Pocahontas star herald., 1915-05-14


ominous cry from the deck. There's
= torpedo coming straight at us."
From the point where the SUMMARIES
Pank n great white streak-the trach
OF the torpedo, was traced II war
aimed sllghtly ahead OF the LusitSnia.
but as the liner plunged forward R
side. Suddenly a cry arose from soaf-
tered points Of vantage on the star.
board side. There's a submarine"
About a thousand yards OF the star.
board bow passengers saw treakiny
tho sun gllnted surface the sleef hun
ot n dreaded underwater craft q
rested Tor tut a moment o. The suf-
face. 'hon ~ quickly slln ,rned
The liner plunged forward under Ghsl
thrill Of The new impetus The whole
OF the ships company seemed ts
feel the thrill OF the now movement
Passengers on deck nooked 20 the
great speed, the track seemed to vecr
more and more toward a point amid
ships until Il struck fair between the
flrst and second tunnels.
There was a great tearing OF metal
followed by a terrific explosion in the
stoke hole The ship trembled from
stem 10 stern, The planks seemed "a
rise under foot Then the liner SIT
tied as II sorely wounded. A greas
column Of steam and water rose anGl
coal and weed splinters were huried
hieh and fell in an avalanche ON ths
upper deck
The liner appeared TO falter. then
steadied as the helm was swung over
and her course was directed for land.
Missile Tears Through Bow.
But before she could answer TO her
helm a second torpedo pierced hec
bow. About four minutes interveneo
between the two. Some passengers
state that not only a second. but q
third torpedo struck the ship II Is
generally believed. however. tnaf TIM
explosion Of the second torpedo wRs
mistaken for the impact OF a third.
II was while the ship vas making
q knots with heavy list to star
board that the order was given. TN
mediately after the second missile
struck, 10 lower the boats.
Among the saloon passengers reIa-
tive calm prevailed II was the gen
orally accepted idea that the Luz
tania would float Cool heads ooun-
seled calm and the more timorour
were quietd. Many OF the first cabln
passengers went about their depart
ures leisurely. some even remaining NJ
the table until luncheon was con
cluded.
Below the scene enacted was wide
ly different Women, many Of them
with babies in their arms. became
panicstricken. onicers and passen.
gers did their best 10 calm them.
Fumes arising from the explosion
permeated the ship and many fell un-
conscious 10 the deck. Meanwhile
the crew struggled valiantly 70 lower
the boats. But due to the high spees
OF the vessel and the heavy list the
boats fouled the davits or could nor
be swung out TO clear the side.
maelstrom Sucks In Lives.
a swirling maelstrom stucked m
hundreds upon hundreds of lives. A
great hole seemed TO open I'D whorr
the Iusitania had been and into n
poured those, who 20 minutes before
had been chatting gaily on the deck
OF the greatest ship on the Atlantic.
From the shore, seen throuFt
glasses In the hands OF one of the
coast guards, there appeared 10 rise
curtain OF vapor and smoke which
hung low, obscuring the scene. When
the veil lifted the ship was gone. From
what survivors say, II Is safe TO as
sumo that nearly every one IN the wa
ter within a radius OF 100 yards OF
the ship when II sank was caught IN
the underdrag.
Many OF the boats which we're over
turned had been righted with greaf
difficulty. To others still bottom IN
swimmers clung helplessly. MANY
clung TO wreckage Boats cruisac
about, picking up the survivors. Ths
first Of the rescue boats 10 arrive
was a trawier. Quickly the first boats
were emptied and then showed off with
oarsmen TO pick up further survivor
When the last Of the survivors war
taken aboard the ships sped for land
most OF them TO Queenstown.
First aid was administered aboard
bet many were beyond help and died
on the way in.
Finally upwards OF 20 boats were
put into the water Several w.rsi
swamped, others were capsized in the
swell from the ship. Life belts haa
been distributed among the passen-
gers, but many passengers did not
wait to equip themselves with the
preservers. Some Jumped over the
side and were drowned, others leaned
with life belts on and swan TO over
turned boats, there to await the com
ing Of other swimmers to right the
craft
Slowly the Lusitania filled forward
and her bow dipped deeper into the
water.
Finally the big liner slowed down