Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-04-19
THE LOSS OF THE TITANIC

In the absence of authentic in
formation which can only be had with
the landing of the survivors, and in
formation they may have to impart,
we can only surmise as to the causes
which led to the wreck of the world S
greatest vessel, and the loss Of more
than 1900 precious lives on the New
toundland banks last Monday morn
ing. From out of the darkness and
the silence, pulsing through the misty
waves OF the fog bank came the start
ling cry &c. Y. D." that stirring sum-
we have struck the ice and are
sinking was the further message the
wireless told and then-silence.
Silence which could only mean the
worst, but, buOyed up by hope, score
of steamers whose wireless operators
heard that agonlzing cry Tor assist
ance, hurried to the scene of the
wreck, only to find, as we now know,
few of the many passengers on that
lated ship floating about the sea in
open boats, or chilled and frozen,
clinging to life-belts in the icy waters
while the most magnificent vessel
ever built, a monster of the ocean,
supposedly unsuitable, lay on the
oceans bed, two miles below the sur
face, a mighty sepulchre for the 1900
souls who went down to death in her
last plunge.
one is appalled, at the awful catas-
trophe.
Mere words fail to convey the chill
that strikes the heart Of everyone as
he reads of this terrible tragedy of
the sea. Even if he has no personal
interest in the vessel or its human
freight, the knowledge that so many
souls have been snutted out almost in
twinkling, brings to his mind
saddening throb tor the many homes
bereit and the hearts that mourn for
owed ones who sleep beneath the sea
The loss of the Titanic is the greatest
tragedy of the sea that history holds;
all others sink into insigniticance.
Not alone IN the loss of life. which
was tar greater than all others. but in |
the great number of prominent peo-
pie lost, men whose names are house /
hold words on two continents. and in /
the vast volume of treasure which lies .
miles deep m the embrace of the rest
less ocean, viii make the catastrophe
stand out as the one awful event in
the history OF the world.
one cannot grasp at first the tull
scope ot this mighty deed of death.
Here was a vessel speeding through
the ocean at passenger train velocity.
a monster leviathan of the deep, i'm
which had been Incorporated every
device and Improvement known To
modern shlpbuilding science tn safe
guard life and property. representing
an expenditure of $4,000 OO0. "A craft
which il was supposed could success
iuliN cope with the dangers OF the
deem and bring its human freight sale
To land; manned by capable masters. ,
thor'rghly schooled in the dangers ol
the sea, knowing their calling as no ,
others knew IL. yet Notwithstanding ,
ali this, she meets her doom as thou 4
sands ot smaller craft have met it. ,
and plunges 90 the bottom i'm four a
hours after crashing into an ice-iIoo q
That lurked On her pathway an an {
seen Vet ever pres MT danger To ships Z
ON the Atlantic highway of the deep t
iiow puny are the efforts of mau I
.o cope with the works of Nature. We
MAY build our great ships. we may
Npend fortunes iu cquippiug tn,m
NItL cNcTthms that human ngsnu.
N may pcNise tor the comfort and
aicty at the passengers yet. IN a few
snort noun. an is rendered useless
ma the palaual monster with its mill
ons in furnishings. it's valuable cargo
'f treasure ana precious stones hut. :.
more than au else its human lives.
md mo- safety when face % face with
ne mcuac, of the deep. and the angr,
Ia easily leyies its frightful toll on
Itch and poor alike
when the story of this awful wreck "
nan be- nnaIiy told t win probably
e found that the ship was rushing
nrough the waves at express train
pced. it was the maiden voyage OF =
his Ereat vessel. and her owners aud tr
cr captain were dcsirous that her O'
rst trip should be a fast one Every ID
lins has been sacrnccd o. speed in ia
lcse latest ocean marVcls. at the dl
ime time mat safety ~ ufe has been re
,nsidcred. The travelling public de- 81
landed stu more rapid passages er
-ross the Atlantic. and In compH- oi
nee with this demand. the shipping
'mpanies have Ter years hcen en-
iged in strife % outdo each othor CT
bunding larEer snips and incrcas- pr
81 their cauacity for speed. 10 mat bal