The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-04-25
TELL
OF FIGHT IN SEA
-
Peril Not Known to Passengers
Until Long After Titanic
Struck.
WOMEN SENT OFF FIRST
Men In Small Boats Try to Sing to
Drown Out Cries Of the Perishlng
-Heartrendins Scenes At
tending Disaster Are Ora
matlcalIy Described.

tending Disaster Are ORA
maticaIly Described.
New York. April 19.-The stories OF
the survivors Of the Titanic are all
practically agreed on one thing, that
the passengers ca the liner did not
realize their peril until long after the
vessel struck.
A Mr. Chambers, one OF the surviv-
org. had this to say:
The Titanic struck the iceberg
head-on. The passengers ran out, but.
believing that the ship could not sink
and being assured by the officers,
again went back to their staterooms.
After about two hours the alarm was
sent out and the passengers started
to enter the lifeboats. There was
nothing like panic at first, as all be-
lieved that there were plenty Of life
boats to go around"
After the lifeboat in which Mr..
Chambers was had gone about 400
yards from the ship, those in 1t saw
the Titanic begin to settle quickly and
there was rush for the remaining
lifeboats. One was swamped
The great ship sank slowly by its
head and no suction was felt by the
boat in which Mr.. Chambers was.
Tells Scene at Rescue.
A passenger aboard the rescue ship
Carpathia, Miss Sue Eva Rule, sis
ter of Judge Virgil Rule OF st. Louis,
detailed the thrilling scenes which
marked the rescue OF the survivors OF
the greatest marine tragedy OF the
age.
Unknown to the sleeping passen-
gers, the ship turned abruptly to the
north. None knew OF the sudden
change Of, course and the first intima-
ton, anybody got OF the fact that any
thing unusual was about to take place
was the order given the steward to.
prepare breakfast for 3,OgU.
1.-The tidings ran through the ship
like wildfire and long before the Gu
harder had come within the scene OF
the tragedy we were all on deck.
Sight First of Boats.
"Just as cay broke tiny craft was
sighted rowing towards US and as 1t
came closer we saw women huddled
together, the stronger ones manning
the oars The first to come aboard
was nurse maid, who had wrapped
in coat an eleven-months-old baby,
the only one of family Of five per
sons to be rescued.
The men and women both seemed
dazed. Most of them were almost
persisted with the cold and some OF
them who had been literally thrown
into the lifeboats persisted from expo
sure.
"One of the most narrowing scenes
ever saw was the service OF thanks
giving and followed by the prayers
for the dead which followed the in
coming OF the little band OF survivors
of the Carpathia. The means OF the
women and the cries of little children
as their loss was brought home to
them were heartrending. The hope
that by some means their beloved
ones would be saved never left the
survivors.
Survivors In Strange Dress.
How those who were saved sur
vived the exposure Is amiracle. One
woman came aboard devoid OF under
wear, Turkish towel wrapped about
her waist serving as corset, while a
magnificent evening wrap was her
only protection.
( In
white satin slippers and children
wrapped in steamer rugs were ordi-
nary sights and very soon the passen-
gers themselves were almost In as
bad plight as the rescued Trunks
were unpacked and clothing distrib-
uted right and left. Finally the steam
er rugs were ripped apart and sewed
into impromptu garments.
my first view of the first boat
sighted led me to think we were pick
ing up the crew OF a dirigible. Back
of the boat loomeu in the shadowy
dawn the huge iceberg which had
sent the Titanic to the bottom. The
liteboat looked like the usual boat
which swings from balloon
Women Discuss Scenes.
After an hour or SO Ut rest the
only relief the women who had been
literally torn from their husbands
seemed to have was In discussing the
last scenes. Shooting was heard by
many in the lifeboats jtst before the
ship took its final plunge and sunk
from sight. and the opinion OF many
was that the men rather than drown
shot themselves
Mrs. Aston, who was one OF the