Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-04-25
Refuse to Sail on Olympic b<
cause They Believe Collapsi.
BILE Boats Unsafe.
HOLE PUNCHED WITH THUMI
Strikebreakers Taken Aboard bu
Crew Will Not Work with
Them and Titanic's Sis
ter Anchors.

Southampton. April 25.-when the
White Star liner Olympic, sister ship
of the Titanic, was ready to sail from
shere yesterday for New York 900
flremen and engine room workers quit
the vessel declaring that the collapsi-
BILE boats on the Olympic we're unsss-
worthy. The Olympic Is lying OF
Ryde. Isle Of Wight, with 400 passen.
gers aboard and no possibility Of sail.
ing before noon to-day even II then.
There were reports that some Of tha
passengers had refused to sail but.
for the present. they will all remain
aboard the steamer. 1t was also re-.
ported soon after the strike was in
augurated that the company had suo-
ceeded In getting men to take the
strikers places but this proved to be
incorrect
AS a matter of fact the difficulty
has extended to the crew, which now
declines to sail with the "blackleg"
, firsmen who were brought aboard
yesterday, and the British Seafarers'
union is supporting the men In this
decision. Pickets are patrolling the
docks to prevent the recruiting of
"blacklegs."
In an endeavor to have the strikers re-
turn to work. Commander Clarke. chief Of
the emigration office In Southampton.
offered to demonstrate In the Cowes roads
that the boats on the Olympic were
absolutely safe. The men refused to listen
to this proposal, but later. II Is learned,
they declared that they would have been
ready to sail n the company had agreed
to demonstrate the seaworthiness Of the
boats at this port. This. in turn, the
company declined to DO
OLYMPIC ABLE TO LEAVE DOCK.
BY pressing into service all the avail
able engine room hands on the other
White Star and American liners in port.
the Olympic was able to leave dock just
before two o'clock in the afternoon and
proceed down Southampton water where
she awaited a fresh batch OF firemen and
greasers.
One of the strikers alleged that he put
his thumb through the canvas of one OF
the new collapsible boats.
The revolt Of the firemen and greaseru
Of the Olympic aroused immense excite.
ment at the dockside. where great throngs
had gathered to the liner depart.
All the passengers. numbering Loo
ways from the dock to the ship. with the
exception OF one, had been withdrawn
AS eight bells struck a perfect rain o1
firemen's kit bags suddenly dropped ovel
the SHIPS forecastle on to the quay, and
; few moments later the whole OF thu
firemen and greasers filed down tho sin.
) gle gangway.
All the arguments Of the local Whitl
: Star manager. Mr.. Curry. and Of Com
: mander Clarke proved futile to induce
the men expressed the fear that II they
: the em expressed the fear that II they &C.
= accepted the offer OF Commander Clarke Il
go with them to Cowes and there to tes,
the ships boats they would not be allow
1 ed to leave the vessel II they desired Il
= do SO. All the passengers remained o.
board.
BOATS SENT FROM BELFAST.
Belfast. April 2i.-Harland 4 Wolff hav,
despatched g. lifeboats, each with cspa
city for e persons, to Liverpool. It Il
e reported that they are for the olympic
which Is to proceed to tho Mersey to 70
/" | celve them.