Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-19
SINKING OF THE TITANIC.
carpathia Arrives With Survivors Who
Tell Story.

Tell Story.
The Cunard liner Carpathia, which
picked up the survivors from the great
the result of a collision with an ice
berg off Cape Race, New Foundland,
last Sunday morning, arrived at her
pier in New York last at night about
o'clock and the world has been given
additional details which have been
awaited so eagerly since the wireless
brought the first news Of the dreadful
disater.
] There has been nothing overdrawn,
and the story is fully as horrible as
was at first reported. There were 2,340
persons on board the Titanic, and only
IT'S are known to have been saved.
There is but little hope for any Of the
balance. But above the fate of the
great ship, above the fearful loss of
life, above the parting of husbands and
wives, there has come out Of 1t all the
grandest exhibition probably of all
that is noblest in humanity that has
been recorded in the history Of the
world.
The Titanic was fieeting along at tho
rate Of about twenty-three knots an
hour, on the lookout for danger; but
with no danger In sight, when suddenly
the great ship crashed into low lying
iceberg. Captain Smith and his OFF,
GERS at once realized that the ship was
doomed, and Immediately set about
arousing the sleeping passengers and
lowering the life boats.
There was no panic and no unseem-
ly rush. The officers, 1t Is true, super
intended the transfer to the boats
| with loaded pistols. A few foreigners
from the steerage tried to push them
selves ahead; but they were checked
by shots in the air accompanied by the
assurance that the next shots would
be to kill. The order went out, "Wo-
men and children first" and every
where there was not only submission,
but hearty and enthusiastic co-opera-
tion in the enforcement Of the rule.
There was no discrimination between
high and low, first cabin and third
class passengers. The rich and poor
were treated alike. The men saw to
go first, and when 1t came to the turn
of the men a larger percentage Of the
very stokers Of the boiler rooms was
saved than of the millionaires and no.
tables in the first and second cabins.
The lifeboats, twenty In all, were
loaded with as much system as possi-
ble passengers and seamen standing
| by to put on the women and children,
and men, sure enough men at last dis
putting with each other not to take but
to make the other take, the chances Of
life offered by the vacant places.
Some Of the boats were loaded full,
and others pulled away with room for
from three to dozen persons each,
largely because Of the holding back Of
the noble men who preferred to die
rather than to show themselves guilty
Of ignoble selfishness.
Isidor Straus,. the New York mil
lionaire philanthropist, was aboard
with his wife. BY reason OF his age
he was accounted as having prece-
dence with the weaker ones. BY submit
ting he could have gone with his wife.
He insisted that women and children
were first and refused to yield. Then
Mrs. Straus drew back and elected to
remain and die with her husband.
John Jacob Astor, the New York mil
lionaire, who few months ago mar
ried the beautiful Madeline Force, was
on board with his bride, returning to
New York. Mrs. Astor was sick, and
Mr.. Astor indicated that he would like
to 20 in the boat to take care Of her.
An officer reminded him, women
first" He drew back without word
or argument and when last seen was
helping TO transfer women anu GILL;
dren to other boats.
After the boats were off those who
had been left on board and who could,
provided themselves with life preserv-
ers or other means Of keeping afoat,
threw themselves into the sea or
awaited developments on the decks
The ships great string band was
assembled, and 1t struck up the strains
Of Nearer My God to Thee The
people in the twenty boats were still
standing by, with no thought Of leav-
ing their brave companions until there
could be no further hope. Presently
there was q tremendous explosion.
The rush of cold water into the engine
room had bursted the boilers. The
great ship burst asunder and went
down within few minutes and pres
emily there came up in the whirlpool
above, struggling men and floating
| wreckage. A dozen or more OF these
men were rescued by the boats, and 1t
is barely possible that others may be
picked up, but as for this there Is lit
tie hope because Of the terrible hard
ship amid the ice and cold. AS mat
ter Of fact six people died In the boats
after they had been rescued.
The Carpathia did not reach the
scene of the disaster until some hours
after the Titanic had gone down. The
people were taken from the boats by
tying ropes around them to steady
them up the ladders, and some OF the
women and children were hauled up to
the decks in bags and blankets.
Among the rescued were 210 first
class passengers; 125 second-class
passengers; 200 third-class passen-
gers: four officers; 80 seamen; 80