Smyrna times., 1962-04-26
From Our Files of so Years Ago
Smyrna Couple Surviue
Sinking of Titanic

boat was not near full when all
the latter we're accommodated,
and the third officer ordered
''men In" That is how l hap
pened to leave the wreck 50 ear
ly. The fact ofthe matter is both
myself and the other men who
were In the boat were rather
angry at being forced to remain
out In the cold In an open boat
for a few hours. as We thought.
and then have to be hauled
aboard the liner again. / can
frankly say that had it not been
for the insistence of my wife |
should have remained on ths
shap. behsvsang 1t rhe safest
place. II was approximately
nutw
thirty minutes after the first
crash when the ttnrd boat went
over the side. and the danger
soon became apparent. The
portfolios along the vessels
side were Just even with the
water. and We could see how she
was listing. From that moment
the horror of the Titanic's fate
gripped US. We realized that
she was sinking. AS We pulled
away from the ship we could
occasionally hear a bulkhead
give way with a noise like a
slight explosion. The night was
pitch dark. although the sea was
as smooth as velvet. From our
boat the Titanic was a beautiful
sight a blaze of light from bow
to stern--yet we could not help
realizing how rapidly the icy sea
was claiming her for its own.
Three of an hour
later the lights went out and
the vessels doom was sealed.
Everyone realized it. While We
could see only the dim outline
of the hulk in tbs darkness. we
could see it settling. Suddenly
it lunged forward, settled back,
and a tremendous explosion oc-
Cured. The ship broke directly
in the middle, the bow sinking
almost instantly, the stern set
tling quietly beneath the waves
with scarcely ripple. The
cries of pain and despair Of
the victims, as they struck the
water after the stern sunk will
hnger in my memory forever.
The sound def1es description as
the unfortunate men and women
struggled in the ice-cold water.
1t continued for what seemed an
interminable length of time, and
then came a ghostly quiet. We
we're left alone--a handful at
the mercy of the wintry ocean.
There was no demonstration
among the women in our boat
as the liner disappeared from
sight. They were remarkably
calm and collected, assisting
each other in everyway, un-
complaining. Every eye was
gazing over the vast expanse
OF ocean In hope that some
thing might be sighted. The
treatment afforded us aboard
the rescue ship was most grac-
ious. officers, crew and pass
engers alike. doing everything
in their power to make us COM
brtable and lift the burden of
our sorrow. A number of the
men passengers on the Cunard
liner gave up their state rooms
and berths to the women from
the Titanic. Clothing was furn-
ished and the kitchens kept
running day and night to provide
food for the sufferers" Mr..
Taylor, who is a mechanical
engineer. estimates the speed
at which the Titanic was travel
ing when it struck the berg at
22.75 Knots per hour. He said:
Saturday We travelled SAG knots
in twenty-four hours and atthat
speed the giant engines of the
ships were making seventy five
revolutions per minute. Just
before dropping off to sleep
Sunday night, l took out my
watch and timed the revolu-
tons. They were identical with
the day before"