The midland journal., 1912-04-26


liam r. Stead. no one seems to know
whether they tarried too long ID their
staterooms or whether they forebore
t. approach the fast filing boats
None Of them was In the throng
which. weary hours afterward, reached
the Carpathia.
z Pistols Check Storage Men.
simultaneously on the supper decks
OF the ship the ropes creaked with the
lowering OF boats, and as they reached
the water those In the boats saw
what those on the decks could not
seethat the Titanic was listing rap
idly to starboard, and that her stern
was rising at portentious angle. A
rush Of steerage men toward the
boats was checked by officers with
revolvers in hand.
Some Of the boats, crowded too full
to give rowers a chance, drifted for a
time. None had provisions or water,
there was lack OF covering from the
icy air, and the only lights were the
still undimmed arcs and incandescents
Of the settling ship, save for one OF
the first boats. There steward, who
explained to the passengers that he
had been shipwrecked twice before,
appeared carrying three oranges and q
green light.
Green Lantern as Savior.
That green light, many of the sur
vivors say, was to the shipwrecked
hundreds as the pillar of fire by night.
Long after the ship had disappeared,
and while. confusing false lights
danced about the boats, the green lam
tern kept them together on the course
which led them to the Carpathia.
j AS the end of the Titanic became
manifestIy but matter OF moments,
the oarsmen pulled their boats away,
and the chilling waters began to echo
splash after splash as passengers and
sailors in life preservers leaped over
and started swimming away to es-
cape the expected suction
Icy Water Brings Death.
Only the hardest OF constitutions
could endure for more than a few mo
ments such a numbing bath. The
first vigorous strokes gave way to
heartbreaking cries Of Help: Help!"
and stiffened forms were seen. the
faces relaxed in death.
Revolver shots were heard in the
ships last moments. The first report
spread among the boats was that Cap
tain Smith had ended his life with
bullet Then 1t was said that mate
had shot steward who tried to push
his way upon a boat against orders.
None Of these tales have been veri-
fed, and many OF the crew say the
captain, without a preserver. leaped
in at the last and went down, refusing
a cooks offered aid.
Last Lifeboat Is capsized.
The last OF the boats, collapsibIe,
was launched too late to get away,
and was overturned by the ships
sinking. Some OF those in it-all, say
some witnesses-found safety on
raft. or were picked up by lifeboats.
In the Marconi tower, almost to the
last. the loud click OF the sending in
strument was heard over the waters.
Who was receiving the message, those
in the boats did not know, and they
would least of all have supposed that
a Mediterranean ship in the distant
South Atlantic track would be their
rescuer.
Music Was a Sacrament.
AS the screams In the water multi
piled another sound was heard, strong
at first, then fainter in the distance
It was the melody OF the hymn,
Nearer. My God, to Thee" played by
the string orchestra in the dining
saloon. Some of those on the water
started to sing the words. but grew
silent as they realized that for the
men who played. the music was a sac
rament soon to be consummated by
death. The serene strains OF the
hymn and the frantic cries OF the dy-s
ing blended in symphony Of sorrow.
Titanic Goes to Bottom.
Led by the green light, under the
light of the stars, the boats drew
away, and the bow, then the quarter,
then the stacks, and at last the stern
of the marvvl-ship of few days be-
fore passed beneath the waters. The
great force Of the ships sinking was
unaided by any violence of the .ele-
ments, and the suction, not so great
as hac been feared, rocked but mildly
the group of boats now quarter OF a
mile distant from 1t,
Sixteen boats were In the forlorn
procession which entered on the terri
BILE hours OF rowing, drifting and sus-
pense. Women wept for lost hus-
bands and sons. Sailors sobbed for
the ship which had been their pride
Men choked back tears and sought to
comfort the widowed. Perhaps, they
said. other boats might have put on in
another direction toward the last
They stroYe. though none too sure
themselves. to convince the women OF
the certainty that rescue ship would
appear.
carpathia Brings Joy.
Early dawn brought no ship, but, not