The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-04-23

without answering the Tttan1c'S dis
tress rockets has caused q sensation
for further investigation by the COM
mittee.
Firth Officer H. ]. Lowe. and
Third Officer Herbert ]. Pittman will
testify before J. Bruce Isrnay and
Wireless Operators Bride and Cottam
are called. The Marconf Company,
however, il urging the committee to
finish with Gotham 50 that he can
saii from New York early this Thurs
day on the Mauretania.
While awaiting the call to the wit
mes stand, the % members OF the IL
tanic's crew are enjoying the time Of
their lives. They are stopping at a
tip-top hotel-many of them enjoy
ing hotel life OF that kind for the
first time in their lives.
'Rubberneck" cars are adding to
the sailormen'e enjoyment. They are
sightseeing every minute while await
ing their watch" before the eommit-
tee, They have shore leave to en-
committee and the White Star lizae.
They are in. tow Of petty officers,
however. Fand steadfastly refuse to
discuss the disaster with reporters.
Today large chart of the Atlantic
ocean with tracings of steamship
routes was raised IN the committee
room by officers of the navy hydro
graphic office A heavy dotted line
from Southampton and CherbQurg
ended at a large black star in the
ocean, mute evidence Of the Titanfc's
maiden voyage.
s j. Bruce Ismay and the wireless
operators have been given steno-
graphic copies Of their preliminary
testimony before the committee at
New York. This concession is to re-
fresh their memories before retelling
their stories of pathos and thanks
giving to the full committee.
The committee was late in conven-
ing, due to a conference. Before call
ing the meeting to order, Chairman
had been decided not to subpoena ad7
ditional witnesses until the committee
had discovered how much those all
ready held as witnesses knew of the
disaster.
II will not ask Mrs. John Jacob
Actor to appear at the present time, !"
Smith said. "Her physical condition
call here. Everything will be done
by the committee to expedite the
hearing. We expect only to hear evil
dence to the point and will release
those who want to go just as soon as
we feel that they have told all they
knew"
Third Officer Herbert J. Pittman,
of the Titanic, was the first witness
called today. Smith said he, had re-
ceived a note from a physician that
Fourth Officer J. G. Boxhall, whose
cross-examination was to have con-
tinued today, was i'll and could not
appear.
officer Pittman. a stocky, florid
Briton. testified in New York that
he knew nothing of the Titanic's s
Clog being saved. Pittman began
his story today by recounting the Ii
tanic's final trials at Belfast Loeb.
.'How long did they take? asked
Senator Smith. about eight hours"
Pittman said.
Were there any trials for speed z"
mo, sir, I believe there were no such
trials in the White Star service"
Pittman told of the Titanic's sail
ing from Southampton at 1915 p. m.
April II: Nothing exciting happened
except the trouble with the steamer
New York breaking it's moorings be-
cause of the backwash from our pro-
pellers," he said.
''It detained us a half hour. We
had perfect weather, no heavy seas
fine and clear, with starlight skies"
Pittmari told of the boat test at
Southampton before the British
Board of Trade, saying only two
starboard boats were lowered and
maneuvered in the water, with eight
men in each boat.
Ptttman SAID there was no lire
drill aboard the Titanic from the
time it left Southampton. He was
on the bridge, Sunday afternoon, but
saw no iceberg or field ice. He
heard, however, that a wireless mes
sage had warned of their proximity.
Fourth Officer Boxhall had drawn
cross on the chart noting the loca-
ton of the berg against which they
were warned.
Pittman did not talk with any of
the officers about the icebergs al
though he frequently came in con-
tact with Captain Smith.
Did you see any ice on Sunday?
he was asked. mo, sir,' he said.
Pittman said in IA years expert
ence as a ships officer he had seen
an iceberg only once before but had
never before crossed the Grand Banks
as early as April.
"On a clear day over the ice, is it
not true the sea is paler and bright
er in color in the North Atlantic ?"
mo, SIR was the answer. Ice
bergs can be seen for long distance
on a clear day if they are as big
as the one that sank the Titanic"
Pittman said.
Smith tried to get Pittman to ad-
NIT that an echo from the horn
would indicate the presence of ice
bergs, but the witness had never
heard of this. His testimony was in