South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-15
Outbreak of Fire in Hold Spells
Doom of VeSSeI-WaS Mott
fled of Blaze by the Chief
Officer.
SEVERAL MEN WERE
VICTIMS OF FLAMES
Attempts to Get Passengers to
Safety Ends in Many Deaths
When Boats Are Crushed by
Wind.

NEW YORK, oct. 15.-Capt. Fran
els Inch, whose steamer. the Vol
turnO, was burned al sea with the loss
OF 1876 lives. told his story Of the dis
aster Tuesday night. 1t is a plain
seamen's tale, but in it. line by line,
the horrors Of the disaster and the
terrible ordeal through which pas
sengers and crew passed are brought
out all the more clearly. perhaps be-
cause of the marked directness and
simplicity with which the story is
told.
From its beginning. where the out
break of the fire which spelled the
doom Of the VOlturnO is recorded, the
narrative runs without the apparent
omission of any salient facts but one
10 the point, where the blazing ship
was abandoned, the last remaining
passenger taken off and the captain
and what was left OF the crew board
ed the waiting KroOnland.
Capt. Inch, however, does not say
what caused the fire. reported sim
ply that the chief officer advised him
at ten minutes before seven on the
morning of oct. OF it's existence be
low and that five minutes later the
flames had burst through the forward
matches and were rapidly spreading.
Capt. Inchs story came by wireless
Tuesday night from the KrOonland
which is bringing him and other sur
vivors to this port. The KroOnland
may not reach here until Thursday
or later as she had had a mishap TO
a shaft she reported Tuesday and is
proceeding slowly. The captains
message was sent to the press
through the Uranium Steampship
cOmpany's offices here. having been
prepared and sent forth at their re-
quest The Red Star line officials CO.
operated IN seeing that the captains
story was promptly transmitted.
List May Shrink.
II is possible that the total Of dead
in the disaster may shrink slightly
when all lists are balanced. Tuesday
Passenger Agent Fourman of the
Auranium line here. said that his fig
ures showed that 657 persons sailed
on the VOlturnO. including "a cabin
and $40 steerage passengers and SO
crew. His lists showed that 526 per-
sons had been accounted for, leav-
ing 131 on the missing list.
IL was announced Tuesday night
that the North German Lloyd steam
er Seydlitz bearing as survivors of
the VOlturnO will stop at Philadel-
phia before proceeding To Baltimore
anu Lldl she EnOulN UOGk dl mia
delphia before proceeding to Balti
more and that she should dock at
Philadelphia some time Wednesday.
The steamer Grosser Kurfurst with
los survivors on board, is due here
tomorrow morning. The rescued
passengers she carries Will be allowed
10 land without the usual examina-
ton at Ellis island, Acting Immigra-
ton Commissioner Uhl having given
~ affarf cd
Cross committee will take charge of
tnem.
Capt. Inch's Story.
Capt Francis Inch of the Nolturno
sent his story of the disaster by wire
less Tuesday night from the kroOn-
land. on which he is being brought
10 New York, to the officers of the
Uranium line here. Capt. Inch's
narrative reads:
AT $50 a m, oct. Q. 1913, Iati-
tude 1912 north, longitude 34.51
west. fire was reported in hold No.
by chief officer. At 6:55 a. m. flames
were burning through No. l matches,
setting fire 10 the fOrecastle and all
deck fittings. I slowed the ship down
and kept her before the wind 10 en-
able us 10 put the steam eXtinguish-
ers in operation, also three fire hose
from deck connections. The flames
were gaining rapidly. reaching the
height OF the foremost light and i'm
prisoning the watch below. who We're
burned TO death in the forecastle.
"A series of explosions now occur
red wrecking the saloon and hospital
amidships, the compass and steering
gear being also damaged by the eX-
plosion. / gave orders 10 get help by
wireless as soon as the flames burned
the matches.
ProvisiOned Boats.
cit seemingly belng impossible to
save the ship / had boats prOvisioned
and swung out. The ship was rolling
heavily. Boats Nos. Is and were
smashed. but No. was lowered 10
the water with cabin passengers and
stewardess. in charge OF Chief Officer
II. II. Miller. After this boat left
the ship she Capsized throwing her
occupants into the water. She after
wards righted herself and several OF
the crew got hack into the boat the
chief officer being one of them. The
No boat was lowered and got away
safely flled with steerage passengers
in charge Of Fourth officer Lang
sell The No. Z boat. on being low
cred. was caught under the stern OF
the shin. the boat being completely
wrecked.
Meanwhile the chief engineer. two
seamen and myself fought the fire
and apparently subsidized the flames.
I gave orders 10 send no more boats
away as / had received word from
the Carmania that she was hoping 10
be with us bv IL a. m Life belts
were served out and put on each
passenger The passengers now be-
came calmer. Food was served out
10 them
Bunker Catches Fire.
AT 9 a. m. the bunker was found
20 be ablaze. II being impossible 10
stop the fire in the bunker on account
or gases. the wa1er-tight doors were
closed and water poured down the No
hatch onto the FIRE but the fire was
gaining all the time.
AT IL a. N. the Carmania arrived