The children who accompanied them were Miss Susan P. Ryerson, Miss Emily B. Ryerson and John Ryerson. The latter is 12 years old.
They did not know their son intended to spend the Easter holidays at their home at Haverford, Pa. until they were informed of his death. John Lewis Hoffman, also of Haverford and a student of Yale, was killed with young Ryerson.
The two were hurrying to Philadelphia to escort a fellow student to his train. In turning out of the road to pass a cart the motor car crashed into a pole in front of the entrance to the estate of Mrs. B. Frank Clyde. The college men were picked up unconscious and died in the Bryn Mawr Hospital.
G. Heide Norris of Philadelphia, who went to New York to meet the surviving members of the Ryerson family, told of a happy incident at the last moment as the Carpathia swungclose to the pier. There had been no positive information that young “Jack” Ryerson was among those saved— indeed, it was feared that he had gone down with the Titanic, like his father, Arthur Ryerson.
Mr. Norris spoke of the feeling of relief that came over him as, watching from the pier, he saw “Jack” Ryerson come from a cabin and stand at the railing. The name of the boy was missing from some of the lists and for two days it was reported that he had perished.
CAPTAIN ROSTRON’S REPORT
Less than 24 hours after the Cunard Line steamship Carpathia came in as a rescue ship with survivors of the Titanic disaster, she sailed again for the Mediterranean cruise which she originally started upon last week. Just before the line sailed, H.S. Bride, the second Marconi wireless operator of the Titanic, who had both of his legs crushed on a life-boat, was carried off on the shoulders of the ship’s officers to St. Vincent’s Hospital.
Captain A. H. Rostron, of the Carpathia, addressed an official report, giving his account of the Carpathia’s rescue work, to the general manager of the Cunard Line, Liverpool. The report read: “I beg to report that at 12.35 A.M. Monday 18th I was informed of urgent message from Titanic with her position. I immediately ordered ship turned around and put her in course for that position, we being then 58 miles S.52—E. ‘T’ from her; had heads of all departments called and issued what I considered the necessary orders, to be in preparation for any emergency.
“At 2.40 A.M. saw flare half a point on port bow. Taking this for granted to be ship, shortly after we sighted our first iceberg. I had previously had lookouts doubled, knowing that Titanic had struck ice, and so took every care and precaution. We soon found ourselves in a field of bergs, and had to alter course several times to clear bergs; weather fine, and clear, light air on sea, beautifully clear night, though dark.
“We stopped at 4 A.M., thus doing distance in three hours and a half, picking up the first boat at 4.10 A.M.; boat in charge of officer, and he reported that Titanic had foundered. At 8.30 A.M. last boat picked up. All survivors aboard and all boats accounted for, viz., fifteen life-boats, one boat abandoned, two Berthon boats alongside (saw one floating upwards among wreckage), and according to second officer (senior officer saved) one Berthon boat had not been launched, it having got jammed, making sixteen life-boats and four Berthon boats accounted for. By the time we had cleared first boat it was breaking day, and I could see all within area of four miles. We also saw that we were surrounded by icebergs, large and small, huge field of drift ice with large and small bergs in it, the ice field trending from N.W. round W. and S. to S.E., as far as we could see either way.
“At 8 A.M. the Leyland S.S. California came up. I gave him the principal news and asked him to search and I would proceed to New York; at 8.50 proceeded full speed while researching over vicinity of disaster, and while we were getting people aboard I gave orders to get spare hands along and swing in all our boats, disconnect the fall and hoist up as many Titanic boats as possible in our davits; also get some on forcastle heads by derricks. We got thirteen lifeboats, six on forward deck and seven in davits. After getting all survivors aboard and while searching I got a clergyman to offer a short prayer of thankfulness for those saved, and also a short burial service for their loss, in saloon.
“Before deciding definitely where to make for, I conferred with Mr. Ismay, and as he told me to do what I thought best, I informed him, I considered New York best. I knew we should require clean blankets, provisions and clean linen, even if we went to the Azores, as most of the passengers saved were women and children, and they hysterical, not knowing what medical attention they might require.
I thought it best to go to New York. I also thought it would be better for Mr. Ismay to go to New York or England as soon as possible, and knowing I should be out of wireless communication very soon if I proceeded to Azores, it left Halifax, Boston and New York, so I chose the latter.
“Again, the passengers were all hysterical about ice, and I pointed out to Mr. Ismay the possibilities of seeing ice if I went to Halifax. Then I knew it would be best to keep in touch with land stations as best I could. We have experienced great difficulty in transmitting news, also names of survivors. Our wireless is very poor, and again we have had so many interruptions from other ships and also messages from shore (principally press, which we ignored). I gave instructions to send first all official messages, then names of passengers, then survivors’ private messages. We had haze early Tuesday morning for several hours; again more or less all Wednesday from 5.30 A.M. to 5 P.M.; strong south- southwesterly winds and clear weather Thursday, with moderate rough sea.
“I am pleased to say that all survivors have been very plucky. The majority of women, first, second and third class, lost their husbands, and, considering all, have been wonderfully well. Tuesday our doctor reported all survivors physically well. Our first class passengers have behaved splendidly, given up their cabins voluntarily and supplied the ladies with clothes, etc. We all turned out of our cabins and gave them to survivors—saloon, smoking room, library, etc., also being used for sleeping accommodation. Our crew, also turned out to let the crew of the Titanic take their quarters. I am pleased to state that owing to preparations made for the comfort of survivors, none were the worse for exposure, etc. I beg to specially mention how willing and cheerful the whole of the ship’s company behaved, receiving the highest praise from everybody. And I can assure you I am very proud to have such a company under my command.”
“ A. H. ROSTRON. ”
CHAPTER XIII
THE STORY OF CHARLES F. HURD
HOW THE TITANIC SANK—WATER STREWN WITH DEAD BODIES—VICTIMS MET DEATH WITH HYMN ON THEIR LIPS
THE story of how the Titanic sank is told by Charles F. Hurd, who was a passenger on the Carpathia. He praised highly the courage of the crew, hundreds of whom gave their lives with a heroism which equaled but could not exceed that of John Jacob Astor, Henry B. Harris, Jacques Futrelle and others in the long list of first cabin passengers. The account continues:
“The crash against the iceberg, which had been sighted at only a quarter mile distance, came almost simultaneously with the click of the levers operated from the bridge, which stopped the engines and closed the water-tight doors. Captain Smith was on the bridge a moment later, summoning all on board to put on life preservers and ordering the lifeboats lowered.
“The first boats had more male passengers, as the men were the first to reach the deck. When the rush of frightened men and women and crying children to the decks began, the ‘women first’ rule was rigidly enforced.
“Officers drew revolvers, but in most cases there was no use for them. Revolver shots heard shortly before the Titanic went down caused many rumors, one that Captain Smith had shot himself, another that First Officer Murdock had ended his life, but members of the crew discredit these rumors.
“Captain Smith was last seen on the bridge just before the ship sank, leaping only after the decks had been washed away.
“What became of the men with the life-preservers was a question asked by many since the disaster. Many of these with life-preservers were seen to go down despite the preservers, and dead bodies floated on the surfac
e as the boats moved away.
“Facts which I have established by inquiries on the Carpathia, as positively as they could be established in view of the silence of the few surviving officers, are:
“That the Titanic’s officers knew, several hours before the crash, of the possible nearness of the icebergs.
“That the Titanic’s speed, nearly 23 knots an hour, was not slackened.
“That the number of life-boats on the Titanic was insufficient to accommodate more than one-third of the passengers, to say nothing of the crew. Most members of the crew say there were sixteen life-boats and two collapsibles; none say there were more than twenty boats in all. The 700 escaped filled most of the sixteen lifeboats and the one collapsible which got away, to the limit of their capacity.
“Had the ship struck the iceberg head on at whatever speed and with whatever resulting shock, the bulkhead system of water-tight compartments would probably have saved the vessel. As one man expressed it, it was the impossible that happened when, with a shock unbelievably mild, the ship’s side was torn for a length which made the bulkhead system ineffective.”
After telling of the shock and the lowering of the boats the account continues:
“Some of the boats, crowded too full to give rowers a chance, drifted for a time. Few had provisions or water; there was lack of covering from the icy air, and the only lights were the still undimmed arcs and incandescents of the settling ship, save for one of the first boats. There a steward, who explained to the passengers that he had been shipwrecked twice before, appeared carrying three oranges and a green light.
“That green light, many of the survivors say, was to the shipwrecked hundreds as the pillar of fire by night. Long after the ship had disappeared, and while confusing false lights danced about the boats, the green lantern kept them together on the course which led them to the Carpathia.
“As the end of the Titanic became manifestly but a matter of moments, the oarsmen pulled their boats away, and the chilling waters began to echo splash after splash as passengers and sailors in life-preservers leaped over and started swimming away to escape the expected suction.
“Only the hardiest of constitutions could endure for more than a few moments such a numbing bath. The first vigorous strokes gave way to heart-breaking cries of ‘Help! Help!’ and stiffened forms were seen floating on the water all around us.
“Led by the green light, under the light of the stars, the boats drew away, and the bow, then the quarter, then the stacks and at last the stern of the marvel-ship of a few days before, passed beneath the waters. The great force of the ship’s sinking was unaided by any violence of the elements, and the suction, not so great as had been feared, rocked but mildly the group of boats now a quarter of a mile distant from it.
“Early dawn brought no ship, but not long after 5 A.M. the Carpathia, far out of her path and making eighteen knots, instead of her wonted fifteen, showed her single red and black smokestack upon the horizon. In the joy of that moment, the heaviest griefs were forgotten.
“Soon afterward Captain Rostron and Chief Steward Hughes were welcoming the chilled and bedraggled arrivals over the Carpathia’s side.
“Terrible as were the San Francisco, Slocum and Iroquois disasters, they shrink to local events in comparison with this world-catastrophe.
“True, there were others of greater qualifications and longer experience than I nearer the tragedy—but they, by every token of likelihood, have became a part of the tragedy. The honored—must I say the lamented—Stead, the adroit Jacques Futrelle, what might they not tell were their hands able to hold a pencil?
“The silence of the Carpathia’s engines, the piercing cold, the clamor of many voices in the companionways, caused me to dress hurriedly and awaken my wife, at 5.40 A. M. Monday. Our stewardess, meeting me outside, pointed to a wailing host in the rear dining room and said. ‘From the Titanic. She’s at the bottom of the ocean.’
“At the ship’s side, a moment later, I saw the last of the line of boats discharge their loads, and saw women, some with cheap shawls about their heads, some with the costliest of fur cloaks, ascending the ship’s side. And such joy as the first sight of our ship may have given them had disappeared from their faces, and there were tears and signs of faltering as the women were helped up the ladders or hoisted aboard in swings. For lack of room to put them, several of the Titanic ’s boats, after unloading, were set adrift.
“At our north was a broad ice field, the length of hundreds of Carpathia’s. Around us on other sides were sharp and glistening peaks. One black berg, seen about 10 A. M.. was said to be that which sunk the Titanic”
CHAPTER XIV
THRILLING ACCOUNT BY L. BEASLEY
COLLISION ONLY A SLIGHT JAR—PASSENGERS COULD NOT BELIEVE THE VESSEL DOOMED—NARROW ESCAPE OF LIFEBOATS—PICKED UP BY THE CARPATHIA
AMONG the most connected and interesting stories related by the survivors was the one told by L. Beasley, of Cambridge, England. He said:
“The voyage from Queenstown had been quite uneventful; very fine weather was experienced, and the sea was quite calm. The wind had been westerly to southwesterly the whole way, but very cold, particularly the last day; in fact after dinner on Saturday evening it was almost too cold to be out on deck at all.
ONLY A SLIGHT JAR
“I had been in my berth for about ten minutes, when, at about 11.15 P.M., I felt a slight jar, and then soon after a second one, but not sufficiently violent to cause any anxiety to anyone, however nervous they may have been. However, the engines stopped immediately afterward, and my first thought was, ‘She has lost a propeller.’
“I went up on the top (boat) deck in a dressing gown and found only a few persons there, who had come up similarly to inquire why we had stopped, but there was no sort of anxiety in the minds of anyone.
“We saw through the smoking room window a game of cards going on, and went in to inquire if they knew anything; it seems they felt more of the jar, and, looking through the window, had seen a huge iceberg go by close to the side of the boat. They thought we had just grazed it with a glancing blow, and that the engines had been stopped to see if any damage had been done. No one, of course, had any conception that the vessel had been pierced below by part of the submerged iceberg.
“The game went on without any thought of disaster and I retired to my cabin, to read until we went on again. I never saw any of the players or the onlookers again.
SOME WERE AWAKENED
“A little later, hearing people going upstairs, I went out again and found everyone wanting to know why the engines had stopped. No doubt many were awakened from sleep by the sudden stopping of a vibration to which they had become accustomed during the four days we had been on board. Naturally, with such powerful engines as the Titanic carried, the vibration was very noticeable all the time, and the sudden stopping had something the same effect as the stopping of a loud-ticking grandfather’s clock in a room.
“On going on deck again I saw that there was an undoubted list downward from stern to bows, but, knowing nothing of what had happened, concluded some of the front compartments had filled and weighed her down. I went down again to put on warmer clothing, and as I dressed heard an order shouted, ‘All passengers on deck with life-belts on.’
“We all walked slowly up, with the belts tied on over our clothing, but even then presumed this was only a wise precaution the captain was taking, and that we should return in a short time and retire to bed.
‘There was a total absence of any panic or any expressions of alarm, and I suppose this can be accounted for by the exceedingly calm night and the absence of any signs of the accident.
“The ship was absolutely still, and except for a gentle tilt downward, which I don’t think one person in ten would have noticed at that time, no signs of the approaching disaster were visible. She lay just as if she were waiting the order to go on again when some trifling matter had been adjusted.
“But in a few moments we saw the cov
ers lifted from the boats and the crews allotted to them standing by and coiling up the ropes which were to lower them by the pulley blocks into the water.
“We then began to realize it was more serious than had been supposed, and my first thought was to go down and get some more clothing and some money, but seeing people pouring up the stairs, decided it was better to cause no confusion to people coming up. Presently we heard the order:
“‘All men stand back away from the boats, and all ladies retire to next deck below’—the smoking-room deck or B deck.
MEN STOOD BACK
“The men all stood away and remained in absolute silence leaning against the end railings of the deck or pacing slowly up and down.
“The boats were swung out and lowered from A deck. When they were to the level of B deck, where all the women were collected, they got in quietly, with the exception of some who refused to leave their husbands.
“In some cases they were torn from them and pushed into the boats, but in many instances they were allowed to remain because there was no one to insist they should go.
“Looking over the side, one saw boats from aft already in the water, slipping quietly away into the darkness, and presently the boats near me were lowered, and with much creaking as the new ropes slipped through the pulley blocks down the ninety feet which separated them from the water. An officer in uniform came up as one boat went down and shouted, “When you are afloat row round to the companion ladder and stand by with the other boats for orders.’
“‘Aye, aye, sir,’ came up the reply; but I don’t think any boat was able to obey the order. When they were afloat and had the oars at work, the condition of the rapidly settling boat was so much more a sight for alarm for those in the boats than those on board, that in common prudence the sailors saw they could do nothing but row from the sinking ship to save at any rate some lives. They no doubt anticipated that suction from such an enormous vessel would be more dangerous than ususal to a crowded boat mostly filled with women.
The Sinking of the Titanic Page 12
