Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-06-06

LONDON, June 6.-An Investigator
searching for material for biography
of w r. Stead who went down with
the Titanic has discovered a strange
prediction of his own doom made by Mr.
Stead in The Pail Mall Gazette, on March
%. 1886
This article, written by Mr.. Stead, was
headed. How the Mail Steamer Went
Down in Mid Atlantic
The article appeared a couple of days
after the Oregon was lost, and purported
to give description of the scene of
horror that ensued on the then biggest
Atlantic liner when at last the passen-
gers realized the ship was doomed.
Sngularly Powerful Argument.
The article was a singulary powerful
one 1t occupied two and a half columns
of The Pan Mall, and in footnote Stead
wrote:
This is exactly what might take
place and what WILL take place If
the liners are sent to sea short of
boats"
Here are some extracts from Stead s
forecast of disaster, such as was in
strumental in his own passing. almost
exactly a quarter of a century after he
penned this grim prediction:
From below there came a queer suck
ing sound, with an occasional long CUR
gle and ] saw that the ship seemed to
hang as the seas met her.
The boats We're made fast to stand
heavy weather, and only skilled sailors
could launch them
81 calculated that, by loading all the
eight boats down to the waters edge
and by packing the children along the
bottom boards, we might accommo-
date 800 people We were carrying
916 altogether.
"A loud crack, followed by a wallow-
ing noise like thunder rendered all other
sounds insignificant. and captain who
was going out 10 New York said The
bullshead's gone we must take our
chance now The ship stopped nearly
dead. and began to tremble curiously but
1t was only the river of water pouring
aft and we soon saw the fremen driven
up like rats from a burrOw Stand by
the boats
"Women First Here"
The order was given, and the boat
SWANS call rose in a long tremulous
screech one of the starboard boats was
successfully launched, and the chief Of
fcer stood revolver in hand. Women
first here. Thompson, you Will steer her
axe FOUR men ana no more. ne young
English lady was lowered down, although
she chung hard to her father and begged
him to let her stay. No. darling, good
bye Be happy he said, and then stood
composedly amid the hurry burIy."
BY an extraordinary coincidence Stead
described the girl as a dark beauty
about eighteen years Of age" One could
almost fancy that he saw as in a glass
darby the then Yet unborn Mrs Jacob
Aston.
AT last only one light boat remained.
and still there were over 700 of us
jammed in the narrow space left by the
awful list The captain had dropped his
hands he could do no more one sailor
said We've stood It long enough Tom
Let's have our turn
And he with three sturdy Swedes,
managed 10 get at the davits. They were
just in time, for the steamer began to
sway as they hoated, and they were all
but swamped by the charge and leap OF
crowd who flung themselves into the
water Then | was left with great
multitude, whose agonized clamor stun
ned me.
II felt a mighty conclusive movement.
then the sea seemed to flash down on me
In one mass, as If the wall of water fell