Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-10-18
WIRELESS TELLS
STORY OF WRECK
Thrilling Account of Burn
ing of Volturno Given
by Chief Operator
REMAINED AT POST
UNTIL LAST MINUTE
Kept Up Constant Com
munication With Other
Ships Seventeen Hours

LnunlcdLlOn Win OCner
Ships Seventeen Hours
New York, Oct. 16.--The wireless
phase Of the Volturno tragedy Is told
in the following log kept by Senior
| Operator w. Zeddon of the lost ship
It was sent to the Associated Press to.
day by wireless from the Kroonland:
Steamer Kroonland, Oct. 16.-Oct. g.
8 o'clock-Volturno found to be on fire
6:55 a. m. latitude 1912 north 34.51
| west longitude. At that time, my
junior, Mr.. Pennington, was on watch
when captain gave orders send out
| distress signals which was done i'm.
mediately. We then called steamers
Carmania, Seydlitz, Grosser Kur-
fuerst, individually. Immediately fin.
ished calling, Seydlitz answered. Gave
him our position; replied was coming
| under forced steam to our aid. Just
as junior gave our position l reached
cabin, Immediately gave out distress
call as soon as finished with Seydlitz,
getting instant reply from Carmania.
Then gave him position. His reply
was Coming all speed, now SO miles
from you. Hope reach you p. M
Greenwich Meridian time) but he ar.
rived 2:1o p. m. Greenwich Meridian
time.)
During this time we kept up inces-
SAINT communication after giving Car
mania position. Grosser Kurfuerst an
swered. Then I again gave position.
He then replied, Coming all speed
Great difficulty experienced in re-
ceiving owing to occasional earthins
of aerial through leads coming In con-
tact with water on deck. This caused
by sagging of aerial owing foremost
supports giving way. After some time
they managed get mast propped, then
leads altered right position, no more
eartning. Place signals quite O. X.
Further hampered by ship rolling so
great almost impossible send at times.
Gets Message Of Cheer.
"Carmania sends out calls. About
half hour later was in communities
ton steamer Kroonland. 1903 miles dis
tant., Also gave him position. He re-
piled Cheer UP old man, coming all
speed your rescue Five p. M, Steam
or seydlitz7 came alongside to: wind
ward, 80 minutes later Grosser Kur-
fueret arrived. At this time Carmania
ten miles distant cruising for our mis-,
ing boats which left ship when fire
broke out. On request returned i'm
mediately all this time In continuous
communication with all ships around.
Received rrompt reply all this time.
"1:O6 Greenwich Meridian) power
set gauge out. Did best. Used 1t as
I'd orr,
rent so poor junior holding starting
handle, taking out all resistance. Then
commenced use emergency set which
last twelve midnight Greenwich mer-
idian time) when owing to magazine
blowing away, aerial could work no
longer. Worked set from outbreak fire
thus keeping communication seven.
teen hours, then only left posts owing
aerial going. This not occurred &C
cumulators would have lasted several
hours longer. ~. Ia.
Aid Was Heroic.
II wish to mention from start junior
stood by me, deserves great credit for
way rendered valuable assistance con.
veying message to and from captain.
who, forward fighting flames. When
we could not do more inside calling,
did what little possible on deck. This
very little. owing passengers refusing
Jump for boats which could not come
right alongside owing suction being
great. Two a. m. Greenwich Meridian
time) Oct 10. Junior jumped for
Kroonland's boat, Captains orders.
Picked up unconscious. stayed until
last boat, left with the captain. chief
engineer, remainder crew. (Sfgned)
wv Zeddon, senior operator, S. S. Vol
turno."
kroonland Nears Port.
The Red Star liner Kroonland from
Antwerp, which was one OF the ten
ships helping in the rescue OF passen-
gers from the burned steamer Voltur-
no, was steaming slowly toward port
today delayed by an accident to lts
shaft, but It was expected that 1t would
reach its dock by night fall and set
ashore Captain Inch Of the lost steam
er and ninety other survivors OF the
Volturno including many members OF
the crew who were among the last to
leave the doomed vessel.
wireless advices report that among
the Volturno's passengers on board
are several women separated from
their families and three little chill
dren whose identity is unknown. One
is a wear old boy who speaks Ger
man and the other two are girls 3 and
4 years old. respectively, either Rus
sian or Polish. The passengers on
the Kroonland raised fund Of STA
for both rescuers and rescued. They
.,-,-f wc-rr IN their praise Of Captain
ycch of the Volturno and Captain
Kreitohm of the Kroonland for the
courage they displayed.
A wireless from c. W. Mcclure, a
passenger on the Kroonland, reports a