Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-08-26

important documents. had Just re-
turned when | saw q white streak
rushing toward the Arabic, churnins
mp foam at great rate. Then there
was q tremendous explosion. The
ship stopped almost instantly. She
rocked from side to side and began to
keel over. Most of the passengers
| were In the boats In an instant, and
there was not the slightest panic
! 4 barely had time to make the last
| lifeboat. We were launched success.
| fully, but hadn't got clear when
| the Arabic rolled over and went down
She was half turned on her side, and
her starboard quarter struck our boat,
caving In the side and throwing us
into the water
ciings to a Raft.
Il thought II was all over, but I
finally came UP and swan to q raft.
don't know what happened to the
others. While ! was clinging to the
raft I saw another lifeboat about to
sink. They called to me and threw me
a hawser. tied II around the raft
and hung partly to the hawser and to
the raft until I was picked mp ex.
hausted.
Il counted ten lifeboats pulling
away. One OF them flied with water
just after II cleared the Arabic's side
and sank. A woman, who later
learned was the sister of the Arabic's
surgeon, was thrown into the water.
One OF the Arabic's sailors swan to
her and the captain of French ship
that came to our rescue dived of the
deck OF his vessel and helped get
her into boat. II was fine piece
OF work"
Women Cool In Danger.
Stella Carroll. a professional sing
er, who was among the survivors, said
there was no panic. The women, she
said, were particularly cool; but sew
eral OF them, very scantily clad. SUI.
fered from the cold wind after they
got into the boats.
There were four women and 90
men In our boat said Miss Carroll.
I'VE got away safely. and We saw the
captain dive of the bridge as the ship
settled under him. II seemed that
our boat drifted long while before
We were picked up. When the wom-
en- became greatly distressed sang
It's Long Way to Tipperary' to
cheer them up"
b. Curry, the assistant purser. and
several other officers and passengers
who were on deck when the Arabic |
was hit corroborated the story told |
by Captain Finch.
I was on the bridge at 9:15 Thurs
day morning. watching the Dunsley,
which appeared to have been torpe-
doed, when saw the white wake OF a
torpedo 800 yards away" said the
Il saw no submarine. The |
torpedo struck about ninety feet from
the stern on the starboard side at
about right angles.
Ilfeboat spIintcred.
"A big stream OF water spouted up |
to great height, carrying lot OF
wreckage and splintering one Of the
The vessel began to settle
almost Immediately.
The greatest order prevailed. The
boats had previously been swung out
because we knew submarine was In |
he vicinity. and II of them were filled
and lowered In no time. Two of the
boats capsized for some unaccount-
able reason. and had 1t not been for
his there would have been scarcely
my loss OF life.
Il remained on the bridge until the
water was tapping at my feet, and
hen dove of. When came up my
head struck some wreckage and was
slightly injured. swan to nearby
aft, but was unable to draw myself
Up on II, Two women with baby /
we're clinging to one side. l helped
hem to Chamber on the raft. and then
hung on until all OF us were rescued