The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-10-22
FIVE SCORE Perish
PASSENGER STEAMER Y0LTURKO
| BURNS In MID OCEAN
STORM DRIVES OFF help

SIUKM UklYES UFF HELP
Eleven Ships, Summoned by Wire
less, Stand BY Powerless to Assist
in Rescue Work Because Of High
Winds and Heavy Waves-Survi-
vor Tells Story of Fire.
Not since the Titanic sank. has Eu-
rope been so thrilled as by wireless
message Saturday telling OF the
burning of the steamer Volturno IN
mid-Atlantic, with loss, so far as is
at present known, of 135 lives and
the rescue of 521. The survivors are
now aboard fleet of steamers sum-
moned by the Volturno's call for help,
some Of which are bound eastward
and others westward.
The Volturno sailed from Rotter-
dam on October for New York. Ac-
cording to the official statement she
carried % first cabin passengers, o3S
steerage and a crew numbering So.
| The rescue ships reached the scene OF
the disaster in plenty OF time to save
all, bat for hours stood by the blaz-
inz vessel, impotent because of the
storm to reach the agonized men ana
women and children crowding. the
afterpart of the ship, which was with
in a stones throw.
The steamer Carmania, bound from
New York for Liverpool, was IS miles
away when the call for help sounded.
Capt. Barr ordering full steam, in
spite Of the gale drove through the
sea. ut 20 knots an hour, and was
frs, OF the feet to reach the burning
vessel. The Carmania was followed
by La Touraine, Minneapolis, Kappa
hammock, Gear, Narragansett, Devon
ian, Kroonland, Grosser, kurfuerst
and Seydlitz at various hours thru
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 helpless
ly 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.
The hopelessness Of this situation
was manifested at s o'clock in the
evening, when a great explosion tore
away part of the upper works aud
flames burst from the engine room.
It then became a matter of how long
the Volturno would stay above the
waters. Meanwhile several of the
frantic passengers, with nlife buoys.
dropped over into the sea. One of
them was taken aboard the Carmania.
It may be that others found haven
with other vessels OF the feet.
When day broke the Volturno was
still afoat. The gale was moderated
and the seas had calmed down. From
almost every one of the encircllng
steamers lifeboats were sent out and
| into these the women and children
were lowered first. Several trips were
necessary before the survivors were
removed to place Of safety.
It is pointed out at as remarkable
coincidence that the Volturno, about
four years ago, made notable res
cue Of the crew of French vessel in
a great storm in mid-Atlantic. Capt.
Harrison, who then commanded the
Volturno, was decorated by the
| French government for his daring
act.
A graphic story by the solitary sur
vivor aboard the Carmania. who is
German named Trintepohl, was re-
ceived by wireless and presents a
terrible picture of the horror, the
panic and confusion aboard the burn
| ing liner.
"All went WE'LL" said Trintepohl,
until o'clock Thursday morning,
when the fire alarm sounded. We
we're aroused and told to go on deck,
as fire had broken out in the hold.
On assembling life belts were handed
around and much time was occupied
in fastening them. We were told that
the FIRE soon might be quenched, but
the captain thought it wise for all to
have belts as precaution.
"The fire frightened the children.
who cried bitterly. There were maLy
babies in arms. The fire grew worse.
We saw things blasting down below.
About 10 o'clock there was a cry to
| lower the boats.
1.-THE captain behaved splendidly.
So did the officers, who were Eng
'!sh. an sorry to say that the crew,
who were Germans and Belgians, be-
haved very badly. The people rush
ed about wildly and the crew seemed
to think they ought to have first
place, and instead of quieting the pas
sengers they made the panic worse.
"The fremen rushed up from be-
low and refused to go back. The cap
tain drew his revolver and drove
them below but soon after, as the
fire was spreading, they were obliged
to abandon the engines.
Gas soon as the Carmania was