SOME TITANIC STORIES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 294, 8 June 1912, Page 1 (Supplement)

SOME TITANIC STORIES

ONE OF THE UNNAMED HEROES. The folowing are taken from American files just to hand.— One of the many heroes of the Titanic whose names were not even known by those they saved was a passenger who surrendered his lifebelt to a woman, and then stood by her till she and her two small boys were placed in a boat. The woman was Mrs, William Coutts, an Englishwoman, who was a steerage passenger with her two sons. Neville and William, three and nine years of age. "I was asleep when the ship struck," she said. "The crash was so slight that I thought little of it. I lay awake for fully fifteen minutes. The children were fast asleep. Suddenly there was a steady tramp, tramp, tramp 011 the deck above me, and it kept up so long that I arose. I dressed myself slowly, and then went out on deck to see what the trouble was. "'Every one was hurrying, but there was no disorder. The officers were giving orders in a subdued and mysterious tone at first. T heard some talk about lifeboats, and then I hurried back to the children. I tied life preservers 011 the boys, and then looked around for one for myself. There was none in sight. "I rushed out on deck with the children following me. By that time the foreigners in the steerage had transformed the place into a Babel by their screams and shouts. I .became lost somewhere in the first cabin quarters. I went first one way and then the other, with Willie always close behind. I clung to the hand of Neville, as I was afraid I would lose him or that he would get hurt. '■' Just when I had given up hope of finding my way a seaman came along and said, Hurry now, all women and children to the lifeboats.' "He took us to the side of the ship, but I wanted a life-preserver. Just then an American, who had heard me asking for a life-belt, stepped up to me. He raised his hat and then slowly removed his nfepreserver he had strapped to himself. '"Take my life-preserver, madam,' he said. Then he reached over and put his hands 011 the children's heads. " 'lf I go down please pray for me,' he said. "These were his last words as he walked away, and I was helped into the lifeboat. [ don't know his name, but I never saw him on board the Carpathia, and so I think he must have died when the Titanic went down. "There were other brave men 011 board the Titanic, for I saw them helping women into the lifeboats as our boat pulled away. I was in the first boat that was picked up by the Carpathia. It was a collapsible boat, and we had a green ligut, 011 it. All the other lifeboats followed us. I guess that was because of the light. Nrme of the others had a light. "There were seventeen in our boat,. Of these one was an officer of the Titanic, another a seaman,and anotjier a ipassenger. They were the only men. It was frightfully cold, but neither I nor the children suffered as much as the others, because we were fully dressed. When we got 011 board the Carpatliia every one did everything possible for us. There was 110 discrimination, the poorest woman receiving as much attention as the wealthiest."

A MAN IN SKIRTS. Mrs. Mark Fortune, of Winnipeg, is the woman who tells the story of the man in skirts. Mrs. Fortune's husband and son perished; her three daughters were saved with her. This is her narrative:—• She was aroused when her son Charles pounded 011 the door of her cabin, lie told her of the collision and that lie believed the ship was in danger. At the same time, a steward ran through the companion way shouting that there was no danger and that the ship could not be sunk. Mrs. Fortune and her daughters hurried on deck; the husband and son joined them. At the stairway they were met by officers, who directed the men to remain at its foot while the women went up to get into the boats. The women got into lifeboat 10. wnich was terribly overcrowded, and, with the exception of a Chinaman—a stoker—and four seamen,, all in it were supposed to be women. One person, dressed as a woman and heavily veiled, sat near the bow. It was necessary to transfer the four men to another boat, crewless. This left only the Chinaman to row. Then it was found that the veiled person in women's clothes was a man. No one asked his name, nor did anyone learn it later. He was asked to take an oar. This he did reluctantly. The Chinaman knew almost nothing about rowing and the man in woman's clothes knew less.

CAR PATH FA'S PREPARATION'S. In the short, precise language of command, Arthur Henry Rostrou, captain of the t'arpnthia, has reported to his owners the remarkable story of his preparations to receive survivors while he steamed to the aid of the foundering Titanic. "The following may be of interest to you: Monday. 15th inst., informed of urgent distress message from Titanic. Had struck ice. Required immediate assistance. Position of Titanic, 41.16 north, 50.14 west. I immediately ordered ship turned and set course, we then being south 52 E (true), 58 miles from Titanic. Sent for first engineer and ordered out another batch of stokers, and to make all possible speed. Gave orders to get all lifeboats prepared; spare gear taken out and boats swung ready for lowering. Then sent for English doctor, purser and chief steward, and gave the folowing instructions: "English doctor—With assistants, to remain in first-class dining-room; Italian doctor—With assistants, to remain in sec-ond-class dining room ;Hungarian doctor —With assistants, to remain in thirdclass dining-room; each doctor to have supplies of restoratives, stimulants and everything to hand for immediate need of probable wounded or sick, ''Purser, with assistantto receive passengers, etc., at differc ftt gangways, controlling our own stevrai \ and assisting passengers to dining rooi. \ etc. Also to get Christian names and s jrnames of all survivors as soon as possible to send bv wireless." I