The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-04-24

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premacy in luxurious ships and max
ing speed records. The time will
soon come when this will be checked
by some appalling disaster
"Poor fellow, few hours later
he was dead"
ttThe conduct Of Col. John Jacob
Astor was deserving Of the highest
praise" Col. Oracle declared. ''The
millionaire New Yorker" he said,
devoted all his energy to saving his
young bride, nee Miss Force OF New
York, who is in delicate health.
"Col. Astor helped US in our ef-
forts to get her in the boat" said
Col. Oracle. 81 lifted her into the
boat, and as she took her place Col.
Astor requested permission of the
second officer to go with her for hep
own protection.
"tNo, sir replied the officer, not
a man shall 90 on boat until the
women are all off, Col. Astor then
inquired the number Of the boat
which was being lowered away and
| turned to the work OF clearing the
other boats and in reassuring the
frightened and nervous women.
"By this time the ship began to
list trightfully to port. This become
so dangerous that the second ieer
ordered every one TO rush to star
board. This we did, and we found
the crew trying to get q boat OF In
that quarter. Here saw the last Of
J. B. Tnayer and George 3. Widen
er."
At High Speed.
Col. Oracle said that despite warn
ings Of icebergs, no slowing down Of
speed wss ordered by the command
er Of the Titanic. There were othe.
warnings too, he said.
''In the ~ hours run ending
14th," he said, "the ships run was
54e miles, and we were told that the
next 2z hours would see even bet
ter record posted. No dimtnution
OF speed was indicated in the run.
The officers, I am credibly informed,
had been advised by wireless from
other ships Of ieebergs and danger
Gus foes in that vicinity. The sea
was az smooth as glass and tho
weather clear, SO that 1t seems there
was no occasion for fear
"When the vessel struck" he con-
tinued, "the passengers were 80 1T
tie alarmed that they joked over the
matter. There was not the slightest
Indication Of panic. Some OF the
fragments Of Ice had fallen on the
deck and these were picked up and
passed around by some Of the face
tious ones, who offered them as me-
mentoes Of the occasion. On the
port side glance over the side
failed to show any evidence Of dam
age and the vessel seemed to be on
an even keel. James Clilch Smith
and I, however, soon found the yes
sci was listing heavily. A few min
utes later the officers ordered men
and women to don life preservers."
One Of the last women seen by
Col. Oracle, he said, was Miss Evans
OF New York, who virtually refused
to be rescued because, according to
the army officer, "she had been told
by a fortune teller in London that
she would meet her death on the
water"
Fifth Officer Efficient.
A young English woman who TO
ouested that her name be omitted,
told a thrilling story OF her expert
ence In one OF the collapsible boats
which had been manned by eight Of
the crew from the Titanic. The boat
was in command o. the -fth officer,
H. Lowe, whose actions she described
as saving many lives. Before the
life boat was launched ne passed
along the port deck OF the steamer
commanding the people not to jump
into the boats and otherwise re-
straining them from swampiag the
craft. When the collapsible wac
launched Officer Lowe succeeded IN
putting up mast and small sail.
He collected the other boats togeth-
er; in some cases the boats were
short Of adequate crews and he d.
rected an exchange by which each
was adequately manned. He threw
lines connecting the boats two by
two and all thus moved together.
Later on he went back to the wreck
with the crew OF one OF the boats
and succeeded in picking up some OF
those who had jumped overheard
and were swimming about. On his
way back to the Carpathia he passed
one Of the collapsible boats Which
was on the point OF sinking with sc
passeng gers aboard, most OF them IN
scant night clothing. They were
rescued just in the nick OF time.
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