Imperial Valley press., 1912-06-10
DEADLY OIL TANKS
Ships That Are a Constant Men.
ace to All on Board.
DEATH LURKS IN THE CARGO.
Besides the Constant Danger Of the Oil
Heating and Exploding and instantly
Destroying the Vessel There 10 Also
the Peril of "Eumino,n

ooStuob NNo NouStanS 0aU9eT 0V NUO VII
Heating and Exploding and Instantly
Destroying the Vessel There 10 Also
the Peril Of "Fumins."
The most dangerous sort Of ship
afioat Is that particular kind OF vessel
a sailorman who will sign on for Il
voyage in one if he can get Job on
board any other class Of vessel.
The oil tank is vessel whose cargo
consists of oil. which is carried in
great tanks. Two dangers are ever
present to all on board-namely, that
the oil may heat and explode. (which
means the instant destruction of the
ship, or that it may burst from the
tanks. in which case the ship is,almost
certain to be destroyed by fire,
There is also the remote danger Of
the oil ''fuming" When the oil
fumes the working Of the ship be-
comes almost impossible On fun
ing" oil tank no one can remain below
deck for more than ten minutes with
out becoming overcome by the oil
fumes. which are hundred times
more deadly to human life than coal
gas.
The most terrible tragedies Of the
ocean have occurred on board these
death traps.
A few years ago a Russian oil tank,
the Omar, which sailed from Batum
bound for Bombay with 10000 gallons
of oil on board. was sighted in the Pa
cific by German tramp steamer nam
ed the Velter Fend. The Omar was
flying signals Of distress and when
sighted was apparently completely dis
abled. for she was making no head
way.
The sea was quite calm. and the cap
tain of the Velter Fend approached
within hailing distance Of the disabled
ship. but no reply came from her in
response to his hail.
Then the captain of the German
tramp sent boat to the silent ship.
When the boats crew reached her
decks they saw five men lying on the
deck. three Of whom were dead. The
other two were in state Of collapse.
but alive.
The mate Of the German tramp. who
was In charge of the boat. at once
guessed that the oil had ''fumed" on
board the oil tank. probably at night.
and that the two men In state of
collapse were probably the only sur
vivors Of the disaster. This subse-
quently turned out to be the case.
Below the decks, which the crew or
the German tramp penetrated with
great difficulty and danger 70 them
selves. for the oil was still fuming. six
Of the oil tanks crew We're found
dead In their bunEs. where they had
been sufforated by the fumes in their
sleep Three or the crew had succeed
ed in reaching the deck. but had died
subsequently.
The two survivors We're the only two
on deck when the fumes burst from
the tanks and in their efforts to save
the others had very nearly perished
themselves
The crew Of Norwegian oil tank
named the Helios had a terrible expe-
rience a few years ago in mid-Atlan-
tic. During a heavy gale. in which
the HeliOs suffered very rough han
ding in the mountainous seas, her oil
tanks, containing G0.OOO gallons Of
crude oil. burst and flowed into the
bunkers. threatening to penetrate in a
few minutes into the tirerO0m.
Tho thnn,SnlunS ar tho
pumps Ike madmen. The oil soon be-
gan TO fume. and no man could keep
at the pumps for more than a few
minutes without becoming Overpower-
ed. The captain Of the Helios order
ed all the crew on deck. and four In
their turn went below every FIVE min.
utes to work at the pumps.
The fight they made for their lives
was one Of the most desperate that
has ever been waged on the ocean.
Directly the tank had burst the fire.
men had been ordered out Of the fire,
room. There was no time to quencb
the fires. for the fremen would GER
tainly have been suffocated by the
fumes Of the oil had they remained
below to do so.
For eleven hours the officers and
crew Of the Helios worked like de-
mons at the pumps. making the most
desperate efforts to keep the oil from
reaching the fire room. By the end Of
that time eight Of the crew lay uncolI-
scious on the deck, overcome partly by
exhaustion and partly by the fumes.
1t was now only possible to work two
Of the pumps. and it became certain
that, unless help arrived in another
hour, the ship. with every living soul
Oh board, would perish. 1t should be
mentioned that every lifeboat on the
Helios had been damaged during the
storm.
Half an hour passed. and by then
only the captain and the mate were
working at the pumps. The destruc.
ton of the vessel was now only a mat
ter of minutes. Ii was at this critical
juncture that the oil tank was sighted
by the Ma jestic Of the White Star line
aud twenty minutes later the crew OF
the doomed ship were safely on board
the liner
As the last man scrambled on board
the Majestic from the boat which had
been sent to the help Of the HeLiOs q
mountain OF flame sprang from the
decks of the oil tank. and few min.
utes later the blazing vessel sank be
low the water.
A Russian oil tank named the Vladi
mir come years ago exploded in mid.
ocean. when every one Of her crew
perished This disaster took place in
the sout hern Pacific. London Answers.
REED AND CARLISLE.