River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-04-25

directly in front Of the party, but II
only seemed to please the little boy
He shouted with joy. Mr.. Dodge said
he estimated that the time the ship
sank was 1915 a. m.
He said the last man he saw was
Archibald Butt, who was standing stiff
and erect on the deck.
Mr.. Dodge was asked If he heard
any shots. He replied Yes"
"Suicide?" asked reporter.
Il am afraid So" said Mr.. Dodge.
First Woman in Lifeboats.
Mrs. Dickinson Bishop of Detroit
said:
boat. / was in the boat four hours be-
fore being picked up by the Carpathia.
was in bed at the time the crash
came, got up and dressed and went
back to bed, being assured there was
no danger. There were very few pas
sengers on the deck when I reached
there. There was little or no panic,
and the discipline of the THAMES
crew was perfect. Thank God my hus-
band was saved ALSO
Story by Swedish Officer.
Lieut. Hakan Bjornstion Steffanson
of the Swedish army, who was jour
neying to this country on the Titanic
to see about the expectation Of pulp
to Sweden, narrowly escaped being
carried down in the sinking ship when
bn loo ~ q
lifeboat that was being lowered past
him. Henry Woolner of London also
made the leap in safety. Lieutenant
Steffanson thinks he made the last
boat to leave the ship and was only
about hundred yards away when It
went down with a sudden lurch.
The lieutenant told his story Is ho
lay in bed at the Hotel Gotham,
utterly worn out by the strain he had
been under despite his six feet OF
muscle. 1t was also the first time he
had discarded the dress suit he had
worn since the shock of collision
startled him from his chair in the
cafe where he and Mr.. Woolner were
talking.
"It was not a severe shock" said
the lieutenant "It did not throw any
one from his seat; rather it Was
twisting motion that shook the boat
terribly. Most of the women were IN
bed. We ran up to the smoking room,
where most of the men were rushing
about trying to find out what was the
matter, but there was singular abb
sence of apprehension, probably be-
cause we believed so thoroughly in
the massive hulk in which we were
travelling.
Sought to Calm Women
eve helped to calm some OF the
women and advised them to dress and
then set about getting them in boats.
There seemed to be really no reason
for it, but it was done because it was
the safest thing to do.
'"The men went about their task
quietly. Why should they have done
otherwise-the shock was so slight to
cause much ruin. Mr.. Woolner and
then went to a lower outside deck. 1t
was deserted, but as we wished to find
out what had happened We went down
a deck lower. Then for the first time
did we realize the seriousness of that
twisting which had rent the ship near
ly asunder. We saw the water pour
ing into the hull and where we finally
stood water rose to our knees.
''Woolner and / decided to get out
as quickly as we could and as we
turned to rush upward we saw SLID
ing down the port side of the drown
ing ship a collapsible lifeboat. Most
Of those it contained were from the
steerage, but two of the women were
from the first cabin. 1t was in charge
Of two sailors.
Jump Into Swaying Boat.
"Let's not take any chances,
shouted to Woolner, and as it came
nearly opposite us, swinging in and
out slowly, we jumped and fortunately
landed in it. The boat teetered bit
and then swiftly shot down to the wa
ter. Woolner and l took oars and
started to pull with all our might to
get from the ship before she sank, for
now there was little doubt of what
would happen.
eve had hardly reached point a
hundred yards away-and believe.
the boat was in was the last to get
safely away-when the horrible
screams came through the night and
the ship plunged swiftly down. 1t was
so terribly sudden, and then there was
a vast quiet, during which we shiv-
cred over the oars and the women
cried Historically. Some of them
tried to jump overheard and we had
to struggle in the shaky boat to hold
them until they quoted down.
Victims Float to Surface.
There was little widespread sue
ton from the sinking ship, strange to
say, and shortly after it went down
people came to the surface, some OF
them struggling and fighting to re-
main af1oat, and some were very still.
But they all sank before we could
reach them.
at was bitterly cold and most of US
were partly wet. 1t seemed hours be-
fore the Carpathia came up and took
us aboard. Why, it was so cold that
on board the Titanic we had been
drinking hot drinks as If it were win
ter. The weather was absolutely
clear, there was not the slightest fog
or mist"