Saturday, April 14, 2007

April 14, 1912 Sunday afternoon...

For 1635 passengers, half of their last day was over. Titanic's short life was about to end, and she would become a legend. From 'Queen of the seas' to passenger's worse nightmare.

"......Sea trials she passed with no great concern;

Taking it with ease at every turn.

Built to tower over all,

She acquired fame, but it cost her a fall!

She was known as unsinkable

Queen of the Seas,

But that could not stop her from breaking up dreams.

She then departed to see land no more,

With the greatest luxuries man could afford.

Titanic was regarded as a dazzling sight,

But size and power couldn’t keep her from fright......."

It's hard to really know what all went on in the dwindling hours of the late morning and afternoon. I guess that I have always surmised that passengers enjoyed fabulous meals, and service. You have to really put it into perspective, these were real down to life people, with lives! Many third class passengers were coming to America for a new life, you have to wonder what kind of anticipation filled their hearts right now, how will we adjust to a new culture, will we fit in well, will I acquire a steady job, will I be able to provide for my family? I can only imagine what was running through the minds of most third class passengers.
Then you have second class passengers, better off financially but I'm sure things still ran through their minds. These second class passengers were coming back from Europe, maybe from visiting family, sight seeing, just normal people trying to make a decent living.
Then you have first class passengers, prominent leaders in the world of art, wealth, political offices, writers, presidents of different railway companies, bankers, and merchants! When you think about it, it's a distinguished group of people for a distinguished ship.
Playing cards in the first class smoking rooms, maybe there were people playing squash on F deck. But all in all passengers were probably soaking up the fresh clean air on boat deck, or perhaps relaxing to the Titanic's band playing ragtime, or classical music, or maybe rich first class passengers indulging in the authentic Parisian Cafe with real French waiters.
But then I also think of the crew and officers, there was always an officer on the bridge, a man standing there tirelessly keeping the ship on track, or what about the stokers, firemen, engineers, and all of the other sweaty crewmen, men that the passengers never saw, but it was they who kept the ship running. Then you have the stewards, making sure that all of the passengers never needed anything, keeping things clean and tidy.
When I step back and look at the whole catastrophe it's really sad to think of all the work that went into her, all of the money, and all of the lives just to be wasted. Just think about being able to look over the bow of that great ocean liner and see the endless blue ocean stretching out before your eyes, and to know that your apart of it. It would have been a very enjoyable experience.

2 comments:

TO BECOME said...

So many dreams, so much to experience and look forward to. So many lives to be changed forever more. To have placed your trust in something and to have been failed so completely. Just goes to prove men and things will let you down but this, I know, God never will. Grandma

Daniel said...

Talk about your life being ripped apart at the very seems. You can only imagine what they really felt.

Your Grandson