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titanic. The most complete story ever told by Matthew Vollbrecht Monday April 15, 1912, 12 30. RMS titanic for many passengers. Hearing ragtime music this late at night was surprising yet ragtime music. They heard the ship's bandmaster, Wallace Hartley had assembled a small group of musicians, first in the first class lounge and later out on deck by the entrance to the grand staircase. And they were playing lively music to keep the passengers calm and entertained. This was the first voyage on which this group had worked together. Several of them had previously worked on other ships. The pianist and one cellist had both come from Cunard's Carpathia. One of them had remarked to one of Carpathia stewards. Well, Stuart, we'll soon be on a decent ship with decent grub. Now, it seemed as though this decent ship was going to dessert them all, or take them with her to the bottom of the atlantic. By this time, titanic was well down at the head, but most passengers and officers remained confident that the ship would not sink. Officer Lightoller believed the new bulkheads would hold out. Nevertheless, he was a man of order and things did not seem to be happening the way he thought they should of particular note. It seemed as though Captain smith had to be prodded along to keep this process moving. Chief Officer Wild wanted to wait for further instructions before beginning to load the boats, but light holler, decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. Finally, he pulled the captain aside, cupped his hands over his mouth and ear and shouted. Hadn't we better get the women and Children into the boats? The captain quickly replied, Yes, put the women and Children in and lower away. Light Holler would be manning the loading of the boats on the portside of the ship, and first officer Murdoch, the one who was in charge when the ship hit the iceberg, would be handling the starboard side. Light. Holler decided to lower boat four down to a deck and order women and Children in from there. However, there was a problem with this too. That portion of the promenade deck was enclosed and the windows were all shut. Captain smith had seemingly forgotten about the enclosed portion of the deck, thinking instead of the sister ship olympic, which did not receive the extra amenities, the beautiful sidewalk cafes and the enclosed portions of the promenade deck with the large windows. It took Hugh Woolner to remind the old captain by saying, but sir, haven't you forgotten that all the windows are closed down there, to which smith quickly replied. By God, you're right, So light, holler sent someone to open them, recalling the women and Children back up for a try at boat six on and on into the night work to the officers and crew. The response was very slow and unenthusiastic. People simply did not want to go on the starboard side. Things got off to a slightly faster start. After waving away boat number seven. The first to be lowered away from the ship, Murdoch told third Officer Pittman to take charge of boat number five Murdoch shook Pittman by the hand and smiled, saying goodbye. Good luck. Even on this side though, the process was not without incident. Still in his carpet slippers, Bruce Ismay sometimes thought of as being over excitable now had good reason to be anxious, yet it seemed nobody would listen to him. He was so far as they were concerned. Just an ordinary passenger. Some of the officers did not even realize who he was When Ismay kept pressing 3rd officer. Pitman to hurry with the loading of boat five. Pittman finally snapped, I await the commander's orders. Then realizing who he might have just given to chewing out. Pittman approached the captain to ask if he should do what they wanted and the captain replied, carry on. But christmas squabbles were far from over Vote # five was just not being loaded fast enough for his liking, clinging onto the dab it with one hand and waving his other arm in giant circles. He shouted at the top of his lungs. Lower away. Lower away. Lower away, Lower away. Finally, 5th officer Lowe could take no more and lost his cool. If you'll get the **** out of the way, I'll be able to do something you want me to lower away quickly, you'll have me drown a whole lot of them. Ihsmay felt this might be as good a time as any to move forward and try his hand at boat number three up on the bridge. Titanic's first officer knew he'd have to find out just how badly titanic had been damaged. Apparently Captain smith had come to the same conclusion at about the same time as murdock. As soon as he got on the bridge, he asked what was that? Mr Murdoch and Murdoch's answer detailed the whole account and icebergs. I put her hard to starboard and ran the engines full reverse. I was going to try to pour around it, but if she was too close and we hit, there was nothing more I could do. Close the watertight doors. Captain smith ordered. The doors are closed, Murdoch replied, and the alarm bell? Rung smith further pressed. Yes, sir, the ship was now dead calm on the water immediately. Captain smith wanted to have the ship's carpenter as well as her designer thomas andrews wakened so they could sound the ship to determine the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, however, he sent forth Officer Box Hall, who had come on deck moments after the collision down to do a quick inspection of the ship when he returned to the bridge, he had good news for Captain smith. He had been as far forward as he could go, and there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary. No sign of any trouble for a moment. There was a bit of confidence among the crew. This new ship, it seemed was going to live up to her name. Perhaps even winning out over nature. Moments later, however, the rosy readings that were driving the crew's hopes began to change. Glancing at the commentator Smith, could see that the ship just 10 minutes after the collision was listing two points to starboard. Within a few minutes, that number had increased to five A list meant that something was obviously putting weight or pressure on one portion of the ship, that something Captain smith knew only too well had to be water if your vessel had just struck an iceberg, and if that vessel is now starting to list in the direction of the impact, it's a good bet that the two are connected somewhere deep down below deck, the integrity of that great vessel had to have been breached, allowing the ocean to pour its contents into the liner. If this realization was horrifying to the captain as he peered into the darkness, the next piece of news was absolutely devastating. 4th Officer Box Hall was heading down a bridge ladder to wake the carpenter and designer when the carpenter came rushing up behind him, gasping. She's making water fast. Moments later one of titanic's postal clerks came rushing toward the captain. He had actually tried to rescue some mail and packages from the flooding in the lower part of the mail room. When the sorting area began to take on water. Moments later he was right back in the same situation again as that part of the deck above was now a wash too. By the time he left the postal clerk could see bags of mail floating in seawater. He now blurted out the news to Captain smith. Soon things would get even worse. Reports began filtering up to the bridge that passengers had been seen carrying dripping wet luggage up to higher decks. Another report followed, stating that water was seen lapping at the foul line on the squash court. Captain smith stood in shock. Was this really happening? Could it be that after almost 40 uneventful years at sea? He was now staring down the barrel of the worst kind of disaster possible. Could it be that this trip, which just days earlier, was begun in triumph, had now completely metamorphosed into one of simple survival. Captain smith peered into the cold black night and began to suspect he might be in deep, deep trouble. Moments later, J Bruce Ismay was on the bridge. He had been awakened by the jar and had thrown a suit on over his pajamas and donned a pair of carpet slippers breathlessly. He demanded to know what was going on. We've struck an iceberg. Captain smith spoke slowly. We're waiting for a report from mr andrews. Is she seriously damaged? Mm. Used Captain smith was barely able to get the words out. I'm afraid she is. Chapter Five On the floating palace Thursday. April 11, 1 45 AM. Rms titanic as Harold Bride walked quietly up the grand staircase. He became suddenly uneasy. He wasn't really supposed to be here. None of the crew was supposed to be here, except when passengers requested their presence yet. He was fairly certain that nobody would notice him at this late hour. Besides, Bride was doing a nice thing, a slightly mischievous thing, but it was nonetheless nice. He glanced at the large clock at the top of the stairs, which showed 1:45 a.m. In 15 minutes. He would be expected to relieve Jack Phillips of his duties in the wireless room. He would fulfill this responsibility of course, but first he was going to have some fun. Bride allowed himself just another moment to stare at the carved wooden statues that were on either side of the clock. He wished he could reach out and touch the carvings or the polished railing, but at the moment his arms were full in his right hand. He carried a tray filled with pastries. In his left hand was a bucket. Bride walked more quickly up to the boat deck and then quietly opened the door to the wireless shack. Immediately he knew just how to carry out his plan. Jack phillips was hunched over as he listened intently to messages through his headphones. This was almost too easy. Bride carefully set the tray down on the table, switch the bucket to his other hand and crept up behind Jack phillips all at once. Harold Bride shouted Happy birthday! As he poured the bucket, which was filled with ice cubes down phillips back. Jack phillips immediately roared with laughter and tried to take a swing at Bride from his chair on the RMS titanic. It seemed the wireless operators were not the only ones having a great time. In fact, the whole voyage was going beautifully.