Gilpin observer., 1912-04-25

oSSouuI vi tue biuhiue Oh Inc lltdHiC
and the rescue of 745 OF its passen-
gers and crew was given by Mr..
Beasley Of London, one Of the pas
sengers on the Inflated steamer:
"The voyage from Queenstown had
been quite uneventful; very fine
weather was experienced and the sea
was quite calm. The wind had been
westerly to southwesterly the whole
way, but very cold, particularly the
last day; in fact after dinner on Sun
day evening 1t was almost too cold to
be out on deck at all. I had been in
my berth for about ten minutes, when,
at about Heb p. m. l felt q slight
jar, and then, soon after. second
one. but not sufficiently large to cause
any anxiety to any one. however nerv
Gus they may have been. However.
the engines stopped Immediately aft
erwards. and my first thought was
She has lost a propeller / went up
on the top (boaD deck in a dressing
gown and found only a few people
there. who had come up similarly to
inquire why we had stopped. but
there was no sort of anxiety in the
minds OF any one.
CARD PLAYERS SAW ICEBERG.
we saw through the smoking-room
window a game Of cards going on and
went in to inquire II they knew any
thing; 1t seems they felt more of the
jar, and looking through the window
had seen huge iceberg go by close
to the side of the boat. They thought
We had Just gra1ed 1t with a glancing
blow and the engines had been
stopped to see II any damage had
been done. No one. of course, had any
conception that she had been pierced
below by part Of the submerged Ice
berg. The game went on without any
thought Of disaster, and I retired to
my cabin to read until we went on
again. l never saw any Of the players
or the onlookers again. A little later,
hearing people going upstairs, I went
out again and found every one want
ing to know why the engines had
stopped. No doubt many were awak-
ened from sleep by the sudden stop
ping of a vibration to which they had
become accustomed during the four
days We had been on board. Natural.
ly. with such powerful engines as the
Titanic carried. the vibration was very
noticeable all the time. and the sud
den stopping had something the same
effect as the stopping of loud tick
ing grandfather's clock in a room.
'On going on deck again I saw that
there was an undoubted list down
wards from stern to bows. but. know
ing nothing of what had happened.
concluded some Of the front compart-
ments had filed and weighed her
down. I went down again to put on
warmer clothing and as dressed
heard an order shouted:
LIFEsoATs ORDERED.
"'All passengers on deck with life
belts on
We all walked slowly up with them
tied on over our clothing. but even
then presumed this was a wise pre-
caution the captain was taking, and
that We should return in a short time
and retire to bed. There was a total
absence OF any panic or any express
sions OF alarm. and I suppose this
can be accounted for by the exceed
ingly calm night and the absence OF
any signs of the accident The ship
was absolutely still and except for a
gentle tilt downward. which don't
think one person in ten would have
noticed at that time. no signs of the
approaching disaster were visible
She lay just as n she were waiting
the order to go on again. when some
trtfing matter had been adjusted.
But In few moments we saw the
covers lifted from the boats. and the
crews allotted to them standing by
and curling up the ropes which were
to lower them by the pulley blocks
into the water.
we then began to realize II was
more serious than had been supposed.
and my first thought was to go down
and get more clothing and some
money. but seeing people pouring up
the stairs decided II was better to
cause no confusion to people coming
up by doing so. Presently we heard
the order:
WOMEN TORN FROM HUSBANDS.
IAN men stand back away from
the boats and all ladies retire to
next deck below!'-the smoking-room
deck or y deck. The men all stood
away and remained In absolute 81.
lence. leaning against the end ratings
OF the deck or pacing slowly up and
down. The boats were swung out
and lowered from A deck When they
were to the level OF p deck. where all
the ladies were collected. the ladies'
got in quietly, with the exception Of
some who refused to leave their hus-
bands. In some cases they were torn
from them and pushed into the boats.
but in many instances they were al
lowed to remain because there was
no one to insist they should go.
Looking over the side, ono saw
boats from aft already In the water,
slipping quietly away into the dark
o..