CRAPHIC STORY
OF THE
New York, May 10.—The mystery
which shrouded the last hours of the
famous Canadians who went down to
their doom with the ill-fated liner
Titanic was penetrated when Major
Arthur Peuchen, captain of the Queen’s
Own Rifles of Toronto, related the story
of his own miraculous escape from the
seas.
Major Peuchen, alone of ten Canadian
men on the Titanic, has returned to tell
of his friends who perished with the
ship. It was only his training as a sailor
and a soldier and his own physical abil
ity which signaled him out as the com
mander of the sixth lifeboat to leave the
ship and thus saved him his life.
Last Dinner On Board the Titanic
Major Peuchen in an interview, said:
“It was Sunday evening, a starry
night and calm. There was an excep
tional bill of fare on for evening dinner.
We were all in evening dress and the
ladies wore many jewels. Music went
on as usual. I dined with Lady Mark
land Molson, Mr. and Mrs. Allison and
their little girl. Everything was ex
ceptionally bright.
“Then I went to the smoking room
and met Mr. Beattie of Winnipeg. 1
also met Mr. McCaffrey of the Union
Bank of Montreal, and a financial man
from Toronto.
“After I had reached my berth, I
heard a dull thud. It was not like a
collision and I did not think it serious.
That’s extraorninary, I thought, and 1
went up to see. I ran up stairs and on
the way met a friend who laughingly
said that we had struck an iceberg, and
we went up on deck. There we found
that we had struck aft of the bow about
75 feet and had scraped along the star
board side. It must either have shifted
the keel or ripped open the side for we
began to take water klong the whole
length of the boat.
Iceberg Was Seventy Feet High
“The bulkheads were therefore of no
use. I went on deck and saw the ice
falling on us, the berg was about 70 feet
high. Our boat itself was seven decks
high and the berg was even with the
upper deck. As the berg passed the port
holes it alarmed the women in the
berths. The passengers came on deck
one by one, some of them in pajamas.
After going on deck, I noticed that all
of the people were putting on lifebelts
and for the first time it looked serious.
I would not believe it, however, know
ing that the Titanic was such a safe
boat. Finally I realized the seriousness
of the thing. I went inside, threw off
my dress suit, put on my warmest
clsthes, and my steward, a very nice
fellow, helped me put on my life pre
server. I never saw him again. I took
three changes and a pearl pin. There
was $200,000 worth of stock and bonds,
all my jewelry and presents for my
daughter Jessie and family in the berth,
but I did not touch them.
“When I got outside all the people
lined up with life preservers in the com
panionway made matters look very seri
ous.
“Prior to this I went in to warn Mr.
McCaffrey. On the top deck, as I
mounted, all the boats were swung out
j ready for action. Just at that moment
a mob of stokers swarmed up to the
j decks. The first officer, a big hurley
1 fellow, drove them back furiously.
When I found he was short handed, I
assisted. I helped lower the first life
t boats. The women kissed their hus
bands good-bye, the husbands assisted
their wives to the boats and then stood
back with the other men.
How the Lifeboats Were Loaded
“I saw no evidence of cowardice. An
! Italian was discovered concealed in the
boat with a broken arm. We then low
ered the second boat. When the wife
refused to go without the husband, the
wife had to stand by. The same rule
prevailed with a mother and a daugh
ter. The officer on the starboard side
was lenient and there it was that many
men got in. The officer on the port side
was very severe and would allow no one
but women and children to enter the
boats.
“The boats were not filled to capacity.
One boat had only 23 in it, but its
capacity was 60. The officer replied to
my query over this condition that the
boat chains on which it was lowered
would not hold the heavy load of a full
boat. The capacity of 60 could only be
made when the lifeboats were in the
water.
“Every woman who cared to go was
taken off. There was no necessity for
any woman being left on board. Finally
we came to the sixth boat. The quar
termaster let the boat down part way.
! Then he said. ‘We have only one sea
man in th" boat. We want three or
four more seamen.’
“I then went forward and said: ‘I am
a yachtsman and can handle a boat with
any man.’
“He told me to go below and get into
the lifeboat from the lower deck, but I
said I would jump for it.
“Taking hold of a halyard I swung out
into space. Luckily I caught my feet
against the block and lowered myself to
the boat, a distance of four and a half
decks, probably 60 feet, down a rope into
the darkness.
“I ran forward in the boat and
ordered a seaman to put the plug into
the boat. They had neglected to do
this.
“He came back and said this boat is
going to founder,’ referring to the
Titanic.
“We rowed away. At last 1 saw there
was no hope. The decks were disap
pearing deck by deck into the sea. The
Titanic was doomed.
Mr. Hays’ Good-Bye
“Just before I left the deck, Mr. Char
les M. Hays, general manager of the
Grand Trunk Pacific, was the la3t man
I saw. He came up and said, ‘Peuchen,
good-bye. This boat is good for eight
hours yet. By that time we shall have
help and the boats will be able to un
load and come back for more. I have
it from one of the best seamen on the
ship that she cannot sink. I am with
Mr. Crosby, of Milwaukee, a boat
builder, who says she cannot sink.’
“Then, as we left she let off the first
rockets. Everything waaquiet. I knew
the boat was doomed. When I got down
on the level I saw her serious position.
She was sinking bow fiirst. Then we
began to row, without compass, without
light, but we had a little food and
water.
Terrible Scene
“Then we heard an awful sound and
a loud report boomed over the icy sea j
like an explosion. Never have I heard
such awful cries and shrieks. People j
came tumbling down like so many !
oranges; chains, ropes, furniture and
human beings were buried in a terrible ;
jumble into the sea as if rolling down a
steep hill.
“During the whole time the orchestra
continued to play. First they played
ragtime, then other tunes, and finally as
they sank beneath the waves the strains
of ‘Nearer My God to Thee’ were wafted
' to us till the waves closed over the
heads of the gallant musicians. Only
! four persons were saved at the last.
“In the morning the Carpathia went
back over the scene of tlie disaster, but
we did not see one person nor a corpse.
There were in all 16 lifeboats, two j
| emergency boats and two canvas decked
rafts, making 20. Seven of them filled '
with water and sank, only 13 of the;
number came to the Carpathia. All j
alone we were on the barren sea. We I
yelled at intervals, then all at once we
saw the headlight of the Carpathia. The j
Titanic sank in two hours from the time
she first struck the berg.
So far as I could figure it out, the
Titanic struck at 12:30 o’clock and went
down at 2:30. The Carpathia was tlie
gladdest sight our eyes ever met.”
CAPTAIN CARROLL
DIES IN SEATTLE
Seattle, May 22, Captain Janies Car
j roll, who was sent from Alaska as first
| delegate from this territory, but who
! was refused a seat in the house, died
here today of paralysis. Captain Carroll
was well known in Alaska and spent one
session in congress fighting for recog
nition of the territory. lie gained some
notoriety by offering the government
114,000,000 for Alaska when it seemed to
: him the government would do nothing
I for Alaska. While the offer was natur
| ally refused, the Alaska question was
brought more forcibly to congress’s at
tention, resulting in the allowing of a
delegate to the territory by the next
congress.
°<JUL2JL9Jt JLOJUL8 JL5LSL!LSL!lfiJLJL5LaJli
L. R. GILLETTE
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW g
Notary Public £
Black’s Hotel - Tanana jo
S. E. HEETER
For Roup and Dressed
...LUMBER...
BLACKSMITH WORK-AII Kinds
DEHN'S SHOP-Sccond Ave.
’Native Hay For Sale-First]
Class Condition—Baled
ADVERTISEMENT
HOUSEHOLD
FURNITURE
FOR SALE
The following articles of household
furniture are for sale and may be seen
at my quarters at the Post:
White iron bed for child. $10X0
Brass bed for child.. 20.00
Cotton felt mattress to tit either of
child’s beds. 5.(0
Double bed, golden oak. 10X0
Cotton felt mattress for double bed. 10.00
Springs for double bed. 10.00
Rocking chair, maple. 7.50
Rocking chair. 7.00
Morris chair, leather cushion 8.(i0
Bureau, golden oak. with lurge mirror 15 00
Cheffoniere, golden oak w ith mirror 15.(H)
Washstand. 8X0
Washstand, painted white . . 4 00
Bureau, painted white. 7.00
Mahogony table . 5.(0
Oak table.. . 5.00
Folding Canvas boat. 20.00
Extension dining table, golden oak.
4 extra leaves. 20X0
Mahogony tray, brass handles, slightly
damaged. 6.00
Carpet sweeper . 5.(0
Vacuum cleaner, hand 15,00
Eight lumps, from $8.00 to $2.00 each
Sewing machine, Wheeler A Wilson
No. 9 . 35.00
Rug 12x14 feet . . 40X0
Music stand . 5.00
Wicker chair 1.50
Kitchen utensils and odd pieces of
china 1.50
LIEUT. R. W. KINGMAN.
HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE
The following articles of household
furniture are for sale at the prices set
after each article, and may he seen at
my quarters at the Post:
1 White Enamel Chiffonier £15.00
1 “ “ Wushstuiul. 5.00
1 Rocking Chair.. 3.00
1 Chair. . . 2 .to
1 Towel Rack. 1.00
1 Clothes Horse. 2.50
1 Oak Library Table.. 18.00
1 Carved Oak Arm Chair 12X0
1 Wilton Velvet Rug, Green. 30.00
1 “ “ “ Hlue. 25.00
1 Brussels Rug. 20.00
1 Piano Lamp and Shade. 18.00
1 Table Lamp... . 10.00
1 Desk Lamp. 5.00
1 Tea Table 7.00
1 Music Cabinet, Oak. 10.( 0
1 Brass Basket. 10.00
4 Candle Sticks, Brass. .. 12.00
1 Brass Tray. 7.00
1 Porch Rocker. 4.00
1 W ieker Chair . 6.00
1 “ “ 4.00
1 Rocking Chair. 5.00
1 Brass Cot, Mattrass and Pillow. 8.00
1 Chafing Dish, large. 8.00
1 “ “ small. 4.00
1 Casserole.. 6.00
1 Sewing Machine. 15.00
1 Set Bookshelves. 15.00
Dr. C. I. Wertenbaker
Arctic Brotherhood
Camp Gibbon, No. 25, meets every
Monday evening at 8:30, at the new A
B. hall, Tanana. \ isiting members cor
dially invited to attend.