Another Titanic artifact has hit the auction block recently at Julien’s Auctions. A telegram, dated April 16, 1912, (the day after the wreck) sent by Philip Franklin, vice president of the International Mercantile Marine Co. in New York City, to Capt. Herbert Haddock of the RMS Olympic, Titanic’s sister ship, asking for the names of every survivor of the Titanic disaster who was picked up by the ship Carpathia.

As it turned out, the Olympic was heading for London when the distress signal from the Titanic arrived. The Olympic headed for the Titanic to help, but was told it wasn’t needed by the Carpathia, which was already saving survivors, so the Olympic continued to London.

The telegram, expected to fetch from $1,000 to $2,000, was sold for $3,250.

Historical footnote No. 1: According to Ocean Liners Magazine, upon arriving in port, corroded collapsible lifeboats were installed on the Olympic — this, just after the Titanic’s lack of adequate lifeboats greatly increased the death count. Despite offering to replace inferior lifeboats with wooden ones, several crew members mutinied anyway, leaving the ship singing “We’re All Going the Same Way Home.”

Historical footnote No. 2: Among the connections the Titanic has with the Pacific Northwest, newlywed John Jacob Astor IV, great-grandson of Astoria’s founder, died in the disaster. His pregnant wife, Madeleine, survived, and gave birth to the “Titanic Baby,” John Jacob Astor VI (someone already claimed John Jacob Astor V) in August. (Photo: Julien’s Auctions)