Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1913-10-17
Another Terrible
Sea Disaster
Over One Hundred Lives Lost
When Big Ocean Liner Caught
Fre-Wireless Brought Ships
From All Directions.

During terrific gale, the Uran-
ium liner Volturno, was destroyed
in mid Atlantic Thursday by fire,
with loss of life of 1856. Noun
famous seas prevented ten other
liners called by wireless giving
aid. By means of the wireless and
the heroism of those who respond
ed the lives of 523 were saved.
The Cunard liner, Carmania,
reached the Volturnns vicinity
at noon and found the distressed
vessel burning 6ercely. The yes.
sci was seventy-eight miles away
when it received the wireless call.
1t crowded on full steam, making
twenty knots in the teeth of the
gale.
The flaming ship was rolling
heavily. The Carmania' captain,
Barr, learned that four life boats,
crowded with passengers and part
of the crew, smashed against the
side of the vessel and that all
were thrown into the sea and
drowned.
The Carmairna launched life
boat in charge of first officer,
Gardiner. After two hours bat
tie to get alongside the Volume.
the boat was compelled to return
to the ship. Barr then got rhc
Carmania' bow within 100 feet
of the Volturno' stern. 1t was
impossible, however, to cast a
line or get anybody off.
The terrifying sight of hundreds
of horror stricken people. hud-
died together in the after end of
the ship was viewed by those
aboard the Carmania. At 4 in
the afternoon the liner Seyditz ar-
peared. These two were joined
later by the Kroonland, the De-
vonian, the Rappahannock, the
Minneapolis. the Latouraine, the
Asian and others.
The gale abated slightly to-
ward night and each succorine
ship launched boats. The waves
were still too high to get along
side. At 9 at night the flames
burst through amidships from tie
engine room and coal bunkers
An explosion followed, sending
into the air burning wreckage like
the fight of rockets.
The helpless would be rescucrs
threw overheard dozens of light
ed life buoys. The fire had reach
ed boilers and engine room. 4
few minutes later cries for help
were heard rising from the water
near the Carmania. 1t was {
steerage passenger wearing life
belt.
The man was rescued by {
sailor lowered at the end of life
line.
Other cries were heard. bu
these gradually died away. Abou
midnight a ray of hope came
when it was seen the flames were
not making much headway in tn.
aft end. At daybreak, the Vol
turno was still floating with ne
great human cargo huddled j,
masses on her poop.
The sea had moderated con
siderably and Aotilla gathered
around the Volturn's stern.
Bars official report, timce
aboard the Carmainia at $50 thi
morning says:
The Volturno was abandoned
on account of fire Friday. Oct. q
in latitude 48:25 north, longitu ii
34:33 west. All the survivor
were taken off. Advices receive'
from the purser of the Volturno
that the original number aboare
was twenty-four cabin passengers
) $40 steerage passengers. ninety
three in the crew. An incomplet,
list of those saved on board tn
Carmania will be forwarded from
}: Queenstown.
Captain Inch of the Volturn>
was among the survivors. Th'
'Volturno is owned by the Can
adian Northern Steamship Co.
and was chartered bv the Urar
ium line. 1t was $40 feet lons;
with gross tonnage of 2, 581.
.s.s-s-s-s':8e \: !. i..s-s"s"s.s.