Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-23

1.-The card players apparently felt
more of the jar and looking through
the window they had seen a huge ice
berg go by close to the side Of the
boat They thought we had just grazed
1t and the engines had been stopped to
see If any damage had been done. No
one, of course, had any conception that
she had been pierced below by part of
the submerged iceberg. The game
went on without any thought Of disas-
ter, and retired to my cabin. I never
saw any Of the players or the onlook-
ers again.
Anxious Inquiries.
"a little later, hearing people going
upstairs, I went out again and found
everyone wanting to know why the en-
gines had stopped. No doubt many
were awakened from sleep by the sud-
den stopping of vibration, to which they
had become accustomed during the
four days we had been on board.
ION going on deck again saw that
there was an undoubted list down.
wards from stern to bows, but, know
ing of what had happened. conclud-
ed some of the front compartments had
filled and weighed her down. I went
down again to put on warmer clothing
and as I dressed I heard an order
shouted:
"'All passengers on deck with life
belts on
Danger Not Realized.
I'VE walked slowly up with them
tied on over our clothing, but even than
we did not realize the danger. There
was a total absence Of any panic or
any expressions of alarm, and 1 sup
pose this can be accounted for by the
exceeding calm night and the absence
Of any controversy. The ship was abb
solutely still and except for a gentle
tilt downward at that time, no signs
of the approaching disaster were Wis
ible. But in q 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 in
to the water.
"AIl Men Stand Back"
I'VE then began to realize 1t was
more serious than had been supposed.
Presently we heard the order: All men
stand back away from the boats and
all ladies retire to next deck below!'-
the smoking room deck, or deck.
The men all stood away and remained
In absolute silence. leaning against the
railing of the deck or pacing slowly up
and down. The boats were swung out
and lowered a deck. When they were
to the level Of B deck, where all the
ladies were collected, the ladies got In
quietly, with the exception Of some
who refused to leave their husbands;
in some cases they were torn from
them and pushed into the boats, but
in many instances they were allowed
to remain because there was no one to
insist they should go.
Boats Lowered.
Looking over the side, one saw
boats from aft already in the water,
slipping quietly away into darkness,
and presently the boats near to me
were lowered and with much creaking,
as the new ropes slipped through the
pulley blocks down the seventy-five
feet. which separated them from the
water An officer in uniform came up
as one boat went down and shouted:
When you are afoat, row around to
the companion ladder and stand by
with the other boats for orders
"Aye, aye came up the reply, but
l don't think any boat was able to obey
the order. When they were afioat the
sailors saw they could do nothing but
row from the sinking ship.
No Disorder.
"All this time there was no trace or
any disorder; panic or rush to the
boats and no scenes of women sobbing
Historically. Every one seemd to real
ize slowly that there was imminent
danger. When 1t was realized that we
might all he presently in the sea, with
nothing but our life belts to support us
until we were picked by passing steam
ers, it was extraordinary how calm ev-
eryone was and how completely self
controlled.
"One by one the boats were filled
With
rowed away into the night.
Presently the word went round