Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-10-18
STEAMER VOLTURNO CATCHES
FIRE IN MIOOCEAN AND 1856
LIVES WERE LOST.
THE WIRELESS BRINGS AID
Over Five Hundred Passengers Were
Saved-Lifeboats Smashed-Many
Jumped Overheard and
Were Swept Away.

the burning of the steamship Nolturno
in mid-Atlantic with loss, so far as
Is at present known, of 135 lives and
the rescue of 521.
The Volturno sailed from Rotterdam
on Oct for New York, and accord
ing to the official statement she car
ried % first cabin passengers, 538
steerage and a crew numbering Sc.
The rescue ships reached the scene
of the disaster in plenty of time to
save all, but for hours stood by the
blazing vessel impotent, because of
the storm, to reach the agonized men,
women and children crowding the
after part of the ship, which was with
In stones throw.
All night Thursday the lifeboats
made a 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.
The Volturno was equipped with
boats sufficient, the agents say, for a
thousand people, but the boisterous
sea or lack Of boat drill, or panic
among the passengers prevented the
successful employment of them. The
rescue ships were able to lower life
boats, but apparently most of the
boats launched from the Volturno
no
pants drowned. Two of the boats,
crowded with passengers, are reported
to have got away from the ship, but a
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 for Liverpool, was seventy
eight miles away when the call for
help sounded Captain Barr ordered
full steam in spite of the gale and
was the first of the fleet to reach the
burning vessel. The Carmania was
followed by La Touraine, Minneapolis,
Rappahanock, Car, Narragansett, De-
vonian, Kroonland, Grosser Kurfurst
and Seydlitz at various hours through
out the day. But try as they might,
the rescuing vessels could get neither
line nor lifeboat to the Volturno, the
forward part of which was almost
hidden by a 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 huddled 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
searchlights playing and waited pa
tiently within the danger zone for the
first moment when they might again
launch the lifeboats. The hopeless
ness of the situation was manifested
at o'clock in the evening when
great explosion tore away part of the
upper works and flames burst from
the engien room. 1t then became a
matter Of how long the Volturno would
stay above the water.
Meanwhile, several of the terrified
passengers, wrapped In life buoys,
dropped over into the sea. One Of
them was taken aboard the Carmania.
It may be that others found a haven
% h,,%
some undoubtedly were swept away.
When day broke the Volturno was still
afloat The gale had moderated and
the seas had Gained down. From al
most every one of the encircling
steamers lifeboats were sent out and
were lowered first. Several trips were
necessary before the survivors were
moved to a place of safety.
1t is pointed out as a remarkable
coincidence that the Volturno, about
four years ago, made notable rescue
in a great storm in mid-Atlantic Of
the crew of a French vessel. Captain
Harrison, who then commanded the
Volturno, was decorated by the French
government for his daring act.
Passenger tells of the rescue:
"As the fire on the Volturno kept
away from the after deck, we kept ma
neuvering near and sent three boats
away which made many trips. At 9
o'clock the last boat alongside carried
the captain.
Nobody was left on board. We had
succeeded in taking off lightweight
passengers and the captains dog. Our
boats were then placed in davits and
we proceeded full speed ahead.
THE captain of the Volturno tells
me that one boat with cabin passen-
gers left the ship early in the morn
ing, but they were spilled.
Another boat containing steerage
passengers was smashed and all per-
ished.
"The third possibly got away safely.
Carmania and Campania searching for
it."
A thousand cases of gin were stow
ed under the after deck and when Cap
Ia In Inch of the Volturno left his ves-
sci the fire had just reached them,
Captain Kriehbohm reported.
The Volturnos officers rescued by
the Kroonland's boat crews were Cap