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


service in the construction of the canal
The sale was authorized in September
1911, after the company had made the
highest bid which was based. the COM
mission says, on scrap shown the COM
pany's representatives, Officials of the
commission declare IL was intended to
sell all the abandoned French material
not actually in use at the time the sale
was made.
Colonel Goethals today said he expected
the courts probably would be called on
to settle the controversy because the con-
! tract was loosely worded and ambiguous.
posure proved a grave trial to many of
4 those saved.
Wireless messages report a number
1 in serious condition.
The Monroe is the only steamer ever
lost by the Old Dominion line in half
a century 1t has been in operation.
/ The steamer was valued at approxj-
mately 100000, and her cargo as much
more. making the total loss exclusive
of lives, about sl,00o.000.
| Mrs. t. ]. Wood. the only Norfolk
passenger on board the Monroe, left
on the Inflated vessel for New York
to reach the bedside her dying hus-
band.
Was Very Foggy
Norfolk, Va, January 30-Mr. e. p.
| Lyons whose name did not appear
among those that were saved by wire
less this forenoon. was not drowned.
| Lyons was among the first of the
white passengers to come off the Nam
tucket after she had tied up at her
dock. Clad only in pajamas and a bath
robe, he gave a graphic description of
the accident and the events featur-
in git.
ut was about 1870 o'clock" said
Lyons, "and very foggy. l had un-
| dressed but not gone to bed. The fog
horn was blowing every minute. Sud
denly 1t blew twice and repeated the
double blast. Then, like lightning put
| ting on the airbrakes. the Monroe
stopped and l knew something was the
matter. fastening ON deck l saw some
| BODY getting ready to put a lifeboat
over. | asked him IL there was any
| danger. He replied that he did not
know. but wanted to be ready. Almost
before the words left his mouth the
| Nantucket struck us near the bow on
the port side. | ran down stairs and
tried to dress but the shin was list
| ing so that | could not stand up, so
hurried back on deck There were
very few passengers on deck One boat
was overheard.
/ AS" he continued, at puched away
! Captain johnson told me to jump in
as there was room for one more. I had
| Jumped to get in and found that Cap
tam johnson was still standing on the
| ships deck. l remained in the boat
ihe Monroe went down easily and
was below the water within 10 min
utes after the collision.
Crew Behaves Splendidly
Ihe crew behaved splendidly as a
whole as far as l could see." he con-
uhued. There We're not many women
on the snip but they were allowed to
get into the boats first. There was an
effort on the part of the men to oust
them. While we weer in the lifeboat
we picked up a man and woman He
vas holding her by the hair in. his
teeth and was almost exhausted when
we pulled him in.
The woman died There were manv
people who must have been caught in
their stateroom chambers. The collision
occurred so suddenly and the boat sank
so quickly that it was a wonder many
more We're not drowned
The listing of the steamer made IL
Impossible to lower the lifeboats on
one side of the ship and that added
to the difficulty in saving lives.
The Nantucket stood by us and those
OF us who could climbed on her rome
ladder with little conversation. Those
who were not able to follow our lead
We're lifted by hooks placed under their
arms.
We then proceeded to Norfolk and
did not see the Hamilton until about
6 o'clock this morning"
only two or three boats wera
launched from the Monroe. OneN pas-
senger said but one boat was success
Iuliy launched. Every available lifeboat
from the Nantucket was sent to the
rescue.
Captain Depressed
|
ed the Monroe. came from tho Nan
tucket much depressed. He said he felt
In no condition to talk about the dis
aster at this time but would make a
statement in connection with his Of
ficial report to the officers of his com
pany.
Il have been up 70 rtwo days and n
night said Captain Johnson ..and vou
can well understand how l hardly feel
| IKE talking about this matter right now
X. q. Etheridge, wireless operator on
the Monore, walked from the gangplank
OF the Nantucket into the arms of his
beautiful young wife, who stood in tears
awaiting him.
You did not think I would come back
but I am here, my DEAR" said Etheridge
as he clasped his wife tightly in his
arms.
Il am so glad so glad" was all the
| wife could declare.
II am glad to be here" said Etheridpe
"but poor Kuehn is gone"
When asked as to the identity of
Kuehn, young Etheridge said he was r.
j. Kuehn of New York another wireless
operator on the Monroe.
w. Albert Snyder of East Orange. N
j., was one of the Monroes injured pas
sengers, who had to be sent to the hos
pita1 Snyder was too exhausted to talk
1t was said he was suffering from expos
ure, chiefly.
|
w. c. Clausen of Milwaukee said the
| first he knew Of the accident was when
water washed on him in his cabin He
had barely had time enough to get ont
and adjust a life preserver.
Ralph Flanagan of No. so Hull street
Brooklyn, said he was In the water for
three-quarters of an hour before rescued.
James O'Connell of Washington, ID. G..
vice president of the American Fedora
tion of Labor, was in his pajamas and
bath robe when he came Off the steamer
and was driven to a hotel
ut was very foggy." said Mr.. OCon,
mel to the Associated Press correspond
ent. 1T did not take more than about
10 minutes for the Monroe to sink after
the Nantucket struck her. There was
very little If any confusion. The crew
and passengers behaved we'll the men
allowing the few women and children to
get into the life boats first"
Life Boats Launched
Three life boats instead of one were
launched by the Monroe according to
A. C. Brown of Brooklyn. He said.
"The crew of the Monroe got out three
lfeboats from one side Of the ship 1t