The Nevada County picayune., 1912-04-26
SAW THE DISASTER AT CLOSE RANGE Ouartermaster HiCkins Tells Of Titanic Disaster as He
 Saw It.
WAS ON DUTY AT WHEEL
Ships Barber Was Blown From Deck sy Boiler Explosion and in Water
 Two Hours.
Western Newspaper Union New. Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
 New York-"Rcbert Hickins, one of the six quartermasters of the Iii tanic-the man who was on duty at the wheel when the ship struck the iceberg-has told the story of the wreck of the Titanic.
 Save for the surviving fourth officer, Boxhall, whose lips are sealed by death, Hickins saw Sunday nights tragedy at closer range than any man now living. His story was this:
 "I went on watch at o'clock Sun- day night and stood by the man at the wheel until 10. At 10 I took the wheel for two hours. On the bridge from 10 o'clock were First Officer Murdock. Fourth Officer Boxhall and Sixth Officer Moody. In the crows nest lookout tower) were Fleet and another man, whose name l do not know
 Second Officer Lightoller who was on watch while I stood by from to 10, sent me soon after to the car penter to tell him to look out for fresh water supply, as there might be danger of freezing The temperature was then about 31 degrees. He gave the crows nest a strict order to look out for small icebergs.
 "'Second Officer Lightoller was re- lieved by First Officer Murdock at 10, and I took the wheel then. At 11:40 three gongs sounded from the crows nest, the signal for something right ahead"
 Teiephoned the Bridge.
 At the same time one of the men in the nest telephoned to the bridge that there was a large iceberg right ahead. As Officer Murdock's hand was on the lever to stop the engines. the crash came. He stopped the engines. and then immediately by another lever closed the watertight doors.
 The skipper, (Captain Smith), came from the chart room onto the bridge His first words were Close the emer- gency doors
 They're already closed, sir Mur. dock replied
 Send to the carpenter and tell him to sound the ship" was the skip Ler's next order. The message was sent to the carpenter, but the carpen- ter never came up to report.
 The commutator showed the boat carried degress list to starboard She then was rapidly settling forward All the steam sirens were blowing By the shippers orders the engines were put to work at pumping out. The ship distress signals were sent by Marcon and rockets were sent up. All hands were on deck and life-belts were put onto passengers.
 The stewards and other hands help ed the sailors in getting the boats out. The order. Women and children first was given and enforced There was no panic.
 I was at the wheel until 1925. IL was my duty to stay there until re- lieyed. l was not relieved by any one else, but was simply sent away by Second Officer Lightoller, who told me to take charge of certain boat and load it with ladies.
 I did so and there were % ladies. a sailor and myself in the boat when 1t was lowered, some time after o'clock
 The Titanic had 16 lifeboats and two collapsible boats. All of them got away loaded except one of the collap. sib.es, which did not open properly and was used as a raft. Forty sailors and stewards who were floating in the water got in this raft and were picked up by the different boats. Some others were floating about on chairs when picked up.
 Every boat, so far as know, was full when it was lowered and every boat that set out reached the Carpa- thia.
 The green light of the boat helped to keep us together but there were other lights. One was an eletric flash. light that gentlmean had carried in his pocket.
 "Our boat was 100 yards away when the ship went down, The suction only rocked us a little.
 T heard revolver shots as every one did. l cannot say who fired any of them"
 No Blame on Captain.
 From Washington alset came the opinion of expert naval hydrographers that no blame should attach 10 Capt Smith, because, as they contend, andy.