Nothing in this life lasts forever. Happy people are confident that it will always be this way. But they cannot know what awaits them tomorrow. Who knows, maybe sweet ignorance is much better than bitter truth? Fortunately, there are individuals who seek to take everything from life. They are not content with little and try to change the world to the best of their ability. Today we are talking about the sinking of the Titanic and remember the deaths of outstanding people, whose power could become unlimited. However, their lives were cut short.
Major Archibald Butt
What needs to be achieved so that the President of the United States of America not only leaves an obituary after a person's death, but also calls him his younger brother? Once President Taft learned of the sinking of the Titanic, he did not seek out his old friend among the survivors. The head of the country was confident that Major Archibald Butt acted as an official in the crash, helping to save women and children. Our first hero previously served as personal assistant to President Theodore Roosevelt, but remained in office after the election of William Howard Taft.
At the beginning of 1912, the military's health began to deteriorate and he decided to spend several weeks in Europe. The return home for Major Archibald Butt was fatal. He was on that ill-fated liner, and, according to eyewitnesses, he was last seen with Francis Millet in the smoking room. When it became clear that the disaster could not be avoided, Butt began to help the passengers to evacuate to lifeboats, and to one of his colleagues he threw the famous phrase: "Women are saved first, or I will break every bone in your body." His body was never found.
Promotional video:
Benjamin Guggenheim
This was one of the offspring of the mining magnate Mayer Guggenheim. The Swiss émigré bought his first two copper mines in Colorado in 1880 and built his mining empire from scratch. Benjamin was the fifth son, so he did not inherit his father's business, but he got most of his capital. However, he wisely disposed of it, investing in a company that serves elevators on the Eiffel Tower. The entrepreneur was married but was passionate about France and everything connected with it. For most of his adult life, he lived in two houses, so he often traveled across the ocean.
The story of his last journey is a classic case of ridiculous coincidences that led to tragedy. Initially, he was to make a trip to his homeland on the Lusitania liner, while his ship Karmania needed repairs. As if he had a presentiment that he should become a part of history, and boarded the Titanic. Although his famous phrase, thrown to his valet, certainly immortalized him. Legend has it that after the gentlemen helped the ladies with the evacuation, they put on tailcoats and, slowly sipping whiskey, began to expect their own death. When people around offered them to leave the ship, Guggenheim retorted: "We are dressed in the best suits and will die, as befits gentlemen." The body of the 46-year-old businessman has not been found. He was renowned for his generous donations to charity and the development of museums.
Daniel Warner Marvin
When this young man boarded the Titanic, he was only 18 years old. There is no doubt that he could have written his name in history in a different way. He chose for himself the field of engineer, according to family tradition. Marvin's father was one of the founders of the American company Mutoscope and Biograph. According to various sources, Sr. Marvin fought with Thomas Edison for a patent for the creation of a cinetograph designed to record moving objects on film. Subsequently, the Marvin family developed another movie camera that made it possible to circumvent patent restrictions.
One of the first films of the new film studio was the recording of the wedding of young Daniel. The three-week honeymoon was drawing to a close and the newlyweds were returning from their journey aboard the Titanic. Our hero put his pregnant wife in a lifeboat and said: “It's okay, my little girl. You go and I will stay. His daughter was born a few months later, and the wedding footage was destroyed by an inconsolable widow. The Marvin family company is still thriving, but it is now known as Biograph.
Isidore and Ida Strauss
When you hear about such cases, you believe in the best, in life after death, in true love and self-sacrifice. The couple were incredibly wealthy, but did not spare money for charity. They knew what it was like to be poor, to come to an unfamiliar country from Europe and try to raise their business. In America, they faced civil war and bankruptcy. Gradually, they paid off their debts, moved to New York, where Isidore found work and subsequently became a congressman.
He rose to the rank of owner of the company, and his subordinates were moved to tears after his death. He felt responsible for the well-being of people and always showed a genuine interest in their life. Isidor Strauss organized a self-help society for workers. At the time of the crash, Ida had a place on a lifeboat, but she refused to leave her husband. The woman put the maid in the boat, giving her coat goodbye. Her body, unlike the body of her husband, was not found. When Isidore was buried, it seemed that the whole city went out to the funeral service.
William Thomas Stead
The story goes that little William learned to read Latin at the age of five. He was the son of a British minister and received an excellent education. After becoming a journalist, Stead devoted a lot of time to public activities and single-handedly conducted investigations. He promoted morality through the London newspapers and became the founder of the movement against child prostitution. He believed that journalism could change the world for the better. Stead advocated social reforms, for the formation of an alternative people's government. His work was so large-scale that in 1912 the prominent social activist was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. When the Titanic sank, the body of William Thomas Stead was never found. We do not know what scenario the development of society could have followed if the journalist had not got on board the ill-fated liner.
John Jacob Astor IV
This man was the scandalous and controversial heir to the Astor family. The hotel complex "Waldorf-Astoria" is not the only achievement of our next hero. His great-grandfather created a monopoly on the fur trade and provided his heirs not only with a profitable business, but also with the title of the richest people in America. However, John Jacob Astor's interests extended far beyond the business. From under his pen came a futuristic novel, and the talent of an engineer helped him to invent a bicycle brake and pneumatic track. He was a participant in the Spanish-American War and rose to the rank of colonel, in addition, he tried his hand at motorsport.
The scandal happened when Astor divorced his first wife and got along with a woman who was younger than his own son. The millionaire received criticism from the media, and he decided to hide from the press in Europe for a while. Astor and his young pregnant wife were returning home aboard the Titanic. Madeleine survived and gave birth to a son, whom she named John Jacob. The body of the millionaire was raised from the bottom on April 22 and buried in New York.
Inga Kaisina