Two Scranton clergyman, Rev. Henry Burke, of Hawley, and Rev. Daniel McCarthy, of Mt. Pleasent, are passengers aboard the Cunard liner Carpathia, that went to the aid of the sinking Titanic off New Foundland banks, and which is now proceeding to New York with the Titanic's survivors. They are the only persons from this city or nearby known to have been at the scene of the disaster.
Both priests are bound for Rome and a tour of the Holy Lands. They sailed Friday last for Liverpool by the Carpathia, and were some 300 miles from the Titanic when the Carpathia's wireless man caught the distress signals flashing from the sinking vessel.
As the Carpathia immediately turned and sped for the White Star ship, they very likely have had the experience of witnessing the rescue of the 600 passengers that were tossed about in lifeboats from the wrecked Titanic.
The captain of the Carpathia is also a Captain Smith [sic], the same as the commander of the lost vessel. Bishop Hoban has made frequent trips on the Carpathia, knows its Captain very well and is quite familiar with the course of both the White Star and Cunard liners.
"This disaster is frightful," declared the Bishop, "I know only what I've seen in the newspapers, but from that it would seem that the Titanic, to avoid ice flows, had dropped out of its course and was travelling south west when it struck the iceberg."
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