The Washington herald., 1914-01-31

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on her side, throwing up the uninjuret
side, but submerging cabins and saloons
chorus of shrieks and groans rent the
air. Dozens OF the passengers were hurled
Into the water. where later some of then
were picked up and carried to safety. Bui
the unfortunates left on the sinking boat
crawling like rats. made their way t.
the superstructure through port holes
windows, companion ways, until they
rested, just out of reach of the on-creep-
ing waters. On the upper side of the half
capsized vessel.
And then this slippery security was
snatched from them. With rumbline
sound. indicating bursting boilers below,
the vessel quivered and shook. and then
plunged beneath the waves. leaving her
human freight afoat on the icy bosom
Of the sea
Passenger All Asleep.
When the crash came practically all
the passengers on the Monroe were
asleep. The force of the impact threw
them out of their berths. Frightened by
the shock they rushed to the deck in
their night clothes only to find that their
ship was filling and sinking rapidly.
Many of the passengers and crew in
stantly threw themselves into the sea
seeing that there would not be time to
lower the lifeboats, and most of these
were saved. -.-
But there were many passengers and
seamen who went down with the ship
before ever reaching the decN. capt
Johnson and all Of the officers OF the ship
except J. E. Gately, We're saved. The
of1cers were picked up out of the sea by
small boats from the Nantucket. All the
passengers who were saved were rescued
In that manner. Wireless CALLS for aid
went out from the Monroe Immediately
after the crash and were caught as far
away as Boston, but there were no other
ships close enough to reach the scene in
time to render aid. But noble work was
Nantucket. Thou0h the Nantucket was
badly damaged her lifeboats were
manned quickly and put overheard. and
the work of rescue began.
SearchIights Aid Little.
Searchlights of the Nantucket were
played on the waters. but they were of
little avail in aiding the rescuers because
Of the heavy fog that hung over the sea.
Though lost in the mist almost imme-
diately after their boats left the side OF
the ship the sailors of the Nantucket
went about their work undaunted and one
by one they picked up passengers and
sailors and officers until at last no more
persons were to be found and no further
s.
When 1t was certain that all chat, re-
manned alive had been saved, the Nam
tuckets crew proceeded to make tenn
porary repairs to the bow OF their boat
ny means of sheets of canvas. and later
me steamer, her flag at half mast started
IN her journey to Hampton Roads She |
was met later by the Old Dominion liner |
Hamilton, which had answered wireless
calls for aid and also by the revenue |
Nnr nr,-aN ,s9arv
Merritt, but no assistance was needed
Had Ne Chance for Lives.
The lost had not a chance for their
ives. In the heavy fog that Law like a |
blanket over the sea the Monroe was
picking her way northward. She had left
Norfolk at 80 O'Clock last night and
At the time of the crash there were on
teck only those whose duty kept them
at their stations. The passengers were
asleep in their staterooms. except for |
those kept awake by the siren Bound \
Tor Norfolk from Boston the Nantucket |
presented a similar condition On her
decks there were only those whose duty
kept them on watch. On her bridge was
capt Berry; on the bridge of the Monroe
was Capt johnson. Thus with the dense
FOG shutting them in the two steamers
had drawn together during the night
until the crash. The shock of the col
hsion galvanized into instant activity
the two ships. Their sleeping passengers
and crews rushed to the deck. cropping
their way through the wall of fog that
brought panic and despair to men and
women The Monroe was sinking like a
shot Ten minutes from the crash the
Monroe had disappeared beneath the
waves. There had not been time to
launch more than one lifeboat, not time
enough even to bring a semblance of
order, although the captain and his off,
rers had kept cool heads and had started
their weIl-ordered routine for lowering
the boats.
On board the Nantucket no time was
lost II, the work of rescue. The Mer-
Shants and Miners boat staggered like a
living thing from the gaping hole in her
bow. Uncertain as to the fate of his own
ship, Capt. Berry ordered out his life
boats, manned by men undaunted in the