Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1912-04-26
VICTIMS Of SEA HORROR
WENT DOWN LIKE HEROES

AioS0s anu presently the DOatS near u
me were lowered and with mucl
creakiDg as the new ropes slippe.
through the pulley blocks down tn,
ninety feet which separated then
from the water An officer In uni
form came up as one boat went dowr
and shouted: When you are afioat
row round to the companion ladder
and stand by with the other boats fol
orders
Aye. aye, sir came up the reply
but | don't think any boat was able
to obey the order. When they were
afoat and had the oars at work the
condition of the rapidly settling boat
was so much more a sight for alarm
Tor those IN the boats 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
enorr Gus vessel would be more than
usually dangerous to a crowded boat
filled with women.
All this time there was no trace
OF any disorder or panic or rush to
the boats and no scenes of women
sobDing historically such as one gen
orally pictures as happening at such
times; every one seemed to realize
30 slowly that there was imminent
danger. When 1t was realized that
we might all be presently in the sea
with nothing but our life belts to sup
port US until we were picked up by
passing steamers it was extraordinary
now calm every one was and how
completely self-controlled.
"One by one the boats were filed
with women and children, lowered and
rowed away into the night. Presently
the word went round among the men,
Ihe men are to be put In boats on
the starboard side was on the
port side and most OF tn9s men walked
across the deck to see If this was so.
| remained where was and presently
heard the call:
Any more ladies?' Looking over
the side of the ship, saw the boat,
No. IL, swinging level with B deck.
half full of ladies. Again the call was
repeated: ANY more ladies?'
Il saw none come on, and then one
of the crew looked up and said: ANY
ladies on your deck, sirr
No. replied.
Then you had better jump
WOMEN HEAvED INTO BOAT.
Il dropped in and fell in the bot
tom as they cried: Lower away AS
the boat began to descend two ladies |
were pushed hurriedly through the |
crowd on deck and heaved over into |
the boat, and baby of ten months
passed down after them. Down we
went. the crew calling to those lower
ing each end to keep her Ievel-'aft,'
stern both together'-until we were
some ten feet from the water. and
here occurred the only anxious mo-
nent We had during the whole Of our
experience from leaving the deck to
'eaching the Carpathia.
Immediately below our boat was
he exhaust of the condensers, a huge
stream of water pouring all the time
rom the ships side just above the
water line. 1t was plain we ought to
70 smart away from this not to be
wamped by it when we touched wa
er. We had no officer aboard. nor
'etty officer or member of the crew to
AXE charge. So one of the stokers
houted: Some one find the pin which
oloocos tb< hoo& frr,xn %t1
ull it up No one knew where it
7as. We felt as well as we could on
be floor and sides, but found nothing
nd it was hard to move among so
lany people-we had sixty or seventy
n board.
4, with our ropes still holding us,
le exhaust washing us away from
le side of the vessel and the swell OF
le sea urging us back against the !
de again. The resultant OF all these
'rces was an impetus which carried
J parallel to the ships side and di-
'ctly under boat Ia, which had filed '
.pidly with men and was coming u
'wn on US In way that threatened y
submerge our boat =
ToKER AvERTs GREATER LOSS :
/" Stop lowering a., our crew "
outed. and the crew Of No. IA. now b
Ily twenty feet above, shouted the II
me. But the distance to the ton
IS some seventy feet, and the creak-
g pulleys must have deadened all !,
und to those above. for down she = =
me- fifteen feet, ten feet, five feet ! !
d a stoker and reached up and :.
nched her swinging above our heads =
le next drop would have brought :.
r on our heads, but Just before she = =
Dpped another stoker sprang to the =
pes with his knife =
One, ] heard him say: two as Il,
) knife cut through the pulley ropes =
q the next moment the exhaust ei
cam had carried US clear, while <,