Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-23
THE STEAMSHIP TITANIC.
Gigantic Dimensions Of Marine levia-
than.

Gigantic Dimensions OF MARINE LeVia-
than.
All that wealth and modern work.
manship could produce was embodied
in the Titanic, the largest vessel ever
built, a veritable floating palace, and
twice the size of the Dreadnought Del
aware, with some 5000 tons to spare.
This 46,00O-ton monster narrowly
ESCAPED serious mishap at the very
start of her maiden voyage. AS she
swept from her berth at Southamp-
ton last Wednesday there was a roar
as from a broadside Of big guns,
caused by the suction created by her
huge propellers. So great was the
suction of water that the seven huge
hawsers which moored the American
liner New York snapped like pipe
stems and the New York drifted help
lessly, stern first, toward the Titanic.
The Titanic reversed her engines
in time, and tugs rushed to the aid
of the New York. Thus bad smash
up was averted.
It has been estimated that the IL
tanic cost $4,000, 900 before she was
finally put in commission. Though
1924 feet long, 92B feet wide and
"a feet deep, with accommodations for
a crew of $50 and capable Of carry
ing $500 passengers, she was built
with as much care as is put into the
finest chronometers.
The Titanic's tonnage, when she
finally took the water, was nearly
1000 tons greater than that Of the
Olympic, designed as her sister ship.
Though the keels of the two mon
sters were laid at about the same
time, work on the Titanic was delay
ed for a year, so that any imperfec-
ton in the appointments Of the Olym-
pic, however slight, might be cor
rected in this newest and greatest of
ocean palaces. Her length and
breadth also exceeded those of the old
er vessel.
New names had to be coined to ap-
ply to the twelve decks Of the ves-
sells, nine Of which were connected
with electric elevators, in addition
to many wide stairways. More than
1000 ports and windows brought the
light of day into the interior of the
monsters Through any Of the tunnels
two of the largest Of modern passen-
ger trains might have raced abreast.
Each link of the anchor chain added
It's pounds to the weight Of the ships.
She has been compared to a mod
ern hotel. She was really a city in
with a gymnasium. ten
mis- and squash courts, theatre, ball
room, a sports deck, Turkish and elec-
trio baths, swimming pool, palm ear-
dens, card, music and smoking rooms,
while atop, on the twelfth deck, was
a golf course, somewhat reduced in
size.
The Titanic had more restaurants
and dining rooms than her sister ship,
the Olympic, with a grill and English
to boot. Her hospital was
fitted with an operating table, and
there was a sun room for passengers
not in good health.
One Of the many unusual features
Of the Titanic, lacking even In her
sister ship, was the private promen-
ade which adjoined the main restau-
rant on the starboard side. On to this
deck opened a reception room, where
diners might congregate before going
to their meals and hosts might meet
the guests whom they had invited to
sit with them at dinner. Banks of
real flowers concealed the arbors in
the palm garden.
Two of the suites cost $4,350 each
for a single trip. These apartments
consisted Of sitting rooms, sleeping
chambers, baths and wardrobes, with
a garden in front, and a private
promenade extending the whole
length of the suite-some so feet
with its own private sea rail.
The occupants Of either Of these
suits could have the same privacy
that the owner Of a private yacht
could command, with his own deck,
and the added comforts that the le-
viathan afforded.
There were less pretentious suites
with sitting rooms in some of them
as large as fifteen feet square.
Each stateroom on the vessel had
its own private bathroom, supplying
fresh and sea water. both not and
cold A servants hall was provided
for the Wallets and other servants OF
the passengers. In these quarters
servants when not in attendance on
their employers were expected to re-
main.
Like her sister ship. the Olympic
the Titanic had four tunnels. From
the top of her tunnels to her keel
measured 175 feet. She made an av-
erage speed of 81 knots on her trial
trip.
In building her more than three
million rivets were used to band to-
gether the massive plates. The plates
in the Titanics bottom weighed four
and one-quarter tons each and were
SO feet long. Her rudder weighed
100 tons, and the boss arms As tons
forward and 73a tons aft. Her Is
watertight compartments could be
closed simultaneously by the throwing
of a lever on the bridge. and her
builders declared these rendered the
ship unsuitable.
The launching Of the Titanic on
May 81, 1911, was considered an event
of international importance. Among
the prominent people who were pres
ent on that day were j. Pierpont
Morgan, Lord Pirris, chairman of the
Harland & Wolff company, and ].
Bruce Ismay, chairman Of the Inter
national Mercantile Marine.
The construction of the vessel was
supervised by Alexander M. Carlisle,
general manager of the Belfast ship
building concern. Mr.. Carlisle ac-
companied the Olympic to this coun-
try on her maiden voyage and was
most enthusiastic over the behavior
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