The Hattiesburg news., 1914-01-31
SURVIVORS PRAISE OFFICERS
and CREWS BOTH VESSELS
Those Aboard lll-Fated Liner Were
Safely In Bed and Asleep When
Crash Came-Story Of Awful and
Sudden Death Told by the Rescued.
(Bp Associated Press.)

NOr1OlK, va, JAM 5l.-WlIn tne ldldi
tragic summary written, showing Al
lost and SO saved in yesterdays dis
aster when the steamer Nantucket
rammed and sank the liner Monroe,
interest here centered in ascertaining
the cause of the accident. The federal
inspection bureau will bend every ef-
fort to find out every detail Sur
vivors are loud in their praise for the
discipline and bravery of officers and
vcrews of both ships.
Federal steamboat inspectors COM
pleted an investigation of the disaster
but the report will not be made pub
lie until next week.
The testimony of officers and crews
of both ships, taken aboard the Nan
tuckett when proceeding to this port
is being kept secret. 1t was learned,
however, that it was testified that the
Monroe was standing still when
struck. The captain had ordered the
engines stopped when he entered the
dense fog bank. The Nantucket had
answered two of the Monroes whistle
blasts just before the collision.
The story of how forty-one souls
went down to death in the chill waters
of the Atlantic when the liner Nan
tucket rammed and sank the steamer
Monroe early Friday, was brought to
port last night by ninety nine survivors
of the sunken ships passengers and
crew, rescued and brought to shore
by the Nantucket. 9
1t was story of awful and sudden
death. sweeping out of the dark and
fog, and taking unawares the doomed
two score with the heaviness of sleep
still upon them. 1t told how the strick-
en- Monroe, with her side gored deep
by the knife-lke steel PROV of the
Nantucket, fill-d rapidly rolled over
ON her side, and in few minutes turn
ed completely over and plunged to
the bottom, carrying with her the ill
fated passengers and members of the
crew who had failed to get clear of the
wreck.
Last night the revised lists prepared
by Capt. johnson, who survived the
'sunken vessel, showed:
Lost-Passengers, 10; crew, %;
total, Al.
Saved-Passengers, 80; crew, 60;
total, 80.
Under the thick bank of fog that hid
the heavily running sea both big ships
were making their way slowly and
with difficulty in the early morning.
The Monroe, with Capt. johnson on
the bridge and double lookout peer
ing into the fog ahead, was edging un-
der half speed to the northward, hav-
ing left Norfolk for New York with a
nerve-racking fog-found voyage in pros
pect.
The Nantucket, heavily laden with
freight and with two passengers
aboard, was nosing her way southward,
DOuuu lTOIu bOSIOu W INOIlOih. Ol6-
ed through the dripping fog, the two
vessels slowly were drawn toward
each other.
The crash came about 1:40 o'clock
without warning. Out Of the gray
black fog that shut out even the waves
from view, the CLEAN Of the Nan
tucket's searchlight scarcely touched
the dripping side Of the Monroe be-
fore the high steel PROV of the south
ward bound vessel cut into her side
with ripping and crashing Of plates
that threw the stricken ship back
Shouts Order For Life Boats.
The Nantucket, with her bow crush
ed in, backed out Of sight into the fog
as Capt. Johnson, seeing that his yes
L sci was stricken fatally, shouted ar
order for the life boats.
When the crash came those aboart
the Monroe were safely in bed ant
asleep. Only Capt. Johnson and th'
watch on deck were up and about. Blu
Continued on Page Five)