Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-10-17
THE VOLTURNO DISASTER
Captain Gives Every Detail Except
Fires Cause
STORY OF SUFFERING and AGONY.

STORY OF SUFFERING AND AGONY.
From Steamer kroonland, Nearing
New York, Sends Story Of Fearful
Tragedy at sea-Tslls Of Heroic Ef-
forts at Reseues, Conduct Of Passen-
gers and Crew During Terrible Or
deal, and Expresses Gratitude to
Masters Of Steamers that Gave As
sistanee.
Captain Francis Inch, whose steam
er, the volturno, was burned at sea
with the loss Of 1876 lives. told his
story of the disaster last Tuesday
night, and 1t was sent to New York by
wireless from the steamship Kroon-
land. It is a plain seaman's tale, but
in 1t, line by line. the horrors Of the
disaster and the terrible ordeal through
which passengers and crew passed are
brought out with marked directness
and simplicity. y.
From It's 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 fact, but one.
to the point where the blazing ship
was abandoned. the last remaining
passenger taken of and the captain
and what was left Of the crew. boarded
the waiting Kroonland.
Captain Inch, however, does not say
what caused the fire. Although all
possible measures were taken to SUBJ
due the fire, the captains story shows
that It was impossible to save the
watch below. The men were trapped In
the forecastle and burned to death
there, their fellow sailors helpless to
aid them.
Explosions Increase Horror.
Then came explosions which wreck
ed part of the midship section Of the
steamer. The call for, help by wireless
had gone out as soon as the flames
shot through the forward matches, and
the crew was doing its hghting best to
stay the progress of the blaze until
assistance should come.
It looked then as II there was no
possible chance to save the steamer,
and, although the seas were running
high and the volturno was rolling
heavily, the captain had boats provi-
stoned and swung out. Boats Nos.
/, 3 and were smashed" Is the sim
pie way Capt. Inch describes the first
result Of the attempt to launch the
life-raft. But Chief onicer Millers
boat got away, and. although she cap
sized, throwing everybody out she
eventually righted herself and Miller
and several Of the crew got aboard
Of her.
Another boat, described as No. Q,
commanded by Fourth Oficer Lang
sell, also got AWAY .nlled with steerage
passengers, Capt Inch knew nothing
of the fate of these boats, and 30 far
dS lS huOWn uO OuC CioC ooSS.
Wireless Brought Rescusrs.
Capt. Inch describes the arrival, one
by one of the rescuing crews, sum-
moned by the wireless operators, who
worked until II o'clock at night when
the fire had progressed so far that the
magazine on the bridge, containing
signaling rockets and lights, blew up.
carrying away the aerial apparatus
and compelling the wireless men to
cease their efforts.
The Volturno's master covers In q
few words the progress Of the hre
through the night and how, when the
rescue steamers came up and had
failed, because Of the heavy weather,
to get boats to the burning liner, some
passengers jumped overheard and
were picked up by the attending craft.
BY midnight the fire had worked its
way aft, but this direful news was
kept from the passengers, the captain
says, and there was no panic.
Crew Built Rats.
Fearful that the fire might burst
through the after decks before day
break and transform the entire steam
er into mass Of flame, the captain
and crew worked hard through the
small hours making RATS for use In an
emergency requiring quick abandon
ment Of the steamer.
But the night passed without the
happening Capt Inch feared, and wind
and sea having moderated, the trans
fer Of the passengers to the steamers
towering about the blazing Volturno
was begun at early dawn and accom-
plished in less than three hours with
out mishap. BY that time the fire was
eating UP through the after matches,
however, and captain and crew left
the doomed steamer to her fate.
Captains Story of Disaster.
AT $50 A. M, October 8, 1918, lati-
tude 1912 north, longitude 34.51 west,
fire was reported in Hold No. by
chief officer. At 6.55 A. NJ, flames were
burning through No. matches. setting
fire to the forecastle and all deck Mt
tings. I slowed the ship down and
kept her before the wind to enable US
to put the steam extinguishers in oper-
alton, also three fire hose from Geek
connections. The flames were gaining
rapidly, reaching the height Of the
foremost light and imprisoning the
watch below, who were burned to
death in the forecastle.
"A series Of explosions occurred.
wrecking the saloon and hospital amid
ships, the compass and steering gear
also being damaged by the explosions.
gave orders to get help by wireless
as soon as the flames burnt the
matches.
Several Boats Smashed.
"It seemingly being impossible to
save the ship, I had boats provisioned
and swung out. The ship was rolling
heavily. Boats Nos. 1, 8 and were
smashed, but No. Q was lowered In the
water with cabin passengers and stew
ardess, in charge Of the chief officer.
H. P. Miller. After this boat left the