William Alden Smith (May 12, 1859 – October 11, 1932) was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan. After the 1912 sinking of the Titanic, Smith chaired the Senate hearings into the disaster. His report led to major reforms in maritime safety.

Despite all this, few people—even those intimately familiar with the Titanic legend—remember the Titanic hero whose legacy in the aftermath of the sinking had a remarkable and historic impact above and beyond the dramatic events the night the …

Nov 18, 2020 · Sen. William Alden Smith (R-Mich.), a lawyer by training, led the U.S. Senate inquiry. He wasted no time in rounding up key witnesses, in part out of concern that they would leave the U.S. and...

Senator William Alden Smith of Grand Rapids gained national recognition when he chaired the Senate subcommittee investigating the causes of the sinking of the Titanic. William Alden Smith was one of the most well known citizens of Grand Rapids in the early 1900s.

Senator William Alden Smith (R - Michigan), who had sailed with Captain Smith in 1906 and had a chance to meet the man, wanted to know why this ship went down. He telephoned to Charles Hilles, Secretary to President Taft , to ask what action was to be taken.

Apr 13, 2012 · GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Perhaps it was his background as a newsboy in Grand Rapids, but U.S. Sen. William Alden Smith wasted no time getting to the docks to greet survivors of the HMS Titanic in...

William Alden Smith was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan. After the 1912 sinking of the Titanic, Smith chaired the Senate hearings into the disaster.

On April 19, 1912, less than a week after the RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912 with a loss of over 1,500 lives, Senator William Alden Smith of Grand Rapids, Michigan, presided over Senate hearings investigating the sinking of the Titanic.

William Alden Smith. In all, more than 80 people were interviewed. Notable witnesses included Second Officer Charles Lightoller, the most senior officer to survive. He defended the actions of his superiors, especially Captain Smith’s refusal to decrease the ship’s speed. Many passengers testified to the… Read More

Dec 2, 2024 · Legislative profile for Sen. William Alden Smith [R-MI, 1907-1919], the former Senator from Michigan