Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-15
Capt. Inch Tells His Story
of Loss of the v0'turn0

NEW YORK. October 15.-Capt. Francis
Inch, whose steamer, the Volturno, was
burned at sea with the loss Of more
than 100 lives. last night told his story
of the disaster. 1t Is plain seaman's
tale, bat in 1t. line by line the horrors
Of the disaster and the terrible ordeal
through which passengers and crew
passed are brought out all the more
clearly. perhaps because of the marked
directness and simplicity with which the
story, is told.
From its beginning, where the outbreak
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 or
and the captain and what was left OF
the crew boarded the waiting Kroon-
land Capt. Inch. however, does not say
what caused the fire, reporting simply
that the chief officer advised him at $50
the morning Of October of its existence
below and that five minutes later the
flames had burst through the forward
matches and were rapidly spreading.
Trapped in Forecastle.
Although all possible measures at once
were taken to subdue the fire, the cap
tain's story shows that even then II was
too late to save the watch below. The
men were trapped in the forecastle and
burned to death.
Then came explosions which wrecked
part Of the midship section of the steam
er. The situation plainly was becoming
desperate. The call for help by wireless
had gone out as soon as tie names shot
through the forward matches and the crew
was doing it's best to stay the progress OF
the blaze.
1t then looked as IL there was no pos
sible chance to save the steamer. and AL
though the seas were running high and
the Volturno was rolling heavily tho cap
tain had boats provisfoned and swung
out.
'.Boats Nos. 1, 3 and Q were smashed"
Is the simple way Capt Inch describes the
first result OF the attempt 20 % launch the
got away and although she capsized,
throwing everybody out, she eventually
rfghted herself and Miller and several OF
the crew got aboard her,
Second Boat Got Away.
Another boat. described as No. 9. COM
manded by Fourth Officer Langsell, also
got away. filled with steerage passengers.
Capt Inch knew nothing OF the fate OF
these DOdtS duos eo 10 huoWns no
one else does. Although q widespread
search for them has been made by steam
ers that were on the scene shortly after
ward and others notified by wireless. no
trace of them has been discovered and
they are probably lost with all on board.
Capt. Inch describes the arrival one by
one of the rescufng craft summoned by
the wireless operators who worked until
IL O'Clock at night when the fire had
SO far that the magazine on
the bridge. containing signaling rockets
and lights, blew up. carrying away the
aerial apparatus and compelling the WIRE
less men to cease their efforts.
The volturno's master describes the
progress Of the fire 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 nfe had worked
It's way aft but this direfsl pews was