The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-12-10
PASSENGERS
DANCED WHILE.
SHIP BURNED
Knew Nothing of the Appal.
ling Danger Until It Was
Past
COAL BUNKERs CAUGHT FIRE
WHILE SHIP WAS IN MID0CEAM

WHILE SHIP WAS IN M|D0cEAM
Captain Had Everything Ready to Take
to the Boats If Necessary But Would
Not Tell Passengers for Fear NJ q
Panic
Fnliadelphia. Dec. 10.-The big
steamship Friesland of the American
!lne' arrived this morning at the
washington avenue wharf with every
one OF the Ito cabin and 1856 steer
age passengers, together with the
crew alive and we'll and able to tell
OF the ships narrow escape from be-
Ing burned to the waters edge in
midocean.
For five hours Monday night last
whlle the ship rolled in a tempest
tossed sea the crew battled against
nerce flames that broke out in the
coal bunkers and spread rapidly
through the hold and into the cargo.
So quietly did the fire fighters work
that not one of the passengers knew
OF the danger until the fire had been
completely extinguished. Then Cap
tam 9. j. Rodgers had the news
spread and all day while the liner
plowed eastward on the last leg of
the nome journey, the passengers
gathered In Frayer meetings.
Thirty Hours Late.
The Friesland was thirty hours late
due to the rough seas encountered.
Most of the passengers were at din
ner Monday night when the word was
passed up to Chief Engineer John
Cammall. from the coal bunkers. that
fire had broken out deep down in the
coal compartments.
Inc word was passed on to Captain
rodgers. sid he placed himself at
the head of the fighters. Orders
were given to keep the passengers in
order to avoid panic. Quietly the
crew grabbed up long lines of hose
and descended into the hold. Dense
volumes of smoke laden. with the
deadly sulphur fumes made fighting
the flames hazardous job.
Ten Lines Of Hose.
| The smoke worked havoc among
the brave crew. Time after time a
man Or two dropped unconscious and
was dragged into the open for a
breath of fresh air. Once revived
| they returned and relieved their ia
tigued comrades.
For two hours the flames ragged
while the fighters struggled to ex-
tinguish them. Because of the smoke
1t was impossible to see how great
an area had been included in the fire
| zone and just what start the flames
had gotten.
Meanwhile. by means of the careful
tactics adopted by the commanding
officers. the passengers were kept in
ignorance of the great danger below.
After dinner the cabin passengers be-
gan concert in the main saloon, and
while the crew fought the flames in
the hold the passengers sang and
danced till midnight and until after
the fire had been eventually con-
quered.
Fire Gains Headway.
Then is was that Captain Dodgers
learned that the fire was apparently
getting away from his men. The
flames had eaten their way through
the mass of coal and into the main
hold where the cargo was stored. 1t
was necessary to divide the crew of
fire-fighters and place half at the 9TH
er side of the fire.
Working from two directions the
stokers, coal passers. firemen. engi-
neers, deck hands and others who
composed the volunteer service took
up the fight anew. AS the danger in
creased Captain Rodgers gave orders
to his subordinates that preparations
be made to man the boats in case it
became necessary to take the pas
sengers off.
Wireless Calls For Aid.
The wireless apparatus was set in
motion and the C. @. DIS. sent off in
every direction. Despite the increas-
ing danger. Captain Rodgers insisted
that the passengers be kept quiet and
not to know of the fire on board un-
til 1t became absolutely necessary.
After two more hours the fire fight
ers got the fire under control, and
in another had conquered it altogeth-
er. This was near midnight, and q
portion of the cargo, together with
the greater portion Of the coal sup
ply, was eaten up by the flames.
1t was not until Tuesday breakfast
that the crew knew aught of the
dangers that had threatened them
during the night hours. When it fin
ally became noised about demon
stration followed. The women clasp
ed the soiled fire fighters in grateful
embraces, while the men knelt in
prayer.
The loss to the ship and just how
much of the cargo was destroyed has
not yet been calculated. The cargo
was of miscellaneous nature.
HITS FAIR RATES
Interstate tate C. Commerce Commission