Timeline Article: Titanic's Survivors Disembark

Carpathia at the New York docks

Thursday, April 18, 1912

Around 9:30pm

Darkness and heavy rain have delayed the warping of the Carpathia to the dock. A crowd of 10,000 to eventually 30,000 people have gathered, and are awaiting the arrival of Titanic's survivors. Among the crowd is a large detachment of city officials, immigration commissioners, doctors, priests, sisters, nurses, ambulances, and coroners. The Salvation Army is also there to care for the survivors of Titanic’s steerage passengers. Delegates from the New York Stock Exchange have sums of cash for those who have lost everything. Organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America along with many others have set up fundraisers to help those in need.

The Boy Scouts of America collecting money
to help support Titanic's survivors.

Once the Carpathia was tied to the dock and the gangway prepared, a large number of stretchers were taken aboard. As Titanic's passengers began making their way down the gangway it soon became evident to the crowd that a large number of survivors had lost all their clothing, and had to make due with whatever was available to them aboard the Carpathia. Some were ill physically and or mentally. Others were violently hysterical, and evidently deranged, while there were a considerable number of cases that were in a state of shock. As the survivors made their way to the street, silence fell over the crowd, and even the flashes of the Press photographers' cameras ceased for a moment.

Titanic's surviving Wireless Operator
Harold Bride being carried from the
Carpathia.

Dr. Henry Frauenthal and his wife were the first to land from the Carpathia. They were driven off quickly in a motor car, and no one had any opportunity to speak to them. Many soon followed in the same manner. 

Some of the survivors needed assistance getting down the gangway such as Titanic's Wireless Operator Harold Bride who had injuries to his feet. One was sprained and the other had frostbite.

As Titanic's survivors disembark, the people in the crowd started shouting out names in hopes to get a response. The people that were reunited with their loved ones clung to them and kissed them tenderly. 

The sick and injured of Titanic's survivors were carried on stretchers and taken to a hospital by ambulance. 

For the others that waited and waited but never saw their loved ones, it was a horrible reality. Out of the 2,208 people aboard Titanic only 712 survived. That meant 1,496 were dead.

One man in the crowd waiting to greet the survivors is William Alden Smith, a U.S. Representative and Senator from the state of Michigan. He has been appointed to investigate the sinking of Titanic. Senator Smith along with a group of U.S. marshals board Carpathia. He has a handful of subpoena, one of which is for Bruce Ismay. The investigation hearings begin the very next day and Senator Smith wants Ismay to be there.

Senator William Alden Smith (left) and
White Star Line President J. Bruce Ismay (right)

Timeline Article: Carpathia Arrives in New York with Titanic's Survivors

Carpathia approaching New York.

Thursday, April 18, 1912

Evening

By 6pm, Carpathia slowly makes her way through the dark and rainy evening, a harbor pilot from the Ambrose lightship is brought aboard as well as an escort of tugboats to lead her into New York. Private craft surround Carpathia. Photographers' camera flashes light up the evening and reporters shout out questions with megaphones. One reporter manages to board the ship only to be grabbed by crew members and taken below deck. Some people in the boats surrounding Carpathia hold up signs asking for Titanic survivors by name. Nearly 30,000 people gather at the Cunard's pier 54 braving the rain and cold waiting for Carpathia to arrive. Nearly all of New York's police force was on duty. Hundreds of officers were required to hold back the crowds of people. Many were relatives of the survivors desperately seeking answers.

Crowds of people waiting for Carpathia to arrive
with Titanic's survivors.

Around 8pm, Carpathia appears out of the rainy darkness only to be lit up by the constant flashing of photographers' cameras. The crowds watch in confusion as Carpathia slowly moves past her Cunard pier 54 and stops at White Star's pier 59. After a few moments it all becomes clear as Carpathia's crew begin unloading Titanic's lifeboats at the pier where Titanic would have docked. Only 13 lifeboats were all the remained of the great liner.

Titanic's 13 remaining lifeboats dropped off by
Carpathia at Titanic's pier.

After all of Titanic's lifeboats were unloaded from Carpathia's deck, she slowly makes her way back to the Cunard dock. The crowd grew silent as the gangplank was lowered, and by 9:30pm Titanic's survivors began to disembark.

Timeline Article: The Uneasiness Aboard Carpathia

Titanic's survivors aboard Carpathia

April 15 - 18, 1912

Titanic's survivors settle into their crowded new quarters among Carpathia's sympathetic passengers and crew. Under these conditions the ship is too small to allow anyone much privacy. The passengers and crew share or give up their cabins to their cold and fatigued guests. The common areas of the ship are soon filled causing many to move out onto the decks. Titanic's recovered lifeboats loom over them as a haunting reminder. Among the crowds, some family members are reunited. Newly made widows recalling the recent deaths of their husbands, are tortured by the presence of men that have survived.

Titanic's lifeboats on the deck of Carpathia

Then on Tuesday night, Carpathia runs into a thunderstorm. On Wednesday she encounters heavy fog that doesn't clear until Thursday afternoon. The bad weather frightens many of the survivors. By the time the fog clears many can hear the Fire Island fog horn. New York City is only hours away.

Fire Island Lighthouse

Timeline Article: Olympic Officially Informs New York About Titanic

RMS Olympic

Monday, April 15, 1912

6:15pm New York Time

Throughout the day, the people of New York City have heard nothing but rumors. 

With no real news on what has happened, all the conflicting and confusing stories begin to seem true. 

Finally, at 6:15pm Olympic sends New York a simple message, 

"Titanic has gone down". 

White Star Line's Phillip Franklin announces it to the American public. The news crosses the Atlantic by cable. The first numbers appear listing that only 675 passengers and crew were rescued. For a ship that had a crew of 900, this could mean the worst for Southampton, England where nearly all of Titanic's crew were employed. 

New rumors start to circulate when London's Daily Sketch makes an unsupported claim that the Carpathia with Titanic's survivors on board had also begun to sink. Lists showing the names of Titanic's survivors are posted. Some of the names posted are misspelled, then corrected, or even omitted as vague new reports come in.

There will be no relief to the confusion until Carpathia arrives.

People gather outside The Sun Building in New York
awaiting news about Titanic.

Timeline Article: Cottom And Bride Send Messages from Carpathia

Harold Cottom

Carpathia's wireless operator Harold Cottom has been on duty all night. He is completely exhausted and overwhelmed. He has a huge number of official messages that must be sent out informing the world of Titanic's sinking as well as messages going out from survivors. On top of that, Captain Rostron wants a complete list of survivors to be sent out as quickly as possible.

Harold Bride

Titanic's wireless operator Harold Bride decides to assist Cottom with the outgoing messages. Despite his exhaustion and frostbitten feet, he relieves Cottom at the wireless whenever necessary.

During voyage to New York, Carpathia's signal will be broadcasting constantly. Cottom and Bride will ignore all incoming messages from news reporters and including President Taft. The two men have both committed themselves to serving Titanic's survivors.