Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-30

such triyials. Escape was the com
polling idea.
The survivors in the first lifeboat o
reach the Nantucket were too OK
cited and fear-struck to give a CO.
herent story
Their tale was brief and tragic
we were awakened by the era 81.
they said Many were thrown from
their beds The ship began to sink
at once Everyone ran upon the dea%
The officers told US 10 keep cool. They
said that another ship had struck us.
bot that We would be saved. Then
came a nightmare Of noise and ic-
ton. We we're thrown into litebodts
and brought away"
Senseless From Flying Debris.
Some Of the passengers were badly
injured by flying debris. Sailors
picked up senselcss men and women
and carried them or deck. where he
rescue work was going on In the hieN-
ering glow Of lanterns.
There were number Of children
on the Monroe. Separated from their
mothers and fathers, the little ones
were paralyzed with fright. They
were herded to the boats by the sea-
men, who were under orders 10 see
that women and children got away
first
Captain johnson was among the
last to leave his ship. When the
Monroe had settled until the water
was washing her decks, he called TO
the remaining Seamen on board:
Every man for himself now, boys
That was the final signal With
their captain, the sailors leaped, tax
ing chances on keeping themselves
aAoat with wreckage until picked ~.
All the while the scene Of terror
was being enacted on the Nantucket
although in lesser degree. The pas
sengers on the Merchants and Miners
ship aroused from sleep by the ter
rife crash and hurled from their
berths by the rebound OF the vessel,
ran to the decks. clamoring for life
preseryers,
Panic on Nantucket, Too.
Fighting their way TO the boat
deck. where sailors we're already
working at he davt ropes, they
pleaded for places.
mo danger keen cool was the
word circulated by the officers.
At the rail Of the Nantucket the
passengers could see the Monroe with
her hull tossing in the water few
yards away The cries Of fright com
ing from the sinking ship intensified
the fears of the passengers on the
Nantucket at first, but after time
the perseverance Of the officers on
the latter ship had its reward The
fright began to die out and many OF
tch shvering passengers retired TO
their staterooms for warm clothing
For fear that some other liner might
run down the already crippled ships
in the gloom, the captain OF the Nan
tucket ordered her siren TO he kept
in action and the incessant clamor
from the big horn echoed above the
cries and commands
Two Ships Answer Call.
All along the Virginia Coast the
wireless operators who had heard the
distress calls from the Nantucket,
were pounding out he international
IS o. s." signals The steamship
Virginia was in the vicinity cropping
her way through the soupy sea and
turned her PROV toward the disaster.
Her master sent reassuring messages
to the Nantucket When the Onon-
daCa picked up the call she started
at once pushing her way through the
murk at a pace which would have
been considered dangerous II the sal
walton of human lives had not been
her goal.
When the Onondaga arrived she It
once took command of the situation.
on account OF the perilous condition
Of the Nantucket it was considered
eNpedeut to get her into port at once,
so the Orou laga took her in tow and
started for Norfolk. As she did so
message was flashed to shore
saving that so of the persons on the
Monroe had been saved.
Comparatively New Vessel.
The Monroe was one Of the newer
ships Of the Old Dominion Line She
was built at Newport News in 1908.
and was equipped with all the modern
life safegua riding appliances.
she was 344 feet long and 46 feet in
he beam. ami her tonnage was 1900.
She was driven by a single screw.
After her construction the Monroe
VAS put in the Coastwise trade ply
ng between New York and Norfolk.
having accommodations for about 125
passengers.
shortly after she was put in COM
mission she was in .trouble off the
New Jersey coast striking a sub
merged wreck She had to be towed
10 port. but her damage ives found to
be slight and after short spell in
dry dock was again able to resume
her regular trips
Captain Johnson, master OF the
Monroe, was considered one of the
ablest and most cautious shippers in
the Old Domirion service.