Women Burned Kerchiefs to Signal the Carpathia

Olga Elida Lundin

Third-class passenger

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Says Miss Olga Lundin, Meriden Survivor of the Titanic Disaster, in First Authentic Interview

Almost frenzied by the memory of the awful ordeal through which she passed when the White Star liner foundered off the Grand Banks off New Foundland, Miss Olga Lundin who survived the disaster and who at present is living with her uncle John Anderson, of 109 Franklin street, was not able until to-day to give an authentic account of the tragedy.

The girl, who is but twenty years old, arrived in Meriden early last evening. She was in a hysterical condition and slept a peaceless night, all the horrors of the disaster preying upon her mind. This morning, however, when a Journal reporter called at the home, she was almost fully recovered from hysteria and was able to relate her experiences. She, being unable to speak English, told the story through an interpreter.

Unlike the distinctive type of Scandinavians, Miss Lundin is a brunette, with dark eyes and brown hair and is of large stature.

She said: "Sunday night was spent in merriment by those on board the ship and about 11:30 I retired to my berth. Shortly before midnight, when the third class passengers were asleep, I was awakened by the cries of the ship's steward. Like the rest, I ran mechanically to the deck where we were informed that the rumble and grating noise that had been heard by many on board was caused by the ship striking an iceberg. The steward assured us that there was no immediate danger.

"The majority of the people on deck were only partly clad but there was no panic. The stewards told us there was no immediate danger and that the airtight compartments were closed.

"It was but a few moments when a man appeared and gave warning of the danger. A hurried consultation of the officers followed and immediate action was taken. Orders were being executed by the seamen who rushed to and fro. Women and children were crying frantically as they were separated from the men to enter the lifeboats that were now being hauled down. Officers armed with pistols and clubs stood by to maintain strict discipline and to avert any possible panic.

"My three cousins and a friend who accompanied me from Sweden were bidding me farewell when I was directed by sailors to jump into one of the boats that had just been lowered. About forty-five people were in the boat including the seamen but we were not overcrowded. It was cold and in the excitement provisions had been forgotten. We learned that it was necessary to get far away from the sinking ship because of the suction and the women cheered the sailors in their efforts to avoid the danger precincts.

"Further and further as we drifted off, the cries of the people aboard the sinking vessel became more stifled, only weird sounds of a band could be heard, and the ship itself began to tilt and disappear from view.

"I thought I could see one of my cousins, Nels Johnson, among the other panic stricken and maddened passengers crying out, "Olga! Oh Olga! Tell my mother how I went down." I did not see anything of my other two relatives and friend, Albert Augustin, Paul Andrewson and Carl Johnson.

"I could see no more. Finally the explosion of the ship's boilers brought to me a quick realization that the big liner had sunk to the depths of the sea and I witnessed a scene of the greatest horror. Oh! The pity of it. Many, many struggling in vain to keep afloat. The last two boats that had been lowered were capsized by the suction danger.

"Among the passengers in our lifeboat were five children. One little fellow, about nine years old, I recognized as coming from my native country, Sweden. I asked him how he managed to find his way into the boat. He answered that a man told him to jump in and he did. I heard later that Colonel Astor was instrumental in saving a boy and I entertained no doubt that this was the lad. The child was alone, not father, no mother, and for a while I forgot my own suffering to comfort him.

"Two men, besides the seamen, were aboard our life craft and the explained that they had obtained access before the iron hand of discipline was in order. The survivors being only partly clad, felt the sharp wind and suffered greatly from the intense cold. We drifted nearly four and a half hours when we sighted the smoke of a steamer off in the horizon. It was quite dark and we tried every means of signalling distress that human ingenuity could suggest. We lighted handkerchiefs and wearing apparel to attract the attention of the nearing ship, the Carpathia.

"We were all take[n] aboard the boat which the unflinching bravery of the Titanic wireless operator had brought us and were provided with food and berths.

"News of the disaster aroused the interest of the world and when the Carpathia passed quarantine, we were greeted with the presence of a great crowd as the docks in New York. Mr. H. Jacobson and Miss Aana Anderson of Meriden met me at the office of the White Star liner company.

"Among those who were saved was Carl Johnson, one of the young men who accompanied me on my trip. He took refuge on a door that had been unhinged from its support by the terrific jolt. He told me that he drifted towards one of the capsized boats on to which he hung in addition to his improvised craft, the door.

"My sister was is employed by Mrs. Eugene Hall, of 89 Crown street, read the reports that I was among the lost and her condition grew alarming but she's all right now."

In being quoted this morning as saying that she saw a man's hair turn gray when he witnessed the drowning of his wife, Miss Lundin branded the story as untrue. She said, "It was dark, so how could I have seen such an incident, and, moreover, my attention was occupied by my cousins who were in the face of death!" She deplored the many mis-statements in the article because they tended to place her in a wrong light before her new friends.

Many friends called this morning at the house to congratulate her upon her good fortune in surviving the horrible disaster.