the officers
and passengers on the Carpathia was
most generous. Mr.. Blank said. 81
cannot lay too much emphasis upon
the unselfish part which they showed y
he said. ''They did everything they
possibly could for us. Stateroom pas
sengers gave up their ooms and inn
promptu beds were made on the floors
of the smoking-rooms.
"Of course, l cannot. for a minute
begin to describe how the terrible
thing affected me. Fol a long tim af-
ter leaving the Titanic I was under
the impression there were plenty OF
lifeboats to save all. You cannot i'm
agine with what sickening horror ]
learned that only one-third could be
cared for"
Mr.. Blank appeared to be in health
II can't really tell o how | feel
he said. II don't know myself, yet
but expect when I get some sleep
will be all right again. l will be ir
nv office today to resume business"
Mrs. Blank met her husband at thu
pier when the Carpathia landed. ShC