Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-19
Thrilling Stories of Last
Hours Told by Carpa-
thia Passengers.
SCENES ARE EFFECTING
Mrs. 1Sador StrauS Refuses to
Be Separated From Her
Husband

New York, April 19.-Seven hundred
forty-five persons, mostly women, sick
in heart and body, wrote into the an
nails Of maritime history today the loss
OF the greatest steamship ever built by
man. They were the survivors of the
Titanic, which sank, bow foremost
with / ,595 souls aboard its captain at
the bridge, its colors flying. and it's
band playing Nearer. My God TO
Thee" In 1000 fathoms of water off
the banks OF Newfoundland, at 2:20
Monday morning With one voice they
told OF those who remained behind TO
find watery grave that they might
live
STAY BEHIND TO DIE.
There were many who stayed behind
TO die in their husbands arms. From
their narratives stand out in bold relief
the following facts:
The Titanic was making q knots
when II struck the iceberg No one at
first thought that the ship would sink.
II remained afioat more than two
hours. Icebergs ripped open its bow
els below the water line. Instant panic
was averted by Captain Smiths terse
the crew tsrftIsTi- my
IgmeffsR' small number OF steerage
passengers tried 10 rush for life boats
and We're held back by the crew and
other passengers
CRIES FROM 1900.
The Titanic turned its nose for the
bottom when the last life boat was less
than a hundred yards away, reared it's
stern high. and trembled for a moment
before going down. There were two
explosions when the inrushing waters
sached the boilers When il sank,
there was silence-a moment later the
cries and supplications of 1900 dying
men rose in chorus indescribable over
the spot where the ship went down
For hours survivors rowed in life boats
over a calm sea in bitter cold until the
Carpathia picked them up.
New York, April 19.-The Titanic
disaster, as written into history today
by many of the 745 survivors, accounts
for the loss OF / ,5S9 persons off New
Foundland banks Monday and the sub.
sequent death Of six persons who were
rescued bringing the total lost to 1895
The disaster was the greatest in ocean
travel ever known. There is hardly
any hope that this total will be cur.
tailed by single additional survivor
Nearly all the survivors saw the Tt
tanic sink and heard the band play
Nearer. My God. 10 Nhee." and the
shrieks OF those whom the sea claimed
as the vessel sank.
NoTABLES DIE HEROES.
Among the hundreds on decks to the
last were Colonel John Jacob Astor, Ma
ior. Archibald Butt. Benjamin Guggeu
helm. Jaques Futrelle. George ID. Wild
ener. Henry r. Harris. and Mr.. anC
Mrs Isador Straus, Major Butt wal
reported To be one Of the heroes witt
an iron bar in his hand with which h,
is said 10 have stood at the steeraE,
passage and defended women and chill
dren from the maddened men in tha
part OF the ship. Il was only becaus
the maximum capacity Of the steamer
life boats was barely a third OF the com
pletement Of the crew and passenger
that hundreds had 10 be left 10 thei
fate.
FOUR BURIED AT SEA.
Service for the burial OF the dea
at sea was read over the bodies O
four men on the CarpaJhia Monda
afternoon by Father Anderson of IN
Episcopal order Of the Holy Cross
The victims were OF the crew OF tn
Titanic and cabin passenger foun
dead on a raft which carried 81 othe
Persons. all living.
OPERATOR DIES on RAFT.
Phillips. first Marconi operate
aboard the Titanic, stuck 10 his pos
until the last. jumped from the sinl
ine ship. was taken aboard a III
raft and died before rescuers reacl
ed him. according 10 a story told {,
day by Thomas Whitley. who was
waiter on the Titanic. Phillips Va
on an overturned lifeboat with me
whitley said He was dead whe
taken aboard the Carpathia. Thel
were four burials at sea. one sailo
two fremen and Phillips
OFFICERS Use REVOLVERS.
Il is believed Whiuey's story cleal