The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-10-15

LONDON oct. 1l.-Not since the III
tanic sank has Europe been so thrilled
as by a wireless message today tell
ing of the burning of the steamship
Volturno in mid-Atlantic with a loss,
so far as is at present known, 1875
lives and the rescue of 521. The sur
vivors are now aboard fleet of
steamers summoned by the Volturno's
call for helf, some of which are
bound eastward and others westward.
The Nolturno sailed from Rotter-
dam on October 2 for New York, and
according to the official statement car
lied twenty-five first cabin passen-
gers, 53S steerage and a crew number
.ng ninety-six.
The rescue ships reached the scene
dl'nsier in plenty of time to
"'l, bat for hours stood by the
ne vessel unable because of the
storm to reach the agonized men and
women and children crowding the af-
ter part of the ship within a stones
throw
All night Thursday the life boats
made desperate effort TO get along
side the Volturno, but the waves beat
them back again and again, and not
until the storm abated at daylight Fri
day did the rescuers succeed in re-
moving the survivors from the doomed
ship. Even now only the fringe of
one of the most thrilling tales of the
sea is aailable. Exactly how the
rescue Was effected is not known.
Life Boats Sufficient.
The Volturno was we'll equipped
with boats, sufficient the agents say,
for a thousand people, but the bois-
ferrous sea or lack of boat drill or
panic among the passengers, prevent
ed the successful employment of them.
The rescue ships were able to lower
life boats, but apparently most of
the boats launched from the Volturno
were smashed or upset and the occu-
pants drowned. Two of the boats,
crowded with passengers, are re-
ported to have gotten away from the
ship, but search for them has proved
fruitless and they have practically
been given up as lost. The occupants
of these boats are included in the
death roll.
The steamer Carmania bound from
New York to Liverpool, was 76S miles
away when the call for help sounded
Captain Barr ordering full steam in
spite Of the gale drove through the
sea at twenty knots an hon, and was
first OF the fleet to reach the burning
vessel. The Carmania was followed
by La Touraine, Minneapolis, Kappa
hammock, Gar, Narraganseft, Oevo-
nian, Kroonland Crosse Kurfuerst
and Seydwlitz at various hours
throughout the day But try as they
might, the rescuers could get neither
line nor life boats to the Voturno, the
forward part of which was almost
hidden by dense cloud of smoke
when the Carmania arrived.
The burning steamer lay in the
trough of the sea, pounding helplessly
with her propellers fouled by the
boats tackle. The terrified passen-
gers were hudded together as far as
it was possible to get from the flames
while throughout the day the officers
and crew fought desperately with
whatever appliances were at hand to
hold the fire in check. But night came
on and the seas abated only slightly.
The circle of steamers kept their
searcrlights playing and waited patti
emily within the danger zone for the
first moment when they might again
launch the life boats.
Situation Hopeless.
The hopelcssncss OF the situation
was manifested at 8 o'clock in the
evening, when great explosion tore
away part of the upper works and
the flames burst from the engine
room. 1t then became matter of
how long the Voltuno would stay
above the waters.
Meanwhile several of the frantic
passengers, wrapped in life buoys
dropped over into the sea. One OF