Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-10-16
ATLANTIC LINER BURNS
AS STORM RACES; TOTAL
OF 1856 LIVES ARE LOST

TIC Oh thursday destroyed the
liner Volturno on her voyage
from Rotterdamto New York with
a loss of life of either 1876 or 236
OF her passengers and crew. Ten
other liners called by wireless to
the rescue, We're standing by i'm
potent to avert the tragedy owing
to the mountainous seas.
Again the wireless played a
leading part in the drama. By it's
means and through the heroism
OF those who responded to the
call, the lives Of 521 of those on
board the Volturno were saved.
The Volturno was owned by the
Canadian Northern Steamship
company but had been chartered
to the Uranium line.
Officials Of the latter company
declared this morning that those
on board include "a cabin and.
$40 Storage passengers and a
crew of SO, making a total Of 657.
The wireless dispatch received
from the Carmania said that 521
had been saved and 236 had lost
their lives. This makes a total of
757, or just 100 more than the
number on board as given by the
company.
Checking from all available
sources, however, would indicate
that an error in the wireless trans
mission of the figures has been
made and that the lower total,
1876, is correct.
The wireless from the Carmania said
that the Eolturno caught fire in mid
Atlantic and that the flames ragged so
furlouSly in the gale that the abandon
ment of the steamer followed on Thurs
day morning. A few details coming
through by wireless promise a graphic
story of the fight made by the crews
of 10 trans Atlantic steamers who re-
sponded to the Volturno's call. 7
Carried 564 Passengers.
The Volturno sailed from Rotterdam
on October 2 for New. York by way of
Halifax, where it was Tue to stop next
Monday. 1t is believed the steamer
NdA iSo 1T SIplI paSSCIlSSIS, I SlcGI
age passengers and a crew of SO men.
One wireless said that 521 passengers
We're saved.
Captain Barr. OF the Carmania, re-
ceived the distress signal of the VOL
turno when rs miles distant in latitude
1926 north, longitude 34.33 west. The
Carmania crowded on full steam and
with extra stollers made more than 20
knots an hour in the teeth of the gale.
When the Carmania reached the vi
cinity of the Volturno at noon she
found h forward end of the distressed
vessel burning fiercely. The flaming
ship was at the same time rolling
fouled with tackle used in lowering her
six life, boats.
Life Boats Smashed.
1t was learned by the captain of the
Carmania that only two out Of six life
boats a succeeded in getting safely
away from the Volturno. The other
four. crowded with passengers and
members of the crew, had been
smashed against the side of the YES
sci and all their occupants thrown into
the sea and drowned.
In spite of the terrific gale raging
when she arrived near the V%olturno,
he captain of the Carmania had one
Of the life boats lowered to help in
the rescue. The boat was launched
VIII hiuSii uiltiSuiLy vi CNGI OH GlG
lee side of the Carmania the sea was
terribly rough and it was only by ex-
traordinary efforts that the small craft
was prevented from being smashed or
capsized as she left the side of the ship.
The Cnrmania's life boat in charge of
First OFFICER Gardner, made a gallant
but futile attempt to get alongside the
doomed vessel. After two hours bat
tie with the waves during which the
life boat lost all but three of her oars,
the rest being broken or torn from the
hands of the crew. First Officer Gard
ner returned to the Carmania which
he succeeded in making without loss Of
life or broker limbs among the mem
bers Of his boat crew.
Unable to Render Aid.
Captain Barr, of the Germania, then
maneuvred his big vessel very close
to the Volturno and finally got the
Carmania's bow within a hundred feet
Of the Volturno's stern. 1t was found
impossible, however, to cast a line on
board the Volturno or to get anybody
off her.
1t was a terrifying sight for the pas
sengers and crew of the Carmania to
be so close to the hundreds of pas
sengers including women and children
horror stricken on the decks Of the Vol
turno and yet be unable to help them.
Most of the passengers got into the
ShiP . 1ilS poilS, DuL iUU OIL IlGIQ DaQ
gathered at the after end of the burn
ing vessel whose crew at the same time
continued to fight the fire at the for
var end.
Captain Barr, of the Carmania, in
the meanwhile kept his wireless appar-
htus at work communicating with all
vessels within the radius of his instru-
ments.
At q o'clock in the afternoon, the
Grosser Kurfuerst and the Seydlitz
came in sight and these two were
joined later in the afternoon by the
Rroonland, the Deyonian, Rappahan-
mock, Minneapolis, La T~ouraine and
the Asian.
Rescurers Beaten of.
The gale abated slightly toward
night and each of the succoring ships
as soon as it was possible for her to
do so put out boats. The waves, how
ever, We're so high that although the
small craft made some progress in
the direction Of the Volturno it was
impossible for them 20 get alongside
and they returned to their ships in
most cases doing this with the great
est difficulty owing to the overwhelm-
ing seas and the darkness.
The Carmania kept her lights going.
their rays across the foam
ing seas in the quest for possible
struggling swimmers or life boats Of
the Volturno.
AT about 9 O'clock i'm tho evep;p, tho