The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-19

the water was by now up to the low
est row of port holes. We were now
about two miles from her, and all the
crew insisted that such a tremend-
GUS wave would be formed by sue
ton as she went down that we ought
to get as far away as possible The
captain agreed, and all lay on their
oars and widened the distance be-
tween us and the sinking vessel.
Presently about a. m, as near as
| can remember, we observed her set
Ting very rapidly with the bows and
the bridge completely under water
and concluded it was now only
question of minutes before she went;
and so it proved. She slowly tilted
straight on end with the stern verti-
cally upward, and as she did so the
lights in the cabins and saloons,
which had not flickered for mo-
ment since we left, died out came on
again for a single flash and finally
went altogether. At the same time
the machinery roared down through
the vessel with rattle and a groan-
ing that could be heard for miles, the
wierdest sound surely that could
be heard in the middle of the ocean,
1000 miles away from land.
But this was not yet quite the
end. To our amazement she remain
ed in that upright position for a
time, which | estimate at five
minutes; others in the boat say less,
but it was certainly some minutes
while we watched at least $50 feet
of the Titanic towering up above the
level of the sea and looming black
against the sky"
Col Archibald Oracle, United
States army, the last man saved,
went down with the vessel, but was
picked up. He was met last night by
his daughter, who had arrived from
Washington, and his son-in-law, Paul
II. Fabricius. Col Oracle told re-
markable story of personal hardship
and denied emphatically the reports
that there was any panic on board.
He praised in the highest terms the
behavior of both the passengers and
crew and spoke especially of the
heroism OF the women passengers.
Mrs lsidor Straus," he said went
TO her death because she would not
desert her husband Although he
pleaded with her to take her place in
the boat, she steadfastly refused and
when the ship settled at the head the
two were engulfed by the wave that
swept her" Col Oracle described
how he was driven to the topmost
deck when the ship settled. and how
he was the sole survivor after the
wave that swept her just before her
final plunge had passed
Il jumped with the wave" said he.
lust as | often have jumped with the
breakers at the seashore. BY great
good fortune ! managed to grasp the
brass railing on the deck above, and
hung on by might and main. When
the ship plunged down | was forced
to let 90 and / was swirled around
and around for what seemed to be an
interminable time. Eventually | came
TO the surface, to find the sea mass
of tangled wreckage.
Luckily / was unhurt and casting
about managed to seize wooden
grating floating, When / had recov-
cred my breath ! discovered a larger
canvas and cork life raft which had
Heated up. A man, whose name | did
not learn, was struggling toward 1t
from some wreckage to which he had
chung ! cast of and helped him to
get on a raft and we then began the
work of rescuing those who had
jumped into the sea and were found
ering in the water.
When dawn broke there were 80
OF US on the raft standing knee deep
IN the icy water and afraid TO move
lest the cranky craft be overturned.
Several unfortunates, benumbed and
halt dead, besought us to save them
and one or two made an effort to
reach us. but we had to warn them
away. Had We made any effort to
save them we all might have perish.
ed
The hours that elapsed before we
were picked up by the Carpathia
were the longest and most terrible
that ! ever spent. Practically with
Out any sensation of feeling because
OF the ice water, we were almost
dropping from fatigue. We were
afraid to turn around to look whether
we were seen by passing craft and
when someone who was facing as.
tern passed the word that something
that looked like steamer was com.
ing up one Of the men became hvs.
terical under the strain. The rest of
US were nearing the breaking point.
Col. Oracle denied with emphasis
mat men were fred upon, and said
that only once was revolver dis.
charged. This was for the purpose
OF intlmidating some steerage pas.
sengers who had tumbled into a boat
before II was prepared for launching
rms shot was fired in the air. and
when the foreigners were told that
the next would be directed at them
they promptly returned to the deck
mere was no confusion and no
panic"
Contrary to the general expectation
there was no Earring impact when the
vessel struck, according TO the army
officer He was In his berth when
the vessel dashed into the submerged
portion of the berg and was aroused
by the jar He looked at his watch
he said, and found II was Just mid.
night. The ship sank with him. NJ
2.22 a. m, for his watch stopped al
that hour.
Before | retired said Col Oracle