The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1912-04-26
SURVIVORS 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 Perishln0
-Heartrendlng Scenes At
tending Disaster Are ORA
matleally Described.


New York, April 19.-The stories OF
the survivors Of the Titanic are all
practically agreed on one thing, that
the passengers on the liner did not
realize their peril until long after the
vessel struck.
A Mr.. Chambers. one OF the surviv'
ore, 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 a rush for the remaining
lifeboats. Ono 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
C%arpathia, Miss Sue Eva Rule. a 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 tho order given the steward to
prepare breakfast for 5000.
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 day broke a 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 a nurse maid. who had wrapped
In a coat an eleven-months-old baby.
the only one of a family Of five per.
ions to be rescued.
The men and ONE 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
I 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
which took place in the dining saloor
Of the Carpathia. The means Of the
women and the cries of little children
as their loss was brought home Il
them were h~eartrending. The hope
that by some means their beloved
ones would be saved never left thu
survivors.
Survivors In Strange Dress.
How those who were saved sur
vived the exposure is a miracle. On,
woman came aboard devoid of under
> wear, a Turkish towel wrapped abou'
her waist serving as a corset. while
magnificent evening wrap was he
{ only protection.
Women in evening frocks ant
white satin slippers and children
; wrapped in steamer rugs were ordi
: nary sights and very soon the passen
gers themselves we're almost in a.
bad a plight as the rescued. Trunk.
were unpacked and clothing distrib
'uted right and left. Finally the steam
er rugs were ripped apart and sewet
into impromptu garments.
MY first view Of the first boa
3 sighted led me to think we were pick
ing up the crew Of a dirigible. Bacl
( OF the boat loomeu in the shadow,
!, dawn the huge iceberg which bat
: sent the Titanic to the bottom. Th,
: hfeboat looked like the usual boa
: which swings from a balloon.
: Women Discuss Scenes.
!, After an hour or so of rest m.
only relief the women who had hso,
/, literally torn from their husband,
seemed to have was In discussing tn,
, last ene Shooting was heard b,
, any In the hfeboats Just before TN,
snip TOOK Its final plunge and SUM
, o sight, and the opinion OF man,
, wa that the men rather than drowr
shot themselves.
MRS. Astor. who was one Of IN.
. f1rst to come aboard, was taken a,
once to the captains room. Other,
were distributed among the cabins
, the C~arpathia's passengers sleeping or
+ the floors OF the saloons. in the hath
: rooms and on the tables throughou,
the snip in order to let the survivor,
Of tne wreck have as much comfor,
as the ship afforded.
'One woman came aboard with ,
1 G~1Y.mnnfhC' hahv rko -.