Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-19

of the accident. The ship was absolutely
| still and except for a gentle tilt down
wards, which | don't think one person In
10 would have noticed at that time no
signs of the approaching disaster were
visible. She lay just as If she were wait
| ing the order to go on again when same
| trilng matter had been adjusted But in
| d few moments we saw the covers lifted
| from the boats and the crews allotted to
| them standing by and curling up the
| ropes which We're to lower them by the
pulley blocks into the water
! We then began to realize it was
more serious than had been supposed
and my first thought was to go down
land get more clothing and some money
but seeing people pouring up the
lstairs decided me that it was better to
cause no confusion TO people coming
1up by doing so. Presently we heard
| the order:
All men stand back away from the
boats and all ladies retire to next deck
below smoking room deck or p
deck. The men all stood away and
ifemained in absolute silence leaning
against the end ratings of the deck or
pacing slowly up and down. The boats
deck. When they We're tn the level OF
3 deck, where all the ladies' were col
lected the ladies got in quietly with
the exception of some who refused to
| leave their husbands In some cases
they were torn from them and pushed
| into the boats, but in many instances
they were allowed to remain because
there was no one to insist they should
go.
Looking over the side one saw boats
from aft already in the water. slipping
quietly away into the darkness, and
presently the boats near to me We're
| lowered and with much ereaking as the
new ropes slipped through the pulley
blocks down The 90 feet which sonar
ated them from the water. An officer
| in uniform came up as one boat went
down and shouted When you are
ahoat row around to the companion
| ladder and stand by with the other
boats for orders
Aye aye sir came up the reply,
but [ don't think any boat was able
to obey the order. When they We're
ahoat and had the oars at work the
condition of the rapidly settling boat
vas SO much more a sight for alarm
FOR those in the beats than those on
board that in common prudence the
sailors saw they could do nothing but
row from the sinking ship to save at
any rate, some lives. They no doubt
anticipated that suction from such
an enormous vessel would be more
than usually dangerous to crowded
boat mostly filled with women All this
time there was no trace of any disor-
der; ne panic or rush to the boats and
no scenes of women sobbing hysteri-
oally such as one generally pictures as
happening at such times. Every one
seemed to realize SO slowly that there
was imminent danger. When it was
realized that we might all be present
ly in the sea with nothing but our life
belts to support us until we We're
picked up by passing steamers. it was
extraordinary how calm everyone was
and how completely self-eontroled.
"One by ore the boats were filled
with women and children, lowered
and rcwed away into the night. Pres
ently the word went around among the
men: The men are to be put in boats
on the starboard side
Il was on the port side and most of
the men walked across the deck to
see If this was so. I remained where l
was and presently heard the call: Any
more LADIES'
Looking over the side of the ship
7 saw The boat, No. 10. swinging level
with b deck. half full of ladies'. Again
the call was repeated: Any more la
dieso'
"I saw none come on and then one
of the crew looked up and said: ANY
ladies on Your deck. sr?'
No. I replied.
Z" Then you had better jump
T dropped in and fell in the bottom,
as they cried Lower away as the
boat began to descend, two ladies'
We're pushed hurriedly through the
crowd on r deck and heaved over into
the boat and a baby of 10 months
passed down after them. Down we
went. the crew calling to those low
erIng which end to keep her level.
Aft stern both together until we
were some 10 feet from the water, and
here occurred the only anxious mo-
ment we had during the whole of our
experience from leaving the deck to
reaching the Carpathia. Immediately
below our boat was the exhaust of
the condensers. a huge stream of wa
ter pouring all the time from the
ships side just above the water line.
II was plain we ought to be smartly
away from this not to be swamped
by il when we touched water.
I'VE had no officer aboard nor pet
ty officer or member of the crew to