Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-14

| the NarFagansett made free use of oil
to calm the terrible waves
When the Carmania arrived, Capt.
| Barr saw at once that it would be
almost a hopeless task to attempt to
save the Eolturno's human cargo
without the use of oil. but with a Oar
ing amounting seemingly to foolhardi-
ness, he instructed First officer Gar
diner to lower a small boat. This,
| after terrible buffeting, reganed the
Garmania with only three oars in
| tact After this miraculous escape,
| Capt. Barr did not again attempt to
launch single boat. Hence our ship
saved only one passenger who swan
to her
"On account of the size of the ship
| turbine engines which made fine ma
neuveTing impossible, Capt. Barr stood
| off and directed operations, acting in
effect as commander of the great fleet
which gathered about the stricken yes
sci. Shortly after we arrived tie car
| mania tried both fore and aft OH
sprays, but without effect on the
mountainous waves. Then The captain
sent out wireless calls in all directions
for an oil ship and his efforts " ere re-
wardad by an answer from the Nara
gansett.
When the Narragansett arrived the
Grosser KurfHrst with other liners, got
In as close as possible and lowered
lifeboats These took aboard several
persons who had jumped from the Vol
tnrno and the work was greatly IA
e:litated by the steam pinnace of the
Grosser Kurfurst. which had stayed
out, all night. A once the Narragan-
se.t began 20 spray oil about the DOOM
ed ship and the waves subsidized as If
By magic Soon the small boats were
able to run alongside the liner and take
the clinging people from the ladders.
The rescue work was over in very
short time Eleven liners 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
d. rot believe there is any possibility
Of the two boats having escaped
swapping.
! when we arrived on the scene the
| fire was burning steadily but not
| ferenly 1t never at any time got aft
Of the bridge Wien We went to dinner
| ut o'clock in the evening. there
were no flames: nothing but thick
| smoke At s. we were summoned on
| deck by the re- breaking out OF the
flames. which soon eliminated in an
explosion. We saw for the first time
!, signs Of a panic on the decks of the
| Inflated vessel. Several jumped over
heard. among them our own survivor
who. making a plucky swim, reached
| the side of the Carmania but was toe
weak TO get up the ladder Seaman
Highway was then lowered with "a
| lifeline through an open cargo port,
stripped TO the waist. He got beneath
the swimmer, whose lifebelt had be
come unfastened. and supported hlm
| 1t was a mangiiicent exhibition OF
strength and courage. Some idea can
be gained Of how difficult this feat
Yves rendered, by the fierceness of the
] waves. when il is realized that hall
Ian hour passed from the time the
swimmer, Trintepool, reached the side
of the ship before he was got aboard,
| THE explosion seemed to come from
| coal gas collected in the bunkers and
| was evidently not due to the boilers.
| For some time the fire burned bright
ly and then gradually died down. IL
it Impossible to tell how many of
those who jumped overheard We're
drowned. but the good swimmers
among them must have been picked
lup as small boats We're cruising
about"
| Arthur Sturgeon, who, yesterday
sent Trintepohrs graphic story by
wireless and described the rescue
work around the burning vessel sup
pleinented his dispatches with addi-
tienal details, today.
THE story of what took place on
board the Volturno before the arrival
of the Carmania, he said, probably
will not be known until Capt. linen
makes his official report. Some say
the boats were launched in an order
" maner; others declare that a panic
took place, resulting in the taking
over Of the boats by the fear-crazed
crew, after the fire got out of control
IL seems ta be agreed that there were
10 souls in there boats, all of whom
were killed or drowned. The Car
mania passengers were told that not
more than one-third of those in thu
boats were women and children.
when Capt. Barr gave the order
To launch a lifeboat it was received
/, with a ringing cheer, but the attemp
at rescue failed and as further eff
forts to get alongside the Nolturnt
meant certain death to the boat crew
First officer Gardiner regretfully CAV
the order to turn back After tw'
hours battling with the sea, the boa
: | again came within hail of the Car
/ mania and was almost smashed
! against the side of its own ship. Blu
: finally it was lifted aboard ana,
cheering.
= Late in the afternoon, after tn
: fleet of rescuing ships had gathere
o about the doomed ship, the captain
q of the Nolturno sent message tina
& the situation was becoming desperate
n Attempts were made to send raft
from the Garmania and these almos
reached the burning vessel. but ius