The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1912-04-26
Scenes of Horror and Suffering
Described
WOMEN AND CHILDREN SAVED
Wives and Little Ones Torn From Hus-
bands Arms and placed in Life
boats-Captain Down With
His Ship-Senatorial
Inquiry

upon the starboard side said that the
ice mountain, which the vessel struck,
was at least $50 feet high where ex-
posed.
At the time the ship was steaming
ahead under nearly a fun head of
steam, about twenty-one knots an hour.
Acting under orders from Captain
Smith, the ships officers passed
among the passengers reassuring
them when the m spread that the
ship had struck.
From the salon, where they had
been playing cards, and from their
berths, rushed the first cabin passen-
gers, all clambering wildly to the main
deck, They were followed shortly by
persons from the second cabin and by
others from the steerage.
Keep cool; there is no great dam
ger" was the message which, repeat
ed ver and over again, gradually
became monotonous. The warning
was hardly necessary for none, save
the highest officers of the ship who
were in Captain Smiths confidence,
knew the real gravity of the situation.
Captain Smith Immediately went be-
low and began an examination. This
showed that quick action was neces-
sary, and within fifteen minutes of his
first warning, the captain again en-
tered the wireless cabin and told Oper-
ator Phillips to flash the distress sig
nal.
Captain Orders Distress Signal.
Send the international call for help
SO that all will understand" said Cap
tain Smith. Some Of the passengers
who had been sleeping were aroused
and left their berths. Many FASTENED
on deck to get a glimpse of the berg,
but SO swiftly was it moving In the
gulf stream current that within twen-
ty minutes after the vessel had struck
he ice mountain had disappeared from
view.
At 1880 p. m. fifteen minutes after
the collision, the first intimation Of
impending danger was given. Officers
passed among the passengers warning
them to put on life belts, and the
t~arpaulins were cast off the lifeboats
and life RATS and the davit guys
loosened so that the boats could be
swiftly slung over the side. Members
of the crew also donned life pre-
servers, but with studied fo~rethought,
Captain Smith ordered the principal
officers not to don their belts.
They were told, however, to be
ready to do SO in an emergency. The
ship had soon begun to list. The
wireless masts were sputtering a blue
streak Of sparks. Phillips sat at his
key pounding out one 8. o. S. call
after another. He alternated between
the 8. 0. s. and the G. @. D. so that
there should be no possible chance of
the signal being misunderstood. The
first ship to respond to the Titanic's
wireless appeals for help was the
Frankfurt. The second was the
Carpathia.
The rivet plates under the water
line increased the gap, allowing more
and more water to pour into the hold.
The steel frame had been buckled BY
the impact Of the collision and water
was rushing into the supposedly wa
tertight compartments sround the
doors.
The dynamos supplying the ships
s%earchlight and wigeless outfit were
put out Of commission The Officers
hurried hither and thither reporting
to Captain Smith. This master mari
ner, hero Of the White Star line, knew
he was doomed to death by all the
traditions Of the sea, but did not
finch He was the coolest man On
board
Wives Torn From Arms Of Husbands,
AS lifeboat after lifeboat was filed