Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Survivor of the Titanic Disaster Arrives to Make Marietta Visit

Marietta Daily Times, April 24, 1912

Woman Who Was on Liner When She Struck is Now Here.

Lost Everything but Life and Clothes When Vessel Went Down.

Miss Lucy Ridsdale of London, Eng., a survivor of the Liner Titanic, which sank off the coast of Newfoundland ten days ago, after striking an iceberg, arrived in Marietta this afternoon from New York City, where she had been spending a few days with distant relatives.  She is an aunt of Mrs. Wikstrom, who resides at No. 1113 Third street, and will be her guest for a time.

The shock that Miss Ridsdale has suffered from the disaster has been such that she could say but little today concerning her terrible experience, but to a representatives of The Times she said in substance, "The sinking of the Titanic was so terrible a thing and I have been so nervous since that I don't know what to say.  I lost everything I had but my glasses and what clothing I had on when I left my stateroom.  I always wear my glasses at night and had them on when the boat struck.

"I had retired for the night when the collision came, but had not gotten soundly to sleep.  When the boat struck the iceberg, I did not know what was the matter.  It aroused me and then I heard some one give an alarm.  I heard so much confusion on the decks that I thought something serious was wrong.  When I went on deck people were hurrying in every direction, and somebody said that the ship was sinking.

"I saw officers and passengers manning the lifeboats and loading the women into them, and was soon helped into one myself.  I don't know which boat it was but I was thankful to be in any.  There was a strong wind blowing that night.  It was cold and with the water in the boat we suffered greatly with cold.  After a long time, seemingly many hours, we were picked up by the Carpathia, more dead than alive.  The crew on the Carpathia did everything they could for us and many of the passengers on the Carpathia gave up their state rooms for those who had been exposed to the awful experience on the Titanic.

"For several days I have been in New York, as I lost all my clothing and my watch, which I valued so highly."

Miss Ridsdale is an elderly lady of pleasing appearance.  She will make an extended stay here.



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