Bishops arrive home and relate many things
about Titanic not before told

Dowagiac Daily News
Friday, May 10, 1912
Ship Slowly Sank to Watery Grave While They Watched One Mile Away – Did Not Break In Two

Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Bishop, who were among the fortunate ones to escape the Wreck of the Titanic, are once more among their Dowagiac relatives and friends.
They arrived home this morning at 8:52, having made the trip aboard train from Buffalo. [They] came that far from New York in their their car, but such was the condition of the roads and the weather that they abandoned the auto and shipped it home.
Mr. Bishop relates some interesting things about their experiences aboard the Titanic and after leaving the wrecked ship which had never appeared in print.
“We waited over to take passage on this particular ship,” said Mr. Bishop in talking to the Daily News.
“We could have sailed earlier, but waited at Cherbourg to come across on this monster new passenger boat, which was the largest and most sumptuous of the trans-Atlantic boats.
“Up to the time af the wreck we had a beautified passage. The sea was delightful. It was delightful that Sunday night, as calm and as quiet as a mill pond. I will never forget the sunset that night Everybody had enjoyed it.
“We had spent the evening in the ‘lounge,’ and at 11 o’clock retired to our stateroom on ‘B’ deck. I sat up in bed and read until 11:40 when the ship struck the iceberg.
“I hurriedly dressed and told Mrs. Bishop to do the same. I then went to the ‘A’ deck, and finally to the boat deck. There seemed to be no commotion. The stewards laughed at the suggestion of danger.
“I felt assured all was safe and returned to our stateroom. We both undressed and retired. I once more began to read and so occupied myself for ten minutes.
“Presently Mr. Stewart, a friend we had made on board ship, who had been across the ocean many timess rapped at the door and called me outside. He informed me we had best get up and dress. He then called my attention to the listing of the boat which began soon after the iceberg was struck.
“We then dressed completely and prepared for comfort in an emergency. We went up to the boat deck but no preparation had been made for lowering any of the boats.
“We returned to ‘A’ deck and there met Mr. and Mrs. Astor who seemed to feel little alarm. Mrs. Bishop wished a muff and I went for it, and while in the stateroom she came in and said we had been ordered to put on life belts. This we did and again went to the boat deck.
“The lowering of the life boats was done deliberately, and it was not even commenced until we had been on deck for several minutes. It was then almost impossible to get people to venture into them.
“We entered the first boat lowered, and I am sure there were six or seven single men in the boat with us. The officers implored people to get aboard, but they seemed to fear hanging out over the water at a height of 75 feet, and the officers ordered the boat lowered away with only a small portion of what it could carry.”
Mr. Bishop declares there was no explosion when the ship sank. It settled gradually, until finally the bow plunged downward and the stem stood high in the air. Strange as it may seem, the lights burned brilliantly to the last.
“It was exceedingly difficult to be understood on the deck, such was the noise from the escaping steam which began [to] blow off as soon as the engines stopped.”