The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1913-10-17
VOL TURNO'S CHIEF
Tells HIS STORY
Captain Inch Gives Details OF TIE
Disaster.
MADE LIFE RATS AT NIGHT
People on Doomed Boat See Aid Beat
en- Back as the Flames Advance
Death List Is LoWeredrd
Slightly.
MADE LIFE RATS AT NIGHT


Inch. wose steamer, the Volturno,
was burned at sea, with loss OF 100
lives, told his story of the disaster.
The terrible ordeal through which
passengers and crew passed is brought
out clearly by the simplicity with
which the story Is told.
Captain inch's Own Story.
Capt. Francis Inch of the Volturno
sent his story of the disaster by wire
less from the Kroonland. on which he
Is being brought to this port, to the
officers of the Uranium unSr. here.
His account reads:
AT $50 a. IN, October 8, 1918. lat
1tude 1912 north, longitude S4.51 west,
the fire was reported In hold No. l by
the chief officer. At 6: IS a. m. flames
were burning through No. matches.
setting fire to the forecastla Nslowed
the ship down and kept her before the
wind to enable us to put the steam
extinguishers IN operation, also three
fire hose from deck connections.
Flames Gaining Rapidly.
THE flames were gaining rapidly,
reaching the height of the foremost
light, end fmprisonfng the watch be-
low, who were burned to death ~ the
rorecastle.
"A series Of explosions now oc-
Cured, wrecking the saloon and hos
pital amidships, the compass and
steering gear being also damaged by
the explosions. gave orders to get
help by wireless as soon as the flames
burnt the matches
1T seemingly beir4g impossible to
save the ship, had boats proyisioned
and swung out. The ship was rolling
heavily. Boats Nos. 13 and were
smashed, but No. 2 was lowered in the
water with cabin passengers and
stewardess, IN charge of Chief Officer
H. F. Miller.
Lie Boat capsized.
after this boat LETT the ship she
capsfzed, throwing her occupants into
the water. She afterwhTd righted her
self and several Of the crew get back
into the boat, the chief officer being
one of them. The No. boat was
lowered and got away safely filed
with steerage passengers, in charge
Of Fourth Officer Langse1l. The No.
{ boat, on being lowered, was caught
under the stern of the ship, the boat
being completely wrecked.
"At = a. N. the Carmania arrived
and lowered boat. but could not
reach the ship ON account Of hiszh
seas. Asked Carmania to look for the
No. boat.
Several steamers had arrived by
dusk. The Kroonland put away boats,
which made four attemAts to come
alongside, but were swept away each
time.
= Wireless is Wrecked.
"At $3.50 p. m. the saloon and chart
house were af1ame. The deck bridge
and all before the funnel were blazing
fiercely. Pumps and dynamos stopped
for want of steam. Marconi operators
working with the accumulation until
II p. M. Then the magazine on the
bridge blew up, caraS1ng the aerial
away.
Several boats by this time were
lying off the ship and induced passen-
gers to Jump and they were rescued
by boats. At IL midnight the weather
was overcast and squally, Operations
were suspended, 1t being too dark for
boats to see. The fire meanwhile
worked through the women's steer
age to the after end of the ship, but
we kept knowledge of this from the
passengers who were quiet through
out the rest Of the night
"The chief engineer, the Marconi
men and seamen and myself spent
the night making small RATS In case
the fire burned through the deck be-
fore daylight.
Boats Come In Morning.
eat 5:15 a. m. the first boat ar
rived. Weather and sea having mod
Grated boats were enabled to come
alongside the ship. This enabled pas
sengers to embark quickly. All the
steamers lying around the ship sent
boats. Now we we're enabled to load
three boats with passengers at once.
The passengers left in very order
Iy way anu tuGT0 Was uO pGIlC, WOIQSu
breaking down and crying when help
was alongside, and all were off the
ship by a. M. about 400 passengers.
81 searched the ship myself and
found no one else on board, so decid-
ed to abandon her as the No. hatch
was well alight by now, and with re-
mainder of crew / embarked on the
Kroonland.
Gives Passenger Figures.
1t is possible that the total number
of dead in the disaster may shrink
slightly when all lists are balanced.
Mr.. Fourman, passenger agent of the
Uranium line here, said his figures
showed tina. 131 are missing.
Passes Blazing volturno.
London, Oct 16SA wireless from
the liner Campania via Fishguard
said the volturno was still afioat and
burning Monday night.
Prince of Monaco Ends Hunt.
Cody, Wyo., Oet. 15.-Prince Albert