The Alaska citizen., 1912-05-20


 great catastrophe. one being the re port that Captain Smith shct him self shortly before the vessel sank under the waves. This rumor was without substantiatiOn
 NEW YORK. April 19 The Titanic disaster. as written down in history today, imprints indelibly in the minds of all the people of the world the fact thai nearly 1 500 souls went to their death through the gross carelessness of the White Star Line 10 provide adequate life-saving equipment
 The big facts which came to the surface in the flood of narratives are that 1895 persons met their death: th-t several men of wealth and worldwide prominence are among those who perished: that practical y the only women who were not saved were those who chose to die with their husbands: that nearly all of the survivors saw the Titanic sink and heard the music of the orchestra playing Nearer My God To Thee" nin9Iino with the shrieks of the drowning as the vessel sank in g. 900 fathoms.
 The Titanic struck an iceberg which was about go feet in height which ripped the liners sides open and made the water-tight compart- ments useless and while the vessel was gradually sinking the icy water reached her steaming boilers caus- 10 the bottom
 Among the hundreds on her decks to the last were Colonel John Jacob Astor and Major Archibald Butt Benjamin Guggenheim. Jacques Flu trelle, George D. Widener. Henry B. Harris and scores of other well known persons.
 Isidor Straus was among them also with Mrs. Straus, who refused to leave her husband behind when she had the opportunity to save her self.
 Major Butt with an iron bar in his hand is said 10 have stood at the steerage passage and defended the women and children from mad dened men.
 Colonel Astor also is said to have met his fate brayely, after seeing his bride 10 lifeboat. drawing aside to watch other women step to safety and awaiting his own fate.
 IL was only because the maximum capacity of the steamers life boats was barely a third the complement of the ship in crew and passengers that hundreds of despairing passen- gers had to be left 10 their fate.
 The surviving passengers are unan- imous that the Unbelievable hap pened." The voyage had been pleas ant and uneventful The Titanic had been making good time and all accounts agree that on the night of the disaster she was apparently going at her usual rate of from 21 to g knots an hour.
 Quartermaster Moody. who was at the helm, said that the ship was making 2l knots and that the off cers were under orders at the time 10 keep up speed in the hope of making a record passage
 These orders were being carried out In the face of knowledge that the steamer was in the vicinity of great icebergs sweeping down from the North. That very afternoon, ac- cording to the record of the hydro graphic office the Titanic had re- layed ashore a wireless warning from the steamer Amerika that an un- usual field of pack ice and bergs menaced navigation off the banks
 Then the Collision.
 When the crash came there was practically no excitement Thcs who felt anxious enough went on N deck to inquired what happened were but little perturbed when they learn ed that the ship had ''only struck an iceberg" It appeared to be a glancing blow and at first there was no indication of a serious accident A group of men at cards in the smoking room sent one of their number to look out of the window and when he came back with the announcement that the boat had grazed an iceberg, the party went on with the game but it was never finished.
 The overconfident passengers were not brought to the slightest realization that the collision might mean serious danger until the call ran through the ship, "Ah passen gers on deck with life belts on!'
 Captain Smith, 1t is said. was no, on the bridge when the collision oc cured, but when hurriedly sum moned by his first officer he took charge of what seemed hopeless situation in manner in which passengers praise as calm, resolutt