The Washington times., 1914-01-31
SEARCH FOR BODIES
AS INQUIRY BEGINS
Divers at Work Over Wreck of
the Monroe, and Federal In
SpectorS Quiz Crew.
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page.)
through the twin capes at the mouth
Of Hampton Roads.
Lessons Of Shipwreck.
Another lesson of the shipwreck being
discussed on every street corner and in
every shop here today is the ineffective.
ness of the fog signals.
Searchlights, and bells, and sirens
proved unavailing.
The wireless worked we'll in sending
out appeals for aid. The question is
now put forth whether it could not
have been employed before the crash
in giving notice of the progress of the
vessels and their approximate courses.
II has been proven that the Monroe
had liftboats enough for all, but she
went down before all OF them could
be put into use.
Another question that is sure to be
aired at the inquiry relates to the bulk
heads of the sunken ship. The tremen-
dous impact of the Nantucket may have
twisted the hull so the communicating
doors could not be closed. But men
along the shipping front today are ask
ing why the bulkhead doors should have
been open on such a night
on the Virginia Capes such collisions
as that between the Monroe and the
Nantucket are of such rare occurrence
that it is doubted by some of the steam
boat inspection officials here whether
even in densest fogs captains are in the
habit of proceeding slowly and eau
tiously.
Divers at Work.
This phase of the disaster will be fully
determined, judging from messages sent
10 this city today by Secretary of Com
merce Redfeld.
Officials of the Old Dominion Line
here already have started divers to the
scene of the wreck. It is expected they
will begin search tomorrow for the
brdies of those who perished when
water came roaring into the passage
ways, crashing, in cabin doors, and
drowning them before they could
emerge from their berths.
Tonight a red light buoy will marS the
spot where the Monroe sank. The
United States Revenue Cutter Service
ordered this precaution today.
Alleges ErTor of Judgment.
Col John W. oast, supervising in
spector of the Norfolk district, and In
spectors Robert z. Tapley, and Edward
W. Bray, are expected to be put in
charge of the investigation. In the
meantime the officers and crew of each
vessel are being held as witnesses.
Officials of the Old Dominion line
are blaming Captain Berry for at least
one error of judgment. His action in
signaling full speed astern Immediately
following the crash, to pull the Nan
tucket's bow out of the rent in the side
of the Monroe let the water pour into
her yitals, ii is asserted.
There are those who say that had he
simply reduced speed and kept the
vessels locked every one on the Monroe
could have clambered onto the Nan
tucket before the Old Dominion liner
went to the bottom
Rumors are current here today that
the investigation will reveal that the
Monroe was top heavy 1t is declared
that after she was launched it was
found necessary to place several tons
of cement in her hull for ballast in order
that she might set deeper in the water.
The Monroe also had high freeboard.
Discipline Never Relaxed.
To counteract these charges the Old
Dominion officials say that the Federal
inspectors examined the Monroe only
three months ago and passed her with
a perfect record.
Despite the fact that so many were
lost, passengers today refused to blame
either Captain johnson or his men.
They said that they did everything pos
sible, but that the time between the
crash and the disappearance of the Mon
roe below the surface of the ocean was
so short that il was impossible to do
more than was done.
Discipline. the rescued passengers as
serted, was never relaxed. Officers and |
crew made their way to their regular |
boats, but the vessel listed so rapidly |
that all on one side were useless from |
the very start.
4 revised toll of the missing today |
showed that the grim total claimed by |
the Atlantic was forty-one. of these |
nine were passengers and twenty-five |
memb. ers of the crew.
Two More May Die.
Most of the survivors were so far
recovered from their terrible exper-
fences today that they were planning to |
start for home.
A few are still in the hospital. Two !
are in a very serious condition. They |
are Mrs T. J. Woods, Of Norfolk, who !
was en- route TO New York to care for .
her husbands body. he having died the
night before, and Miss HilNa Thacker,
an actress. They are under the care
% physicians in the general hospital
and fears are entertained that they Will
not recover.
Denies Unseaworthiness.
E. E. Taylor, assistant general man
ger Of the Old Dominion line emphatic
ally denied that the Monroe was in the
least degree unseawOrthj.
The vessel was one OF the most ca
Fable on the Atlantic coast he said.
She was altered six months after
to correst small details OF
most about her cuDcr-
structure There was a little TOO mncu
" the pilot house. She did not hav.
10 carry pig iron to ballast 1cT. She
did have cement IN her hole. just as
nCAI MEh it.J\