Norwich bulletin., 1913-07-03
Bravery Shown
 In Engine Room,
HEROIC EFFORTS ON RATTLEshIP
 LOUISIANA.
IN SIX FEET OF WATER
Officers and Men Fight Thrush of Sea Through Opening Caused by Dis- placement of Valve Bonnet.

Newport, R. l.. July 2-The brav- cry of the engine room crew of the battleshfp Louisiana helped the vessel out of dangerous predicament today When valve bonnet flew off flooding the starboard engine room with water. Incidentally the accident gave Cap tatin Templin M. Potts, who was yes terday dismissed by the naval ~1o1uck- ing board and who retires tomorrow, memorable experience at the close of his long years of service.
 Worked in Six Feet of Water.
 The battleship was in Narraganse4t pay oVerhauling her engines The rush of the seal through the passage opened by the displacement of the bonnet could not be readily stopped, although Chief Engineer Frank w. Sterling and officers and men of the engine room force rushed to the scene.
 Swirling waters carried men off their Feet forced them against the ma chinery threatened to drown them but they stuck to their work At times the sea in the engine room rose to height of six feet, but still off7- cers and men worked on, now swim ming few strokes. now grasping g. bar or wheel overhead P11nnps had been started. but the water continued to pour in in greater volume than could be disposed of
 Attempt to Stuff Up Hole . As soon as Captain Potts was, mo- tif1ed of the accident he also hastened to the room. He found officers and men stripped to their waists fighting l without success up to that time to | master the invading waters. Chief Sterling expressed some fear as to the chances of gaining eariy control, and Captain Potts then rushed to the 1 bridge and sounded the call for col lision drill, bringing every man aboard 1 ship to quarters and automatically I closing the bulkhead doors.
 A collision mat was put overboard. | mattresses were hauled from hunks and blankets from hamnaocks for use l against the thrush of water and waste 1 in large quantities was janarned into | the hole. but all to no avail. The sea | forced itself through after each at | tempt, often knocking down the men | in the engine room.
 Hole Stopped with Waste Gan. The pumps had succeeded by this l time in rioding the room of some of l the water and swimming was no long 1 CT necessary. Soon the pumps were l disposing of more water than was en = terfng. and then the battling engine room force was able to cram into the hole waste can, heavily packed This 1 was jacked securely and the threaten ing water was stopped.
 Some of the engine room force, Ofi- 1 cers and men, were bruised by con tact with the machinery. and were all most overcome by their exertions. Chief Engineer Sterling had the as sistance of Ensign J. D. Smith Ensign 1 John Fl. Wellbrook, Chief Warrant 1 Machinist w. J. Clancy, Warrant Ma l chinist H. A. Lowell and several chief l Deity officers of the engineers depart l ment.
 Was Not Under Steam. 1 Meanwhile Captain Potts on the bridge had been making certain that l the lives of his officers were protect ed. He ordered wireless messages sent to Rear Admiral Charles J. Badger then aboard his flagship Wyoming a mile and a half away, and sent mes sages also to the naval tugs SonomR and Ontario, to come alongside. l When the accident occurred the bat 1 tleship was without steam, only one l boiler being in use for minor pur- poses while the engines were being l overhau1ed. As a result the tugs had to be called upon to tow the Louis l jana. They conveyed her, under Cap
 tain Potts direction to a position a mile away well in shore, just off Tay- 1 lor's Point in Jamestown. So close was the battleshfp to the beach that 1 it was reported on shore that she had actually been run upon the sand. As
 8 matter of fact, she had at least
 16 feet of water under her at all times.
 The Damage Repaired.
 Anchored safely with a broad, shefv- ! ing beach to run onto if necessary. measures were taken permanently to l repair the damage. A diver was sent
 overheard and placed 8 new bonnet on the auxiliary overheard discharge i valve, through which the water had rushed, the engines were started, and tine bsttleship steamed back to her l station without helO