The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-04-17
WHITE STAR I'VE SAIL or
HERE SAYSzzTI7lAlIvIC STRUCK
a BIG FLOE AND NOT a BERG
Local Sailor Member Of Fam
lily That Founded Big
Steamship Line.
IN A FLoE ACCIDENT
]. B. Wethen Tells Interesting
Tales Of Experiences
at Sea.

How a vessel of that size could
crash to death into the side Of a berg
is beyond my comprehension" de-
clared j. B. Wetheu. Of lit Clark
street. for many years sailor on
White Star Line steamships, to
representative OF the Daily Telegram
in discussing The sinking of the III
tanic OF the coast Of Newfoundland.
Il can't understand it." he contln-
ued, and I believe she struck on a
foe"
What is the difference between a
berg and a foe2r he was asked.
"A berg sticks up above the
water" said Mr.. wethen, but a foe
is great submerged sheet OF ice,
much more dangerous and treacher-
GUS than berg. Still berg is
treacherons. You can't tell any
thing about some OF them. Why, my
boy, I've seen befgs sheet up thou
sand feet into the air and there was
twice that much OF them below water
and I've seen EN- ar0 heard EN- fall
over with clap like thunder"
1T is unusual for bergs to come
down from the mo- tn at this time of
the year." continued the old sailor,
especially with such cold winter
as we've had. sun there must have
been milder winter in the arctics.
I've read there was mild winter in
Labrador and whereabouts. A berg
would not break of and come down
there where the Titanic was once in
twenty years at this time of the
year"
Mr.. Wethen knows a great deal
about such accidents. as he has been
in many a shipwreek. He was a
sailor for forty odd years, and he
comes OF a noted family OF, haviga-
tors. He issa first cousin Of John
Bruce Isinay, the president of the
International Mercantile Marine
Company, who with Mr.. Wethens
uncle, Charles Moore, was one of
the founders Of the White Star Line
Of steamships. Mt. Ismay was
passenger on the Titanic and was res
cued from 1t. Isnay Imirie and
Company originated this noted steam
ship line. Nj. Moore ran ships for
many years in the India trade and
owned feet of eighty or ninety yes
sells, Bruce Isnay and Mr.. Wethen
were shipmates on the old Knight
Companion when they were lads
about twelve years old and when they
started their apprenticeshtps as sail
ors. They afterwards were together
on the Knight Commander.
Have you ever had any experience
with ice hoes?" Mr.. Wethen was
asked.
YES, indeed, once especially in Just.
about the same place the Titanic
went down. 1t was, let me see; in
1871 and 1872 was in the Calcutta to
England trade-well, 1t must have
been about 1876. was navigating
officer on the old Adriatic, White
star liner, when she ran upon big
foe southeast of Cape Race. 1t was
a terrible experience. The ship ran
upon that foe and keeled over on one
side just like an old wash tub If you
would jump into it on one side. There
was no serious damage, though, and
we managed to pull Off without the
loss Of life.
The Titanic could not have struck
berg. NJ she had there would have
been big chance to save her or keep
her afoat until help arrived. Why
she had a dozen water tight compart-
ments atlwartshtp; then there were
the longitudinal ones and several
others. II she did strike a berg l
can't understand how she sunk SO
quick"
Mr.. wethen's "reminiscences of sea
'faring life are most interesting, es-
pecIally in this far inland country.
One of his experiences is of unusual
interest in view of the recent discov-
cry of the South Pole, He was sailor
aboard the Enterprise when 1t sailed
from Ceylon in 1884 to carry sup
niles to the English frigate Challen-
ger, commanded by Sir George
Neares, which was on three years
discovery and sounding cruise in the
antarctics. The Enterprise found the
Challenger at the south point of Rer-
Euleu's Land but not until the relief
Ship had been shut in Discovery Bay
Ny loose ice and had been kept there
for sixteen months. The Challenger
was the first vessel to pass the ant
arctic circle under its own steam.
LOCATION MADE.