Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-10-16

when Captain Barr gave the order
to aunch a lifeboat 1T was received WITH
u ringing cheer, but the attempt at
rescue failed, and as further efforts to
get alongside the Volturno meant GER
tain death to the boat crew, First Off
Ger Gardiner regretfully gave the order
to turn back. After two hours battling
with the sea the boat again came with
in hail of the Carmania and was almost
against the side of its own
amid cheering.
Lat in the afternoon after the fleet
of resculng ships had gathered about
the doomed ship the captain of the Vol
turno sent a message hat the situation
was becoming desperate. Attempts were
made to send RATS from the Carmania
and these almost reached the burning
vessel but just missed 1t, and thereby
was lost the chance to get n line aboard.
UPPER PLATES BEGAN TO GIVE.
shortly afterwards Captain Inch re-
ported that the upper plates would soon
give way. An explosion which seemed
to seal the doom of the ship followed.
In desperation an attempt was made by
the Volturno to send a boat with a line
to the Grosser Kurfurst but the boat
was hurled against the German liner and
wrecked. TIL men were saved.
The night aboard the Carmania was
one never to be forgotten. No one got
more than snatches of sleep, Some
prayed for the souls in peril. All were
wracked in heart-breaking anxiety. our
utter helplessness was appalling. The
finest fleet of liners ever gathered in one
spot In the Atlantic were practically i'm
potent, even with their splendid equip
ment, to render aid on account OF the
great waves.
soon after midnight the Grosscr Kur-
furst succeeded in lowering a boat which
had almost as painful an experience az
the Carmania's. After getting within
speaking distance of the Nolturno, the
officer in charge of the boat shouted to
the passengers to jump. But either they
did not hear or were afraid to respond.
The people aboard the fire ship were in II
state OF semi-collapse; they were over
come by the sight of the destruction of
many of their fellows in the morning.
They knew that the fire was creeping on
them inch by inch. When the decorators
and rockets stored in the chart room
exploded, they thought the end had come.
Terror drove them almost mad. 1t vas
hell Trintepohl said.
"Meanwhile disaster threatened n
boat crew from the Minneapolis. be-
cause Of q broker rudder. The search
light of the Carmania reVealel their
plight. and a boat was sent to the
rescue. When brought alongside. the
Cunarder. their BOAT was smashed
against the side, out the officer and
crew were saved. They had been out
for five hours.
This time spent in rescuing the
Minneapolis boat affected Captain
Bars plan of operation. He had four
boats ready to launch, but was now
furthest from the scene. Captain Barr
then signalled the other captains that
his ship was difficult to m%anoeuvre
and If they could 10 the work he
would stand aside.
AT dayhreak the gale moderated
and then a miracle occurred. 1t re
suited in the salvation of the Noltur-
nos crew and passengers When Cap
tain Barr sent out a call for a tank
steamer, there came back a reply from
the Narragansett: We will be there
with the milk the sea name for oil
"On the arrival of the tank huge
quantities were pumped around the
Volturno, making it safe for the life
boats to approach. 1t was a striking
spectacle when the great liners put
off their boats, which danced over the
shimmering, oil-flmed waters to the
work of rescue And soon the Vol.
turno was left a derelict.'