The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1912-05-10
IMMIGRANTS TELL GRAPHIC
STORY OF SEA HORROR

AiolS WeSSner ana MelnarQ anO
Joseph 2 ger, three immigrants to
the Payette valley, from the Swiss
canton of Schwyz, have just arrived
in Payette.
These men crossed the Atlantic on
the German liner, Bremen sailing
from Hamburg. They arrived in New
York after stormy passage requir-
ing II days to make The regular
time of the vessel is five days, but
icebergs, fields of ice and heavy gales
caused the ship to slacken speed in
the interest OF safety.
These men, through an Interpreter.
told of their experiences and the
gruesome sight that met their gaze
as they passed over the scene of the
Titanic disaster.
1t was IL O'Clock on Monday, April
Is, when the Bremen, many hundred
miles away, received the news by
wireless of the fate of the big steam
ship, and warnings to be on the look
out for icebergs.
Saw Many Icebergs.
Wessner says that the captain said
in all his experience of many years
on the Atlantic he had never encoun-,,
tered as many icebergs on any other
trip as on this one. 1--WE passed %
big icebergs and number Of fields of
ice extending miles and miles," said
:Wessner. 1--WE were in constant ter
ror after hearing the story of the IT.
tanic and our captain took the great
est precautions to bring his ship
through in safety.
Il shall never forget the awful
spectacle that was presented to us
when we arrived at the place where
the Titanic cunk. Mhe Mackey-Ben-
nett was already there gathering up
bodies. There were hundreds of them
floating in the sea and our ship
passed near many of them. The sea
was strewn with wreckage. The bod
les were supported in an upright po-
sition by the life belts. The people
met death by being frozen in the cold |
sea. Pictures were taken from the |
deck of the Bremen by those who had |
with them and several hun
dred prints were made which the pas
sengers bought as fast as made"
Wessner and his companions had
several pictures which showed many
bodies in the water and brought
more vivid realization of the horror
Of the disaster
Pictures Tell Story
One picture shows man tied in a
arge reclining chair, sitting in an up
light position almost lifelike in pos
;ure, frozen stiff. Another picture
shows woman clasping her two chill
iren to her breast in fruitless en-
1eavor to save them from the cruel
leep until help could arrive. A more
heroic scene of devotion and loyalty
VI mother could not be portrayed;
Tor grander testimony of the depth
# mothers love could be told In
words than the mute story of the
photograph which shows the dead
mother clinging to the lifeless forms r
f her dead babies, after her heroic
attic against the merciless sea. :
Scene Was Narrowing :
The sight was too much for the E
'omen aboard the Bremen and many F
ere overcome by the awful spectacle. Z
thers took to their cabin and were p
cen no more on deck until the ship G
rrived in New York four days later. c.
spirit of gloom and dependency V
ettled down over the entire company N
nd few were the words that were s
lid on the rest of the entire journey M
New York. | never want to look "
pom another sight like that. It =,
aunts me now and brings despon- F
ency upon me as think about it," c.
i'd Meinrad Zuger. d'
These men are big hearted Ger d
an-Swiss and by action and manner
lowed the strain of the voyage and b
narrowing experience. Tears
ickled down their faces as they told We
e story of what they saw and how
that they reached New York
safety K,