South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-14
OIL SHIP DOES
NOBLE SERVICE
FOR VOLTURNO
Pouring of Oil on Troubled
Waters Gains Waters and
Makes Rescue of Passengers
Possible by Liners.

FISH GUARD. Oct At. T. Wat
son of Philadelphia, n passenger on
the Carmania, said that the chief
credit for saving those on the Voltur-
no was undoubtedly due 10 the oil
ship Narragansett. only a few good
swimmers" he declared, would have
survived from the Inflated ship had
not the Narragansett made free use of
oil to calm the terrible waves.
When the Carmania arrived Cap
tain Barr recognized at once that IL
would be almost "A hopeless task to
attempt TO save the VOlturnO's human
cargo without the use OF oil, but with
a daring amounting to seemingly TO
foOl-hardin.ess. he instructed First
Officer Gardiner 10 lower a small
boat. This after a terrible buffeting
regained the CaTmania with only
three oars intact. After this perilOus
escape. Captain Barr did not again
attempt TO launch a single boat.
Hence our ship saved only one pas
senger, who swan to her.
ION account Of the size of the ships
turbine engines. which made fine ma
neuVering impossible, Captain Barr
stood off and directed operations, act
ing in effect as commander of the
great fleet which gathered about the
stricken VOlturno. Shortly after we
arrived the Carmania tried both fore
and aft oil sprays but without effect
on the waves. Then the captain sent
out wireless calls in all directions for
an oil ship and his efforts were re-
warded by an answer from the Mar
ragansett
Begin Spraying OIL.
when the Narragansett arrived.
the GrOsSer Kurfurst with other lin
ers. got in as close as possible and
lowered life boats. These took aboard
several persons who had jumped from
the VolturnO and the work was great
ly helped by the steam pinnace of the
GrOsser Kurfurst, which had stayed
out all night At once the Narragan-
sett began 10 spray oil about the
doomed ship and the waves subsidized
as by magic. Soon the small boats
were enabled to run alongside the
liner and take the Clinging people
from the ladders. The rescue was
over I'm a very short time. Eleven lin
ers formed the boundary around the
film of oil and the survivors were
hoisted aboard the various steamers
without trouble.
I'VE then cruised about for two
hours searching for the lifebOats
which were said to have escaped the
destruction that the other boats had
suffered against the side of their own
ship but found only the air tanks
which are carried beneath the seats.
4 do not believe that there is any pos
sibility OF the two boats having es-
capped swamping.
when we arrived on the scene
the fire was burning steadily but not
hercely. 1t never at any time got aft
Of the bridge When we went To din
ncr at o'clock in the evening, there
were no flames; nothing but thick
smoke could be seen At o'clock
we were summoned on deck by the
rebreaking out of the flames which
soon eliminated in an explosion.
Then we saw for the first time signs
of a panic on the decks Of the Ill
fated vessel. Several jumped over
board. among them our own survivor,
who made plucky swim, reached the
side OF the CaTmania but was too
weak 10 get up the ladder. Herman
Highway was then lOwcrad with
life line through an open srgO port,
stripped 10 the waist. He cot beneath
the swimmer. whose lifebelt had be-
come unfastened and supported him
IL was magnifcent exhibition OF
strength and courage. Some idea can
be gained OF how difficult this feat
was rendered by the derceness OF the
waves when Ii is realized that half
an hour passed from the time the
swimmer, Trintepohl. reached the side
OF the ship before he was gotten
aboard.
Coal Gas ExplOdes.
The explosion seemed to come
from coal gas collected in the bunkers
and was evidently not due 10 the
boilers. For some time the first burn
cd brightly and then gradually died
down. IL is impossible TO tell how
many Of these who jumped overheard
were drowned but the good swimmers
among them must have been picked
up as small boats were cruising
about"
Arthur Sturgeon, who Monday sent
Trintepohrs graphic story by wire
less and described the rescue work
around the burning vessel. supple
mented his dispatches with additional
details Tuesday.
The story OF what took place on
board the Nolturno before the arrival
or the Carmania," he said probably
VIII not be known until Capt. Inch
makes his official report Some say
the boats We're launched in an orderly
manner others declare that a panic