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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 1912)
TIIE SUNDAY OKEGOXIAX, PORTLAND. APRIL 28, 1912. SURVIVING WIRELESS MAN SAYS PUBLIC SHOULD NOT BLAME THE OPERATORS Harold Bride Declares He Positively Eefnsed to Send Presa Dispatches Because Bulk of Personal Messages With Touching Words of Grief Was So Large. J JU. Bt HAROLD BRIPE. (arrlTlnc WlrlrM Olrlor of th Ttonlc opjrrlBt. h New Tork Tlm Company. NEW TORK. April 17. (SpclI.) In th nrt place, the public nhould tot blame anyborly because more wlre!es incssagr about the iHsatr to the Tllanlc did not reach hore from the Carpathia. I posltlrely refused to nd presa dlnpatchea be :aiit the bulk of perianal mes-'ages wtth toiichlnic words of arlef was arge. The wireless operators aboard the Chester a-ot all thej: asked for. And they were wretched operators. They knew American Morse, but not Continental Morse sufficient to be worth while. They taxed our endur- rnce to the limit. 1 bad to cut them out at lajtt. ther n ere so Insufferably slow, and s;o ahead with our messacrs of jrrlef to relatives. We sent 11 personal messages the day the Carpthla landed, and iO the day before. (all far Help Heard. When I was dragged aboard the Car pathia I went to the hospital at first. I stayed there for ten hours. Then somebody brought word that the Car pathians wireless operator was "retting queer" from the work, ' They asked me If I could go up and help. I could not walk. Both my feet were broken or something. I don't know what. I went up on crutches with somebody helping me. I took the key and I never left the wireless cabin after that. Our meals were brought to ns. Wa kept the wire less working all the time. The Navy op erators were a great nuisance. I ad vise them all to learn the Continental Morse and learn to speed up In It if they ever expect to be worth their salt. The Chester's man thought he knew It. but be was as slow as Christmas coming. We worked all the time. Nothing went wrong. Sometimes the Carpathia, man sent and sometimes I sent. There was a bed In the wireless cabin. I rould sit on It and rest my feet while sexdtnir sometimes. To begin at the beginning. I was bom at Nunhead. Kngland, !! years ago. and joined the Marconi forces last July. I first worked on the lloverford. and then on the Lusltanla. 1 joined the Titanic at Belfast. In Aaleesi W fcea ( rasa ( . I didn't have much to do aboard the Titanic except to relieve Phillips from midnight until some time in-the morn ing, when he should be through sleep In?. On the night of the accident I mas not aendlng. but was asleep. I was due to be up and relieve Phillips earlier than usual. And that reminds me If It hadn't been for a lucky thing we never could have sent any call for help. The lucky thing was that the wire less broke down early enough for us to flx It before the accident. We no ticed something wrong on Sunday and rnilllps and I worked seven hours to And It. We found a "secretary" burned out. at last, and repaired It Just a few hours before the Iceberg was stmck. Phtll! said to me as he took the night shift. "You turn In, boy. and get some sleep, and go up as soon ss you rsn and give me a chance. I'm all done for with this work of making re pairs." Therw were three rooms In the wlre less cabin. One was a sleeptng-room. one dynamo-room and one an operating-room. I took off my clothes and i 1 - .Ill' e : ' - .4 . went to sleep In bed. Then I was con scious of waking up and hearing Phillips sending to Cape Race. I read what he was sending. It was traffic matter. e Jelt Reevgalaable. I remembered how tired he was and I got out of bed to relieve him. I didn't even feel the shock. I Jiardly knew It had happened after the cap tain had come to us. There was no jolt whatever. I waa standing by Phillips telling him to go to bed when the captain put his head In the cabin. "We've struck an Iceberg. the cap tain said, "and I'm having an Inspec Hon made to tell what It has done for us. You better get ready to send out a call for assistance. But don't send It until I tell you." The captain went away and in ten minutes. I should estimate the time, he rame bark. We could hear a terrible confusion outside, but there waa not the least thing to Indicate that there was any ' trouble. The wlrelesa was working perfectly. 'Send the call for assistance." or dered the captain, barely putting his head :n the door. What call should I send?" Phillips asked. "The regulation International rail for help. Just that. Then the captain was gone. Phillips began to send "C. Q. D." He flashed away at It and we joked while he did so. All of us made light of the disas ter. Takes) as Joke. We joked that way while he (lashed signals for about five minutes. Then the captain came back. "What are you sending?" he asked. "C. Q. P.. Phillips replied. . The humor of the situation appealed to nr.-. I cut In with a little remark that rrade us all laugh. Including the captain. "Send S. O. S." 1 ald. "Ifs the new call, and it may be your last chance to send it. Phillips, with a laugh, changed the signal to "8. O. S." The captain told us we had been struck amidships, or just back of amidships. It was ten minutes. Phillips told me. after he had noticed the Iceberg, that the slight jolt that was the collision's only signal to us occurred. We thought we were a good dlstsnce sway. We said lots of funny things to each other In the next few minutes. We picked up first the steamship Frank furt. We gave her our position and said we had struck an iceberg and needed assistance. Trje Frankfurt op erator went away to tell his capaln. He rame back and we told him we were sinking by the head. By that time we could observe a distinct list forward. The Carpathia answered our signal. We told her our position and said we were sinking by the bead. The oper ator went to tell the captain, and In five minutes returned and told us that the captain of the Carpathia waa put ting about and heading for us. Great 'erasable mm Deek. Our captain had left ua at this time and Phillips told me to run and tell him what the Carpathia had answered. I did so, and I went through an awful mass of people to his cabin. The decks were full of scrambling men and women. I saw no fighting, but I heard tell of it. I came bark and heard Phillips giv ing the Carpathia fuller directions. Phillips told me to put on my clothes. J 1 -.;vTA.; I'ntll that moment I forgot that I was not dressed. I went to my cabin and dressed: I brought an overcoat to Phillips; it waa very cold. I slipped the overcoat upon him while he worked. Kvery few minutes Phillips would send me to the captain with little mes sages. They were merely telling how the Carpathia waa coming our way and gave her speed. I noticed as I came back from one trip that thev were putting off women and children In lifeboats. I noticed that the list forward was Increasing. Phillips told me the wireless was growing weaker. The captain came and told ua our engine rooms were taking water and that the dynamos might not last much longer. We sent that word to the Carpathia. I went out on deck and looked around. The water was pretty close up to the boat deck. There was a great scramble aft. and how poor Phillips worked through it I don't know. Operator Brave Maa. He was a brave man, I learned to love him that night and I suddenly felt tor him a great reverence to see htm standing there sticking to his work while everybody else was raging about. I will never live to forget the work of Phillips for the last awful li min utes. I thought It was about time to look about and see If there was anything detached that would float. I remem bered that every member of the crew had a special life belt and ought to know where it was. I remembered mine was under my bunk. I went and got It. Then I thought how cold the water was. I remembered I had some boots and I put those on, and an extra jacket and I put that on. I saw Phillips standing out there still sending away, giving the Carpathia details of just how we were doing. We picked up the Olympic and told her we were sinking by the head and were about all down. As Phillips was sending the message I strapped his life belt to his back. I had already put on his overcoat. I wondered If I could get him into his boots. He suggested with a sort of laugh that I look out and see if all the people were off in the boats, or if any boats were left, or how things w,ere. Last Boat I.eft Sees. I saw a collapsible boat near a fun nel and went over to It. Twelve men were trying to boost it down to the boat deck. They were having an awful time. It was the last boat left. I looked at it longingly a few minutes. Then I gave them a hand, and over she went. They all started to scramble In to the the boat deck, and I walked back to Phillips. I said the raft had gone. Then came the captain's voice: "Men, you have done your full duty. You can do no more. Abandon your cabin. Now It's every man for himself. Tou look out for yourselves. I release you. That's the way of It at this kind of a time. Every man for himself." I looked out. The boat deck was awash. Phillips clung on sending and sending. He clung en for about 10 minutes or maybe 13 minutes after the isptsln had released him. The water was then romtng Into our cabin. While he worked something hap. pened I hate to tell about. I was back In my room getting Phillips's money for him. and as I looked out the door. I saw a stoker, or somebody from below decks, leaning over Fhll- ' lips from behind. He was too busy to notice what the man was doing. The man was slipping the life belt off Phil lips' back. He was a big man, too. As you can aee, I am very small. I don't know what It was I got ho'd of. I remem bered In a flash the wsy Phillips had clung on how I had to fix that life belt In place because he was too busy to do It. I knew that man from below decks had his own life belt and should have known where to get it. I suddenly felt a passion not to let that man die a decent sailor's death. I wished he might have stretched rope or walked a plank. I did my duty. I hope I finished him. I don't know. We left him on the cabin floor of the wire less room and he was not moving. Bis Plays la Rag-Time. From aft rame the tunes of the band. It was a rag-time tune I don't know what. Then there wu "Autumn." Phillips ran aft and that waa the last I ever saw of him. I went to the place I had seen the collapsible boat, on the boat deck, and to my surprise I saw the boat and the men still trying to push it off. I guess there 'wasn't a sailor in the crowd. They couldn't do It. I went up to them and was just lending a hand when a large wave came awash of the deck. The big wave rarrled the boat off. I had hold of an oarlock and I went off with it. The next I knew I was in the boat, i But that wss not all. I was In th boat and the boat was upside dow and I was under it. And I remembe realizing I was wet through and that whatever happened I must not breathe, for I was under water. I knew I had to fight for it and did. How I got out from under th boat I do not know, but I felt a breath of air at last. There were men all around me hun dreds of them. The sea was dotted with them, all depending on their life belts. I felt I simply had to get away from the ship. She was a beautiful sight then. Smoke and sparks were rushing ou of her funnel. There must have been an explosion, but we had heard none, We only saw the big stream of sparks. The ship was gradually turning on ne nose just like a duck does that goes down for a dive. I had only one thing on mv mind to get away from the suction. The band was still playing. I guess all of the band went down, Thev were playing "Autumn" thon I swam with all my might. I suppo: I was 150 feet away when the Titanic, on her nose, with her after-quarter sticking straight up in the air, began to settle slowly. "When at last the waves washed over her rudder there wasn't the least bit of suction. I could feel. She mus have kept going just so slowly as she had been. Other Steamboats Spoke. I forgot to mention that besides the Olympic and Carpathia we spoke to some German boat I don't know which and told them how we were, We also spoke to the Baltic. I reme bered those things as I began to fig ure what ships would be coming to ward us. I felt, after a little while, like sink ing. 1 was very cold, I saw a boat of some, kind near me, and put all my strength Into an effort to swim to it. It waa hard work. I was all done when a hand reached out from the boat and pulled me aboard. It was our same collapsible. The same crowd was on it. There was Just room for me to roll on the edge. I lay there not coring what happened. Somebody sat on my legs. They were wedged In between slats and were being wrenched. I had not the heart left to ask the man to move. It was a terrible sight all around men swimming and sinking. I lay where 1 was, letting the man wrench my feet out of shape. Others came near. Nobody gave them a hand, The bottom-up boat already had more men than it would hold And it was sink ins-. At first the larger waves splashed over my clothing. Then they began to splash over my head and I had to breathe when I could. Some splendid people saved us. They had a rlght-slde-up boat, and it was full to Its capacity. Yet they came to us and loaded us all Into It. I saw some lights off In the distance and knew a steamship was coming to our aid. 1 didn't care what happened. I Just lay and gasped when I could and felt the pain in (my feet. At last tne car pathia was alongside and the people were being taken up a rope ladder. Our boat drew near and one by one tne men were taken oft of It. One Dead oa Raft. One man waa dead. I passed him and went to the ladder, although my feet pained terribly. The dead man was Phillips. He had died on the raft from exposure and cold. I guess. He had been all in from work before the wreck came. He stood his ground until the crisis had passed, and then he had col- lansed. I guess. But I hardly thought that then. I didn't think much of anything. I tried the rope ladder. My feet pained ter ribly, but I got to the top and felt hands reaching out to me. The next I knew a woman was leaning over me In a cabin and I felt her hand waving back my hair and rubbing my face. I felt aomebody at my feet and felt the warmth of a Jolt of liquor, home body got me under the arms. Then I was hustled down helow to the hos pitalT That was early In the day I guess. I lay in the hospital until near night and they told me the Carpathia's wireless man was getting "queer" and would I help. After that I never was out of the wireless room, so I don't know what happened among the passengers. I saw nothing of Mrs. Astor or any of them. I Just worked wireless. The splutter never died down. I knew It soothed the hurt and felt like a tie to the world of friends and home. How could I then take news queries? Sometimes I let a newspaper ask a question and get a long string of stuff asking, for full particulars about every thing. Whenever I started to take such a message I thought of the poor people waiting for their messages to go hoping for answers to them. I shut off the Inquirers, and sent my personal messages. And I feel I did the white thing. If the Chester had had a decent op erator I could have worked with him longer but he got terribly on my nerves with his Insufferable incompetence. I wss still sending my personal messages when Mr. Marconi and the Times re porter arrived to ask that I prepare thin statement. There were, maybe. 100 left. I would like to send them all, because I could rest easier if I knew all those messages bad gone to the friends waiting for them. But an ambulance man Is wait ing with a stretcher, and I guess I have got to go with him. I hope my legs get better soon. The way the band kept playing was a noble thing. I heard it first while we were working wireless, when there was a ragtime tune for us, and the last I saw of the band, when I was floating out In the sea with my lifebelt on. It was still on deck playing "Autumn." Hew they ever did it I cannot imagine. That, and the way Phillips kept send ing after the captain told him his life was his own, and to look out for him self, are two things that stand out in my mind over all the rest. The Gifts ef Love. Alnslis's. Th gifts of love are not for one a!on: Whoce love u noble can no need deny. And In his hesrt. as In a garden grown. , Are roi free to all who mar pass by. DISTINGUISHED PERSIAN PHILOSOPHER IS HEARTILY WELCOMED TO AMERICA Abdul Baha Abbas Received by More Than 300 of His Disciples on Arrival in New York Teacher Advocates Doc- ' trine That Men Serve God Best by Serving Their Kind. 111 h j& ti if lij k, - J v w ' ' I If f Jtf l ozf- ys-Z sVkmrejy Y-fy' jM Lj " i .J "i . ' fciai 1 1 iaveg,,..: i-iiin.r.l J . , EW TORK, April 27. (Special.) Abdul Baha Abbas, the Persian philosopher and teacher, who preaches that men serve God best by serving their kind, was received rever ently a few days ago by more than 300 of his American disciples on his ar rival on the Cedrlc. Catholics, Pro testants, Jews and Mohammedans join ed in the reception for Abdul Baha, the Servant of God, as he is known to the Bahaists, makes no distinction among creeds or races. He is now nearly 68 years old, but 40 years passed in a Turkish prison makes him appear older. His object In coming to this country Is to advocate human solidarity. That Is the basis of his teachings. Newell Sanders Is a wealthy manu facturer of Chattanooga, who managed the campaign of Governor Hooper, of Tennessee, two years ago. It Is ex-. pected that he w;lll be appointed Sen- J Abdul Baha Abbas, the Persian I I. X 'J I PALL IS THROWN OVER THEATRICAL WORLD BY DISASTER TO TITANIC Gloom Caused by Tragedy Extends Even to Those Attending Theaters in New York Grief Over Death of Henry B. Harris Is Especially Marked, as He Was Regarded Highly. BY EMIL.IB FRANCES BAUER. NEW ITJKls., April Si. liJJictiai.i Things in the the'atrical world are almost paralysed this week by the tragic accident to the Titanic, which is conceaea to oe iiie muni, c . since San Francisco was visited by dis aster. Even those attending tne xneaier have not been able to shake ore tne gloom and there Is especial grief over the loss of Henry B. Harris, the noted New York manager, who was regarded as a prince among men as well as a power in the theatrical world. Women first" said Mr. .Harris, us n stepped aside to give up hi place in the lifeboat, and this courtesy which characterized his life was strong In death. Many of the artists had their return nassage already booked on the Titanic, among whom may be mentioned Mary Garden, who will not sail now until the first shock Is over. Mr. Gattl-Casazza. Impresario or tne Metropolitan and his -wife Mme. Alda, sailed Thursday, with several artists who have finished their seasons here and are returning to Europe to fill en gagements on the other side, although the great proportion of the company is still on tour in Boston, Philadelphia and Atlanta. Impresario Is Appreciated. Before sailing, the Italian impresario was presented with a loving cup from th. emdoyes of the Metropolitan with a letter expressed the deepest admira tion and affection, ana xn nope he would long hold the post, which had cost him such terrible struggles at first. It is certain that the path was ciiv for Oatti-Casazza, but he conducted himself with exquisite dig nity with a calm exterior ana wim unfailing politeness which proved al ways the type of man and the family to which ne neiongs. v.m-v,- was the target for flings and arrows of all sorts he was planning to eliminate Wagner, to keep Americans out of their rights to Import Italians, in fact there was little of which he was not accused and after his third season It has been .hvinm that Wagner has never had a greater admirer than this Italian, that Americans never had the chance upon the Metropolitan stage that It has k.j under his regime and that art has never had a greater servant. Before sailing. iiu-v.iui about the plans for next season. Me expects to make number of interest ing revivals iniunis ni.n tioned. "Le Huguenots, The Magic Flute" by Mozart Samson and Deli- lah," "Carmen. The Masked Ball of "Falstaff." "Der Verdi." "Norma, Frelschutz.' Iris" by Mascagnl, and Tales of Hoffmann." which like tar- . . . V, , Af o -r. men. nas noi ueen polltan Company, dui oy oir. uippci a tsltlng company. Cyraao de Bergerae,' In Store. Among the novelties to be presented Is "Cyrano de Bergerac" with music by Walter Damrosch and libretto, by W. J. Henderson, musical critic of the New York Sun. This will be sung in tngnsn. I W S I , ! ator to succeed R. L. Taylor. He has never held office. He is a Republican. Tennessee has had two Republican Senators before Taylor and Brown low, who served during reconstruction days. Pedro Dias Is the candidate of the Government party of Panama for the Presidency. The election occurs in July. His opponent Is Dr. Torras, ex Mliiister of Panama at Washington. Diaz will be supported by a faction of the Liberal party and also by some conservatives. Both are Liberals. Captain Albert M. Gleaves, United "Boris Godounoff," the Russian opera, which was to have been brought for ward this season was left over and will be given next year and it is also hoped that Debussy will have completed his two one-act operas based upon the Edgar Allan Poe stories "Fall of the House of Usher" and "Devil in the Belfry." Mozart's "Escape from the Seraglio" will be presented- here for the first time and probably other Mozart operas. Among the new singers to come to the Metropolitan are Lucrezia Bori. the Italian dramatrc soprano of La Scala, Milan. Frieda Hempel. the colorature soprano from the Royal opera of Ber lin. Jacques Urlus, a young tenor in whom Mme. Schumann-Heink found much to admire, when she sang with him in Bayreuth. and who filled a short engagement in Boston this season, and Carl Braun of the Imperial opera in Vienna. Young American singers engaged are Paul Althouse, tenor, Vera Curtis and Louise Cos. soprano. Stella de Mette and Lila Robeson mezzo-sopranos. Mme. Alda will be a regular member of the company this season. Mme. Marlska Aldrlch. one of the most beautiful Americans on the stage will return to the Metropolitan after two years in the opera houses of Germany, particu uarly in Munich and among the notable absent ones mentioned Alma Gluck, who will devote herself to concerts the early part of the season and then she will go- to Vienna and Henrietta Wakefield, who leaves grand opera for the purpose of accepting the leading role in Walter Damrosch's new comic opera "The Dove of Peace." Llllla Snelling has also decided to go into light opera where there Is an incon ceivable demand for singers who can really sing. Chance Given All. For weeks voice trials have been conducted at the Metropolitan. It is due Gattl-Casazza and his aids to say that when voices have been brought to the Metropolitan at this season every attention has been paid to the appli cants, if not by the Impresario him self, at least by his assistants. The story of the engagement of young Althouse is not without interest. Those who came early to the last Fri day matinee performance of "Aida" saw an interesting sight. The curtain was up on the first act of this Verdi opera, and Caruso was there, but he was not on the stage in his customary role, and someone else was singing ' Celeste Alda." The singer was a young, boyish looking chap of 21, but looking young er. In the middle of the house with Caruso was an audience composed of Gattl-Casazza, Alfred Hertz, and sev eral other artists equally important in the control of affairs at the Metro politan. At the jlose of the aria the stage was cleared and the curtain low ered as the audience began to stream Into the house. A few minutes later a fchame-faeed young boy walked beside his teacher. Oscar Saenger, on Broad way, leaving the Opera-House. After pulling himself together he said. "I am awfully Sorry, Mr. Saenger. but I did not do myself Justice. I know that, and I did not do you justice." "I know that," said Mr. Saenger, "but States Navy, who has been In command of the Naval station at Newport for some time, is to have command of the Brooklyn Navy-yard in the near fu ture. He will succeed Admiral Leutze, retired. This is one of the most im portant posts in the Navy. mm Henry Phipps, the one-time partner of Andrew Carnegie, sailed today on the Berlin, of the North German Lloyd, for Naples. Mr. Phipps recently trans ferred $10,000,000 worth of Pittsburg real estate and other properties to his three sons, John S., Henry and How ard, all of New York. It was stated at the time that Mr. Phipps desired to be relieved of the worries Incident to his large real estate holdings and was shifting the burden to his sons. Professor Ira Remsen. president of Johns Hopkins University since 1901. has sent his resignation to the board of trustees. It is to take effect at the end of the present school year. Br. Remsen is desirous of returning to his more congenial research work. I have the contract for four years in my pocket for you to sign." And the people as they passed wondered what had suddenly crazed the young blond i boy who threw himself into the arms of the distinguished looking man smil ing at his enthusiasm, but who prob ably felt quite as happy. Mr. Althouse left the next morning for a tour of five weeks with Walter Damrosch and the New York Symphony Orchestra, in itself an opportunity of unusual im portance for a young singer. Dlppet Back In New York. Mr. Dlppel returned to New York this week after his visit to the Pacific Coast, where the arrangements of his contracts are probably well known. He announces definitely that there will be seven performances given in Los Angeles, where the company will open March 4. The appearances are divided as follows: Two performances at the New Spreckels in San Diego: March 11 a gala open air performance will be given of "Natoma" at Santa Barbara where the scene is laid, the perform ance to begin at 6 o'clock at the sunset hour called for in the libretto; 16 per formances will be given at the New Tl voll Opera-House at San Francisco be ginning March 12. a grand sacred con cert will be given In the Greek The ater at Berkeley Good Friday afternoon under the direction of Campanlni. Four performances will be sung at the Helllg Theater In Portland and the same num ber at Moore's Theater In Seattle; one performance will be given either in Vancouver or Tacoma on the night of April 7; four performances will be of fered at the Auditorium in Denver, and the week of April 14 will be divided be tween Omaha, Kansas City and St. Louis. Grlsweld Haa Fine Contract. Putnam Grlswold who has closed his first season with the Metropolitan Opera. Company signed a splendid con tract for several years In which he is to have the leading basso roles of the Wagner repertory. Mr. Grlswold is the first American basso to sing all the Wotans of "The Ring, as these are all baritone parts. Emil Fischer, the old German Wagnerian singer, who first taught New York to love Hans Sache and other of the great basso and bari tone roles did this, as did Scaria in Germany. Mr. Grlswold said that he could never express his gratitude to California for the -cordiality which made his start possible and that is over half the Im petus in an artist's career. He was deeply gratified, he said, that as a Californian he was the first to make a success in opera except Emma Ne vada at any rate, he was the first man. Significant Raiment. (Washington Star.) "I think, that man will make a poli tician," said the cynical observer. "I never saw anybody take so naturally to a high silk hat and a Prince Albert coat." "Yes," replied Senator Sorghum, crlt. ically, "but the hat is always neatly Ironed and the coat never has any of the buttons missing."
