The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-10-18

as II the end had come. The Grosser
Kurfuerst lowered boat, then the
Kroonland lowered one. They came
as near as they dared, but not near
enough for us to throw them a line L.
Had they come nearer they would
have been shattered against the
ship. Captain Inch tried to shoot b
line to one OF the boats with rock.
et The rocket shot up, leaving the
line behind. A spark set off all our
rockets. Almost the same minute
there was terrific explosion on the
bridge. All our ammunition had gone
up. Half a dozen passengers jumped
to swim for the boats. Captain Inch
turned to me. II you see chance
for your life,' he said, take 1t and
Jump The captain ordered all the
passengers to fasten on the life belts.
They did SO and became quieter.
"Of the half dozen who jumped, all
had lines about them and We pulled
them back to the ship when we saw
they could not make the boats. When
the rockets all went up at once and
the last explosion shook us, the cap.
tain of the Kroonland, thinking that
it meant the end, lowered all the
boats. The fire spread amid ships.
1.-TWO men threw their arms around
my neck, weeping, begging me to
save their lives. promised to do
what could. told them to watch
the boats from the other ships and
when they came close to us to jump
for them. They leaned over the rail
looked down at the dark water and
were afraid. When I tried to help
them, they Rugged a stanchion and
would not jump.
All our lights were out then. The
searchlights Of the IL ships around
us and the glare Of the fire on the
water were all we had to guide us.
gave the order for all to make ready
to jump for the boats. Captain Inch
was still on the bridge. The passen.
gers made ready.
Some Passengers Brave
Some of the passengers were brave
and jumped into the water when the
boats came close and were picked up,
some were not picked up. One of the
lifeboats was piled full and put away.
1t was the first boat that came to
us, a little boat marked New York
The second boat was from the eros.
ser Kurfuerst. told the passengers
not to jump until the boat was very
near and they needed my commands.
But most Of them were scared and re-
fused to jump.
Finally the women who begged
me to save them slid down rope and
were taken in boat. More passen-
gers slid down the ropes. One Of the
boats from the Grosser Kurfuerst al
most touched the side of the Voltur.
no. 1t was soon filled with passen-
gers who slid down the ropes. When
l saw that no more would go and that
all the women were off I slid down a
rope and without touching water |
stepped into the boat.
"The lifeboat crew had a terrific
struggle to pull away without going
foul of our screw. The second and
third boats of the Grosser Kurfuerst
were out nearly five hours The
captain of the Grosser Kurfuerst
thought that he last boat was lost,
as it was nearly six hours before 1t
came back to the ship.
Passengers Taken or
Next morning the captain Of the
Grosser Kurfuerst put two boats out
again. The sea was quieter and thew
took of the remaining passengers
without much trouble"
Survivors Of the volturno aboard
the Grosser Kurfuerst were all men.
steerage passengers, crew and a lone
first cabin passenger. The Kurfuerst's
doctor said that none Of the rescued
had been III and that all seemed to
have recovered from their experience
They were all with one exception
paupers and without baggage but they
were allowed to land by order Of the
immigration authorities at Washing.
ton and were taken care OF by various
institutions here.