One of the most famous stories of the sinking of Titanic involves the New York Times managing editor Carr Van Anda. While other newspapers waited for concrete facts, believing the liner to be unsinkable, Van Anda went on a hunch, and was the first in the World to report that Titanic had sunk. Yet this legendary article cannot be found in the NY Times microfilm holdings, and the NY Times archival department itself does not have it.
As the story goes, it was early in the morning on April 15th, 1912, and the next day’s paper had already been pressed when the first AP bulletin came in, saying that Titanic was sending distress calls.
Van Anda quickly scrapped what had been the lead story for April 15th and replaced it with the following headline:
"NEW LINER TITANIC HITS AN ICEBERG; SINKING BY THE BOW AT MIDNIGHT; WOMEN PUT OFF IN LIFE BOATS; LAST WIRELESS AT 12:27 A.M. BLURRED"
This famous, front page headline can be found in every NY Times microfilm holding for April 15th, 1912. Yet, it does not say Titanic actually sunk, only that it was sinking. Later, as the story goes, at 3:30AM Van Anda released a second April 15th edition of the paper, the “city edition”, and it was in this edition that Van Anda reported the Titanic had actually sunk. He went on a hunch with this article, thus scooping the World.
Yet, this “city edition” paper for April 15th, 1912, the first to actually report Titanic had sunk, seems to be a mystery, and cannot be found in the NY Times microfilm holdings. The only NY Times edition recorded for April 15th is the headline listed above.
So where is this famous headline- the first to report Titanic had actually sunk?
Though this famous story is widely referenced, the actual headline is always left out. In Meyer Berger’s famous book “The Story of the New York Times : 1851 — 1951”, he relates this story, but makes no mention as to the actual text of the article, or the headline, only that it was a “city edition” for April 15th, and the first to report Titanic had sunk.
Could it be that this second “city edition” released on the 15th was never saved or recorded? That the famous article, referenced in countless Titanic books, is actually a mystery, and only exists in some private collection, or perhaps was never saved at all?
For such a well known story, that the NY Times was the first to report Titanic had sunk, it seems odd that the actual article is so difficult to find. I’ve even contacted the NY Times archives and they have no knowledge of a “city edition” paper for April 15th, 1912.
I’m wondering if anyone here might have any knowledge about this they might be able to share.
As the story goes, it was early in the morning on April 15th, 1912, and the next day’s paper had already been pressed when the first AP bulletin came in, saying that Titanic was sending distress calls.
Van Anda quickly scrapped what had been the lead story for April 15th and replaced it with the following headline:
"NEW LINER TITANIC HITS AN ICEBERG; SINKING BY THE BOW AT MIDNIGHT; WOMEN PUT OFF IN LIFE BOATS; LAST WIRELESS AT 12:27 A.M. BLURRED"
This famous, front page headline can be found in every NY Times microfilm holding for April 15th, 1912. Yet, it does not say Titanic actually sunk, only that it was sinking. Later, as the story goes, at 3:30AM Van Anda released a second April 15th edition of the paper, the “city edition”, and it was in this edition that Van Anda reported the Titanic had actually sunk. He went on a hunch with this article, thus scooping the World.
Yet, this “city edition” paper for April 15th, 1912, the first to actually report Titanic had sunk, seems to be a mystery, and cannot be found in the NY Times microfilm holdings. The only NY Times edition recorded for April 15th is the headline listed above.
So where is this famous headline- the first to report Titanic had actually sunk?
Though this famous story is widely referenced, the actual headline is always left out. In Meyer Berger’s famous book “The Story of the New York Times : 1851 — 1951”, he relates this story, but makes no mention as to the actual text of the article, or the headline, only that it was a “city edition” for April 15th, and the first to report Titanic had sunk.
Could it be that this second “city edition” released on the 15th was never saved or recorded? That the famous article, referenced in countless Titanic books, is actually a mystery, and only exists in some private collection, or perhaps was never saved at all?
For such a well known story, that the NY Times was the first to report Titanic had sunk, it seems odd that the actual article is so difficult to find. I’ve even contacted the NY Times archives and they have no knowledge of a “city edition” paper for April 15th, 1912.
I’m wondering if anyone here might have any knowledge about this they might be able to share.