The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-04-16

strength and courage 10 mul
tItude. Although the rumor soon went
the rounds that giant wave which
popped the ship had carried away two
| OF her six boats. there were no visible
signs OF furry In the measures taken
to equip the remaining boats for use
| The men had confidence In their Off.
ters Every one worked smoothly and
well
/ All told. there were eighty persons
| on board when the Kansas left Val
| paraiso. or these, seventeen, includ-
ing the officers, were OF European birth
or lineage. The remaining slxty-three
4 were men OF mixed nationalities, rang
Ing from Spanish speaking Chileans to
negroes. There were eight under.
stewards. a cook and his assistants
ana nearly fifty sailors and firemen.
/ Unfortunately the explosion OF the
/ stokehod had killed the chief engineer
and one OF his juniors, while six stok.
ers were dead and several injured.
II was discovered that before he died
the chief had shut Off steam and thus
prevented the accident from assuming
far more serious proportions. The Sec
ond engineer, a Newcastle man named
Walker, who rushed TO the engine
room at the first indication Of a mis-
hap, found his chief lying In collapse
on the lever platform. Walker prompt
ly opened certain levers, which allowed
the steam to escape freely; then he
carried his comrade out Of the spume
to the deck 1t was too late. Partial
kufrocadon had placed too great
strain on a diseased heart BY the
time DR.. Chrlstobal was summoned a
brave man was dead
Courtenay, who had left instructions
that he was TO be called when the
Eyangellstas light was sighted, was
sound asleep. In the elevated quar-
ters assigned TO the captain the noise
Of the explosion differed little from the
thunderous blows OF the sea, but the
stopping OF the engines awoke him In.
stantly. He felt the ship lurch away
from her course and saw the quick
swerve OF the compass indicator over
his head. As he ran down the gang.
way leading from the bridge he heard
the officer OF the watch say:
Something given way in the engine
room. sir"
Several minutes elapsed before he or
Walker, aided by willing volunteers,
could penetrate the depths OF the
stokehold. The place was charnel
house. stlfing pit, filled with the
charred contents OF the furnaces. which
gave of the most nolsome fumes ow
Ing TO the rapid condensation OF steam
and water escaping from the damaged
pipes. But the gale raging without
served one good purpose in driving
plenty OF air down the yentIlating
cowls. Gradually the choking atmos
phere cleared. Cour,enay was the first
10 reach the lowermost rung OF the
iron ladder. whence be looked with
the eyes Of despair on scene OF death
and ruin.
The electric light was unininred. II
revealed the bodies OF several men.
either dead or insensible. lying amid
the scattered coal shorels, stoking
rods and pieces Of iron plate had been
hurled about In wild confusion. The
door Of one furnace was blown clean
out OF rs bolts. furnace bars and Gre
bricks strewed the iron deck, while
each time the ship rolled the heavy
ciank Of loose metal somewhere IN the
engine room proved that the damage
was not confined solely 10 the stoke.
hold.
II Courfenay could hsye dropped
quietly into the sea through the stout
hull Of the Kansas be would have vel.
coined the certain result OF tina, bitter
moment Bot be was the captain. and
men would look 10 him for salvation /
Well. he would do all that was possible
and. at any rEie. die at his post So,
choking hack his misery. be organized /
the work Of rescue slings were form /
cd of ropes, and those men 10 whom !