NEW YORK, April 17, 1912 (UP) -- All hope that the list of survivors of the shipwrecked Titanic would be increased by rescues made by the liners Virginian and Parisian was blasted early this morning by a radiogram from the Olympic, sister ship of the great White Star liner which foundered in 2,000 fathoms early Monday after collision with an iceberg of the coast of Newfoundland.
A graphic description of the wrecking of the ocean leviathan, and the first that really bears credence as a report of the actual disaster, is received from St. Johns, Newfoundland. This statement is given as coming from the trading vessel Bruce. According to the report form the Bruce, the titanic struck the berg when going at a speed of 18 knots, and the impact almost rent the big vessel asunder. Her decks, sides and bulkheads were smashed from bow to midships, the ship striking the iceberg partially bow on. The force of the collision was such as to careen the Titanic heavily to port, almost causing her to turn turtle.
The bottom was supposed to have been torn out of the Titanic by a submerged part of the berg and every compartment from midships forward was quickly flooded. The ship settled rapidly by the head, listing to port and rolling heavily in the rough of the sea.
For a short time, sufficient order was maintained to allow the launching, in safety, of most of the lifeboats and to embark about a thousand passengers. Then, with the certainty that the Titanic was sinking, came a frenzied rush for the remaining boats. As the ship settled, a number of boats were smashed to pieces in the davits and others were swamped while being launched.
By this time, the water had reached the engine room, the wireless failed through loss of its motor and all lights went out on the ship, adding difficulty to the handling of the boats.
The wireless from the Olympic, relayed to New York from Cape Race via the Celtic, given out at the White Star line offices by Fredrick Ridgeway of the international mercantile marine, says:
"Olympic, via Celtic: Allay rumor that Virginian has any Titanic passengers. Neither has Parisian. All survivors aboard Carpathia. The second, third, fourth and fifth officers of Titanic and the second Marconi operator were only officers reported saved. HANNOCK, Commanding Olympia."
This message leaves unchanged the report from Carpathia which placed the number of survivors picked up by her at 866 and leaves as the probable death toll, the missing - number 1,492.
Capt. Haines, of the Allen liner Parisian, wirelessed Halifax last night confirming the radiograms from the Olympic that no Titanic survivors were aboard the Parisian.
Following the announcement of this message, a spark of hope -- but only a spark -- was kindled by the captain of the liner Ultonia, which docked at berth 62 late last night.
The Ultonia's captain phoned the White Star officials that while passing the identical spot on which the Titanic struck the iceberg, only a day before the accident, he saw a gigantic floe and passed close enough to photograph it. This iceberg, he believes, is the one which the Titanic drove to her doom.
But, while passing the floe, he reported he saw a large number of fishing vessels nosing carefully through the ice, enroute to Halifax. He declared it not improbable that some of these were near enough to the Titanic to render aid to some of the boatloads that put off from the disabled vessel.
Persistent attempts to pick up the Carpathia by wireless direct have failed, as also have attempts to secure, by relay through the Olympic and other vessels, a complete list of the survivors she has on board. White Star liner officials are confident they will be able to establish communication early today and will then be able to give a full statement of who were rescued and just how the disaster occurred.
The Carpathia is expected to reach New York some time Thursday night. Long before that time, however, a complete story of the disaster will have been secured.
The scout cruisers Chester and Salem have started to meet the Carpathia, with orders from President Taft to send in a complete list of survivors. The cruisers are equipped with powerful wireless apparatus and can send their messages over a much broader field than that covered by the Carpathia's equipment.
An attempt to locate any survivors that may not have been picked up at the scene of the wreck, and to recover such bodies as may be found floating, is to be made at once by the White Star line. The tug Mackay Bennett, under orders to remain out indefinitely, has been dispatched to the scene to cruise and await the appearance of survivors or bodies.
