The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-31

her route to New York, blowing a fog
whistle every minute by an automatic
time clock. She passed two vessels stop
ping In each case when she heard their
signals
when about halfway between Cane
Charles lightship and the winter quarter
lightship she heard the fog whistle of
the Nantucket off her starboard bow
She stopped and blew two whistles, which
were responded to by the Nantucket. She
again blew two whistles, which were not
responded to. and Immediately thereafter
the crash came
THE Nantucket was not visible except
Immediately before the collision the fog
being heavy near the water, but light
above
THE Nantucket penetrated the Mon
roe something like one-third of her width
making the sinking of the Monroe in
evitable.
Captain johnson, who had been in the
pilot house for several hours Immediate
| ly gave notice to the steward to awaken
all the passengers, though the passengers
were at that time rushing out of their
staterooms. They were told to come TO
| the boat deck. The dynamo gave out
| in a few minutes, and the vessel was
encompassed In darkness until Engineer
Oscar Perkins rushed below and started
the second dynamo, which ran for two
or three minues The Monroe Immediate
| ly listed to the starboard. and in three
| or four minutes the starboard side of
the Monroe was awash, and the port
side was high In the air
Boats Swamped
I'm the collision boat No. /, on the
starboard side, was crushed: boat No
| 3. on the starboard side, fell In the water
and was swamped boat No. was got
| ten off under the supervision of Captain
T.II.~ -
| under the supervision of First OFFICER
Horsley. 1t was impossible to use boats
| 2, 4, and 8, as they were on the port
| side. and could not be put out on ac-
count of the list Of the vessel to star
board.
THE life RATS on the forward deck
of the vessel foated as the boat sank
and were instrumental In saving many
| lives
Captain Johnson ordered that women
and children should come first and the
order was repeated by the other officers
and strictly obeyed. There was no panic
at any time, nor was there any failure
to take anybody on board the lifeboats
who could be found.
THE passengers speak in the highest
terms of the gallantry of the officers
| and crew. and many of them praise the
GOODNESS of the negroes and the male and
female negro employees of the Old Do
| minion who did everything In their power
| to aid the passengers in the adjustment
Of the life preservers.
There are many tales of heroism. Wire
less Operator Kuehn, after obeying the
instructions of Captain Johnson in sending
the IS. o. s. signal. took off his life
preserver and handed it to one of the
ladies' on board. and himself was lost;
T. r. Harrington of Bridgeport. Conn.
jumped overheard with his wife, they
We're picked up by Captain Johnson's
boat but Mrs. Harrington succumbed to
the excitement and exposure. and died
when she reached the Nantucket. Cap
tain johnson, as soon as he was able
to put the occupants of boat No. 5 on
board the Nantucket, returned to the
place where the Monroe had sunk, and
with the aid of the searchlight of the
Nantucket and the lights burning on the
lifeboats. searched long time for any
possible survivors.'