The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-15

Confined from PaEe One:1
still had only the newspaper reports of
the disaster. They left assured That
whatever the situation there was this
reassuring, feature that at least three
liners had reported themselves in touch
with the Titanic, that all of them were
steaming toward her and that an un-
usually large number of other large
ships were within the zone of wireless
communication
The fact that at best the Virginian,
which appeared to be nearest to the
Titanic could not reach her until 10
o clock this morning, however, only
added to the anxiety of those here who
had friends on board. The bare report
that the vessel was sinking at the bow
at midnight, that women were being
taken off in life boats then and that
half an hour later wireless communica-
ton was broken were all viewed with
the utmost anxiety
There was excellent reason, however,
for belief that even though the Titanic
was in dire straits there was fair
chance that no lives would be lost. The
Cape Race dispatch reported the
weather calm and clear and in a reas-
enable quiet sea there is little danger
in the transfer of passengers to the life
boats, in which they might await with
reasonable tranquility the arrival of the
Virginian this morning.
1t was difficult for even mariners to
interpret the situation from the Mar
conf dispatches. They could not under
stand why it should be necessary to
take off any passengers If the liner
were sinking slightly at the bow unless
her captain felt that the water tight
compartments would give ray.
The presence of many icebergs in
the path of transatlantic liners was
indicated by wireless last week. Twelve
hours before the news of the Titanic
accident reached the world. the seri-
Gus menace of the icebergs was point
ed out by the arrival here of the Gu
nard line steamer Carmania, which
reported having lodged 25 big bergs,
some of them more than $50 feet
high. The Carnania reported that
the French steamer Niagara had a
worse experience, having bumped into
two small bergs which punched holes
in her hull. The Niagara had this
experience on Thursday and unless
she has greatly reduced speed, she
should reach port some time today
The Titanic undoubtedly ran into this
same icebank.
It is said P. A. S. Franklin, vice
president of the White Star line, sent
the following wireless message to Cap
tain E. S. Smith, the Titanic's COM
mander, this morning:
full particulars probable disposition of
passengers
At o'clock this morning Mr..
Franklin gave out the following state
ment:
we place absolute confidence in
the Titanic. We believe the boat is
absolutely unsuitable and although
she may have sunk at the bow, we
know that she would remain afloat.
We do not attach any significance to
the fact that there are no Marconi
being received from the
boat We think it denotes nothing but
the fact that the boat is in communi-
cation with other steamers for she
may have gotten off all the messages
she wanted to send.
I'VE are not at all worried about
the loss of the ship but we are ex-
tremely sorry for the annoyance and
inconvenience to our passengers and
the travelling public.
You can make our views as force
full as you like regarding the capabili-
ties of the ship to Withstand any exter-
ior damage. We figure the Virginian
of the Allan line will be alongside the
Titanic by 10 o'clock and we figure the
Olympic of the White Star line will be
with the Titanic at 8 p. m. and the
Baltic an hour later
Passengers in No Danger,
Mr.. Franklin also said, after Civ
ing out the formal statement that they
figured the boat 1,OS1 miles from
New York and 500 miles from Hall
fax He added that no direct COM
munication has been received from
the liner. Mr. Franklin said he had
received a relief wireless dispatch
from the Olympic saying she had talk
ed by wireless with the Titanic at
4:24 this morning. The message gave
no further Information. This mes
sage shows conclusively that the tt