Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-10-17
THE VOLTURNO DISASTER
CONTINUED from Page One).

I had received word from the Carma-
MIA that she was hoping to be with us
by IL A. M. Life-belts were served
out and put on each passenger. Food
was served out to them.
Fire Discovered in Bunker.
AT 8 a. m, the bunker was found to
be ablaze. 1t being impossible to stop
the fire in the bunker on account of
gases, the watertight doors were clos
ed and water poured down the No. 2
hatch onto the fire, but the fire was
gaining all the time.
AT II a. m, the Carmania arrived
and lowered a boat, but could not
reach the ship on account Of the high
sea. Asked Carmania to look for No.
boat. The steamship Seydlitz arriv-
ed and lowered boats, which could not
reach us. About p. m, the Carmania
returned and tried to reach the ship
with life-rafts, but all drifted past our
bow too far away.
Several steamers had arrived by
dusk. The Kroonland put away boats
which made four attempts to come
alongside, but were swept away each
time. 49,
AT $50 p. m, the saloon and chart
house were flaming. The deck, bridge
and all before the funnel were blazing
fercely. Pumps and dynamos stopped
for want Of steam. Men worked with
the accumulators until II p. m, when
the magazine on the bridge blew up
carrying the aerial away.
Jumped Toward Reseuing Boats.
Several boats by this time were
laying off the ship and induced pas
sengers to jump and they were rescued
by boats. At IL midnight, the weather
was overcast and squally. Operations
were suspended, it being too dark for
boats to see. The fire meanwhile
worked through the women's steerage
to the after end Of the ship, but we
kept knowledge Of this from the pas
sengers who were quiet throughout the
rest of the night.
1.-The chief engineer. the Marconi
men and seamen and myself spent the
night making small RATS in case the
fire burned through the deck before
| daylight.
AT 5.35 a. m, the first boat arrived.
Weather and sea having moderated,
boats were enabled to come alongside
the ship, which enabled passengers to
embark quickly. All the steamers ly-
ing around the ship sent boats. The
passengers left in a very orderly way
and there was no panic, women break
ing down and crying when help was
alongside, and all were off the ship by
| 8 q. M, about 400 passengers. search
ed the ship myself and found no one
else on board, so decided to abandon
her, as the No. 8 hatch was well alight
by now; so with remainder of crew
embarked on the Kroonland.
Ships that Gave Aid.
Nothing at all has been heard Of
the two missing boats. Passing vessels
were asked to keep lookout for them.
Il wish to express my heartlest
thanks and gratitude to the captains
Of ships who stood by; also to the off,
GERS and crews who came to our as
sistance, for their bravery and endur-
ance in their endeavor to come along
side the ship; also to the passengers
of the Kroonland for their kindness to
the rescued passengers, engineers and
crew and myself, in fitting US out and
doing everything for US.
Following are the names Of the
steamers that came to our assistance;
Carmania, Grosser Kurfuerst, La Tou-
raine, Asian, Narragansett, Seydlitz
Minneapolis, Devonian, Car, Kappa
hammock, also one steamer without
wireless. The ship was abandoned In
latitude 1880 north, longitude 34.57
weet ....