The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-04-15
TITANIC SANK
 SEVEN YEARS
 AGO YESTERDAY

The greatest maritime disaster of recent times occurred seven years ago yesterday. when the steamship Ti- tanic of the White Star Line, on her maiden trip to New York from South hampton, crashed into an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank, with a loss of 832 passengers and 685 of the crew, a total of 1,517.
 The latter figures exceed that of the Lusitania tragedy on May 2, 1915 when the great Cunard liner was tor pedoed and sunk by a German sub marine with a loss of 1900 lives, and the Eastland disaster on July 24. 1915, when the steamer turned turtts at her pier in Chicago and caused l. 071 fatalities.
 The Titanic was the largest vessel in the world at the time of the disas- ter. She was launched on May 31, 1911, for transatlantic service. She was 852 feet long, 92 feet in beam and of 52,310 gross tonnage. Her cost was $7,500,OO0.
 The Titanic left Southampton on April 10 under command of Capt E. J. Smith, an experienced officer She left Queenstown on Thursday night and proceeded without adventure un- til Sunday night
 At 11:40 P. M, after the passen- gers had retired, the vessel struck an iceberg, causing an almost impercep- tible jar. The engines were reversed but the ship had been pierced by Jagged ice pc-lts below the water line.
 Holds Flooded.
 The nJataS had r{r giving the water r-om to enter and flood the holds. Orders to uncover the Iifeboats were given at 12:05 and a few minutes afterward they were swung out. The position of the ship was wirelessed, together with a call | for assistance.
 At 12:30 a. m. the passengers were l assembled on the decks and prepared 1 for the lifeboats. Women and chil- l dren were first, of course, and in less 1 than two hours sixteen Iifeboats and l two collapsible boats were launched 1 Two other colIapsible boats sank jus 1 before the great ship plunged to tht 1 bottom, bow first, then ih a vertica position with propelIers out of water It was just 2:20 a. m. when the yes, sel disappeared from sight. Capt. Smith and all the engineer
 ing staff perished at their posts. 4 few of the officers were saved bJ i Clinging to the wreckage.
 The steamship Carpathia, bound l from New York to Genoa, picked uE ] the distress call of the Titanic anc went to the aid of the survivors. She was ffty-six miles away when she received the first call, but steanling l at fourteen knots and hour, under tht direction of Capt. Arthur H. Rostron who later increased the speed to seV- ] onteen knots, the ,Carpathia soon ar rived on the scene and picked up the l TitaGic's boats.
 Among the Lost. l Well known persons who lost their 1 lives were: William T. Stead, MT. and 1 Mrs. IsiGor Straus, John Jacob Astor 1 Major Archibald Butt Benjamin l Guggenhein, Frank D. Miller, George i D. Widener, Jacques F'utrelle. Charles | NJ Hays, William c. Dulles, Henry B l Harris, John P. Thayer, Arthur Ky erson, James Clinch Smith. Clarence Moore, Harry Widener and Frederic l Sutton.
 | Those rescued included J. Bruce l Isnay, head of the White Star Com | pany, Sir .Cosmo and Lady Duf-Gor' don, Dr. and Mrs. Washington Dodge Mrs John Jacob Astor, Mrs. Widener l Mrs. Thayer and the Countess Rothes