The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-07-28
WIZ ELEss SAVES
SCORES OF LIVES
Another Vessel Goes to Rescue
Of Burning Liner.
1876 PERSONS ARE TAKEN OFF
Passengers Transferred to sister Ship
and Flames In Hold Of Mo-
mus Are Checked by
Crew.
1875 PERSONS ARE TAKEN OFF

Charleston, s. c., July 25.-The snap
and fash of the wireless, sending out
the IS. o. S." the call that has super
seeded the &c. Q. D."-the high sea
cry for help--resulted In the saving
of scores Of lives from the burning
coast liner Momus, owned by the
Southern Pacific company, OF the
Florida coast. News Of the rescue
was brought by wireless dispatches
received here.
The Comus, ship belonging to the
same line. answered the call, standing
by while the passengers were trans
ferred. The advices sent out while
the vessel was ablaze In twelve faith
oms of water said there was mini
mum of confusion among the passen-
gers, and that nearly all, especially
the women, acted with heroism from
the time the flames were discovered
until they were safe aboard the relief
ship .@-.
1856 Souls Aboard ship.
There were sixty passengers on
board and a crew Of 125. The fire
was well advanced when 1t was dis
covered. For time efforts were
made to keep the situation from the
knowledge of the passengers, but
eventually this became impossible. as
the blaze gained Roadway.
In the meantime the wireless had
been flashing necessarily. When 1t
was seen that the passengers inevi-
tably would have to know of the stu
alton the answer of the Comus was
picked up. The Comus was bound up
the coast from New Orleans.
Blaze In the AfterhoId.
The blaze was discovered in the
afterhold Of the Menus when the
vessel was OF Cape Canarveral, Fla.
Efforts were made to signal the light
house on the cape. Capt John F.
Boyd then ordered all hands to fight
the fire. 1t was impossible to pene-
trate into the flaming hold, 80 the
matches were battened down and the
pumps were kept going necessarily,
flooding the compartment. The YES
sci was compelled to slacken speed
and then lie to and the lifeboats were
got in readiness to take the passen-
gers ashore, landing them on the
sandy but treacherous beach, If neces-
sary.
Captain Boyd and First Oficer
Woods Gained such passengers as be-
came frightened when they learned of
the fire and kept them In good order.
A few of the passengers went to the
aid OF the, officers, cooperating In
maintaining order.
When the Comus came at last, and
its master, Captain Maxom, signaled
that he was ready to take aboard all
of the passengers. the condition of
those on the Menus was as good as
could be expected. Some of the more
excitable, however, were in q state
bordering on nervous collapse.
Begin Transfer Of Passengers.
The small boats of both ships were
put to the task of transferring the
men, women and children from the
Momus. At the request of Captain
Boyd, the Comus stood by, while the
crew and officers gave their undivided
attention to checking the fire in. the
hold. D..
Their efforts were rewarded when
the blaze was got under control.
Until the hold could be searched,
after the process of smothering should
be abandoned. no definite estimate of
the damage can be made, according
to the officers.