Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-12
Special Cable to The American.

opeCtal NaDie 10 ne RfucFlcaNs
LIVERPOOL, oct. IA thrilling
H,sry Of the last hours OF the Uranium
liner Volturno, which was burned In
mid Atlantic was CLEANED from
wireless message received here late
this afternoon from Captain Barr. Of
the Cunard liner Carmania which was
the first ship to respond to the wire
less calls Of the Volturno.
It is an epic Of tragedy. II follows;
ION Thursday, while making our
way through a gale, the Carmania
picked up the following faint 81 o. s.
call.
"'Come quick, ship aflre. fear we
are doomed
That was the plea which came
out OF the storm. We Immediately
aseertained the location OF the burn
ing ship, which was directly in the
steamer lane, The stokers were or
dered into the engine room and then
began a wild race OF seventy eight
miles which separated US from the Ill
fated ship.
Human life was the reward OF vic
tory; death in its most horrible form
the penalty of defeat.
Make Twenty Knots an Hour.
'In spite OF the winds which beat
against her and the rolling seas into
which she plunged. the staunch Car
mania worked up to speed of over
twenty knots an hour. Part OF the
time the raging propellers, spinning
with the speed OF plnwheels. were
completely out Of the water as the
waves rose and fell
Standing upon the bridge | waited
eagerly the first sign OF the burning
chip About four hours after we
picked up the first call for help we
could see from the bridge the blurred
ship wrapped in fame. smoke and
fog. rolling in the heavy seas.
in the meantime during the hours
that We had been rushing TO the
rescue the wireless operator had Kept
up an incessant call, notifying all
liners within range of the plight and
position Of the Nolturno
Huddled in Lifeboats.
The Volturno was a seething mass
Of flares from her bow TO the waist
She was pitching and rolling drunk
enly. Huddled in the stern Of the
vessel in suspended lifeboats, which
they had been unable to launch, were
number of passengers.
"Ar they could do was to watch
dumbly the rush OF the flames. They
were helpless before fate which
seemed inevitable, The wind dashed
the heat and smoke about them, and
they were alternately smothered by
spray and suffocated by smoke.
Most OF the passengers in the
boats were women. We could see men
dashed to the after rail, facing death
with a kind of frantic despair, There
were a number of children in the
boats
Alternately the occupants wept
prayed or shouted in their helpless
and apparent doom. 1t was an eN-
perience TO blot out human reason.
Shortly after we arrived other
liners which had previously ac-
knowledge our IS. o. s. calls came
M The seas were very high and a
,reacherous wind made It dangerous
70 venture too near TO the burning
ship
Searchliqhts Trained on Scene.
THAT was the situation when
darkness settled. The Carmania and
he other liners turned their flash
lights upon the seas around the Vol
turno. hoping thus TO keep watch fol
passengers who leaped or Were
thrown by the violent rolling Of the
shin into the water.
The passengers upon the Car
mania and her sister ships IN th(
rescue fleet crowded upon the deck
md despite the wind and rain anC
hangers from mighty comhers which
occasionally swept the vessels, stood
Al the rail, overcome with emotion
1t the sad scene before them. At in
,ervals across the water came th'
lamentations Of the passengers on th'
tanning ship.
'T.ifebuovs with lights attached
we're thrown into the water In tn,
hope that they might offer a mean,
Of support to any passenger who haC
zone overheard.
Desolate and Gloomy Asnect.
''The scene was desolate and
gloomy one, one in keeping with th'
tragic picture which stood before ou
eyes. A wind tore through the rig
ging Of the burning vessel scattering
live sparks upon the spray
The sky was black as pitch witt
no moon or stars showing The At
! lantic was tumbling in burrows s.
4 she only can be torn by an autumna
North Atlantic gale.
Shortly after 9 O'Clock a mass o
DANES burst out amidsh.ps
BY midnight most Of the inflam
Unable material had been consumed