The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-15
MASTER TELLS OF
LOSS OF HIS SHIP
Captain Inch Describes Burning
Of Volturno in Graphic Lam
guage OF Seaman.
MEN CAUGHT IN FIRE TRAP
Explosions Occur, Lifcboats Are
Crushed and Passengers Leap
Into Sea for Safety.

New York. October 1zc,nt,,,
francis Inch. whose steamer. tho Vol
turno. was burned at sca with tho Ioss
OF i36 lives. tonight told his story
OF me disaster 1t is plain scaman's
tale, but in IT, line b. line. tho horro,s
or the disaster ana the terrIhlc or,oaI
through which passengers and craw
passed are brought out all the more
clearly. perhaps. because Of the mark
ed directness and simplicity with which
the story Is told
From its beginning. where the out
oreak or the fire. which spelled tho
uooin or tho Volturno. is recorded tho
narrative runs without the anpnrcnt
omission of any salient fact. but one
20 the point where the blazino sbin ~,
abandoned. the last remaining passan-
ger taken off and the captain and whnt
was left OF the crew boarded the wait
ing kroonland
Men Caught In Fire Trnp.
captain Inch. however, does not say
what caused the fire. reporting simpIy
that the chief officer advised him a,
ten minutes before o'clock the morn
Ing of October Of its existence he
low. and that five minutes later tho
names had burst through the forward
matches and were rapidly spreading
Although all possible measures were
taken to subdue the fire the captains
story shows that even then ii was too
late TO save the watch below. The
IN 10 II
burned to death.
Situation In Desperate.
Then came explosions which wrecked
part OF the midship section OF tho
steamer The situation plainly was
becoming desperate. The call for helm
bH wireless had gone out as soon as
The names shot through rnc forward
Matches and the crew was doing its
best to stay the progress of the blaze
IL then looked as IL there was no
possible chance to save the. steamer
and although tho seas were running
hish ana the Volturno was rolling
/ heavily, the captain had boats pro-
visioned and swung out Boats Nos.
/. and were smashed" IS the sim
pie way Captain Inch describes the
iirst result OF the attempt 10 launch the
life craft. But Chief officer Millers
a noat go, AVA and although She cap
sized. throwing everybody out. she
eventually righted. and Miller and sew
eral OF the crew got aboard her
Donts Disnppeur.
Another boat described as No. G.
commanded By Fourth officer Langsen
also got away filled with steerage
passengers. Captain Inch knew moth
Ing Of the fate of these boats and, so
Tar as Is known. no one else does. AL
though a widespread search for them
has been made by steamers that were
on the scene shortly afterward and
them has been discovered. and they
probably are lost with all on board
Captain Inch describes the arrival
one by one OF the rcscuing craft, sum
moned by the wireless operators. who
worked until IL o'clock at night when
the fire had progressed so far that the
| magazine on the bridge. containing
signaling rockets and lights. blew up
carrying away the aerial apparatus and
compelling the wireless men to cease
their efforts.
Some Jump Overheard.
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 We're picked up by the
attending craft. BY midnight. the fire
had worked it's way aft, but this dire
full news was kept from the passen-
gers. the captain says. and there was
10 panic.
Fearful that the fire might before
daybreak burst through the after decks
and transform the fire steamer into Il
mass OF fame. the captain and crew
worked hard through the small hours
making RATS for use in an emergency
requiring quick abandonment OF the
steamer. But the night passed with
OUT the happening captain Inch feared
and wind and sea having moderated
the transfer of the passengers 10 the
steamships lowering about the blazing
Folturno was begun at early dawn
and accomplished without mishap N
less than three hours. BY that timo
the fire was eating up through the
apt matches. however. and captain and
crew left the doomed steamer to her
fate.
Captain Inch's Story.
Captain Francis Inch, of the Vol
isaster by wireless from the kroon-
land. on which he is being brought to
his port. to the Offices Of the Uranium
Line here. Captain Inch's narrative
reads:
AT $50 a. NJ. October ., 1913. lati-
tude +9.l2 north. longitude 34.5i west
fire was reported in hold No. by chief
officer. At 6:55 \. NJ. flames were
burning through No. / matches. setting
fire to the forecastle and all deck fit
tings. l slowed the ship down and
Kept her before the wind to enable us
TO put the steam eXtinguishers in ope-
ration, also three fire hose from deck
connections. The flames were gaining
rapidly. reaching the height OF the
foremost light and imprisoning the
watch below. who were burned to death
in the forecastle.
Crush Heats Like EggshelIs.
"A series of explosions occurred.
wrecking the saloon and hospital
amidships: the compass and steering