The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-04-26
SPUR Of ICEBERG
RIPS BOTTOM OFF
GIGANTIC SHIP
Titanic Is Literally OiSemboWeied
by Submerged FIoe While
Speeding.
PLACID SEA HIDES DEATH
Little Shock Is Felt Whe1l Vessel
Strikes-Passengers for Half an
Hour Believe Damage Is Slight
Pathetic Stories Of Sur
yIVors.

-. CIR
"V0rS'
New York, April l9-lt was the sun
merged spur Of an Iceberg OF orol'
nary proportions that sent the Nllte
Star liner Titanic more than two miles
to the bottom OF the Atlantic OH 'he
banks Of Newfoundland The vessel
vas steaming almost full tilt through
gently swelling sea ana uhoe' d S'"''
III SKY, IN charge VI F''S' '"'C ~,
dock, who moment after 'Ie ,o'''
sion surrendered the 'oh'i''""" " zap
tain Smith. VINO Went GOWN Win Mo
boat.
Inc h1eDoatS 'haI We're ''uNVr,'N
were not niled 10 thelI C"P"'lt! liz
general i@tllNg aOoaru tIe Sh'p ""''
even after the boats had lett us sues
that the YesSe! WOuld survive 10
wound, ana the passengers WIZ N'''
LETT aboard believed almost up 10 ne
last moment that they mao d c""l''e
for their lives.
the captain ana oINceIs OcHd''"
with the utmost galIahtTy ana lhe'"
was perfect order ana ulSciplIhe III
the launching Of the boats ana al'et
all hope had been Abandoned lot Tue
salvation OF the snip lof lhose WHO
We're on board.
Just before 1t went down the II
tanlc broke Its DacK'
Placid Sea Hides Death.
The great liner was pluhsihs
'hrou2h comparatively pla''u DC"
on 'he surface Oh WHICH 'le'e was
much mushy ice ana mere ana 'le!e
NUMBER OF comparatively haliileeo
LOOKING noes. lie h's"' was o'"'
ana stars visible. Nhiel onlcer Mu''
COCK was III charge VI Tue oi'ose'
Inc hrst lhtimalloh OF me presence
or the iceberg mat lie received was
from the lookout III the crows nest.
lhey were so close upon 'he pels a'
thIs moment hat II was practicd'iS
Impossible 10 a'oio colllsloh WIN H.
lie hFs' ollcel uiu "i'at o''e' un,
slafNieu ana aieIt cohnilalue's "o"iu
nave dohe uhder similar circun'
s'ahces-1hat IS ne maue oil emory
oy gong luli speed aheau OH MS S'a''
podrd propelier ana reversing HIS poi'
propeller' simultaneously 'hio" ing MS
heiih over u MAKE Idp'u 'u'h auu
~A' >No
n'ps oo''o''' ope''
These maneuVers were not success
full. He succeeded in preventing his
bow from crashing into the ice cliff,
but nearly the entire length OF the
great ship on the starboard side was
ripped.
The speed of the Titanic, estimated
to be at least twenty-one knots. was
so terrific that the knifelike edge OF
the lceberg's spur protrudlng under
the sea cut through her like a can
opener.
The shock was almost lmpercept-
IDLE. The first officer did not appar-
emily realize that the great ship had
received its death wound and none of
the passengers 1t is believed had the
slightest suspicion that anything more
than usual minor accident had hap
pened. hundreds who had gone to
| their berths and were asleep were not
awakened by the vibration.
Return to Gard Game.
To illustrate the placidity with
which practically all the men re.
garded the accident 1t is related that
four who were in the smoking room
playing bridge calmly got up from the
table. and, after walking on deck and
looking over the rail, returned to their
game. one OF them had left his cigar
on the card table, and while the three
others We're gazing out on the sea he
remarked that he couldn't afford to
lose his smoke. returned for his cigar,
and came out again.
Inc four remained only for few
moments on deck. They resumed
their game under the impression that
the ship had stopped for reasons best
known 10 the commander and not in