Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-10-15
CAPTAIN INCH REPORTS:
Makes Formal Report on Disaster TO
ehip OWnera.

I
story Of the disaster last night.
| ! It Is a plain seaman's tale, but in 1t
line by line, the horrors Of the disaster
and the terrible ordeal thru which
passengers and crew passed art
brought out all the more clearly, per.
haps. because Of the marked direct.
ness and simplicity with which thu
story is told.
Captain Inch sent his story Of the
disaster by wireless last night from the
| Kroonland, on which ne is beins
| brought to this port, to the officers Of
the Uranium line here.
Chief Officer Reports Blaze.
Captain 1nch's narrative reads:
! At $3.50 a. M, Oct. 9. 1918. latitude
1912 north, longitude 1851. tbs fire
was reported In hole No by chief Of
f1cer. At 6:55 a. m. flames were burn
ing thru No. matches, setting fire tc
the forecastle and all deck fittings
slowed the ship down and kept hel
before the wind to enable US to put the
steam extinguishers in operation; also
three fire hose from deck connections
"The flames were gaining rapidly
reaching the height Of the foremast
light and imprisoning the watch be-
low, who were burned to death in the
forecastle.
Hospital 10 Wrecked.
4 ser!es Of explosions now occurred
wrecking the saloon and hospital
amidships, the compass and steering
gear being also damaged by the ex-
plosions gave orders to get help by
. wireless as soon as the flames burned
the matches.
"1t seemingly being impossible to
save the ship. had boats provisiored
and swung out. The ship was rolling
heavily.
Boats Nos. Is and were smashed,
but No. 2 was lowered in the water
with cabin passengers and stewardess.
in charge OF Chief Officer H. p. Miller.
Boat Rights Itself.
After this boat left the ship she cap
sized. throwing her occupants in the
water. She afterwards righted herself
and several of the crew got back into
the boat. the chief officer being one Of
them.
"The No. boat lowered and got
away safely filled with steerage pas
sengers. in charge Of Fourth Officer
LangsslL The No. Z boat on beina
lowered was caught under the stern
Of the ship. the boat being completely
wrecked. sse ss.
Meanwhile the chief engineer. two
seamen and myself fought the fre and
apparently subdued the flames.
Life Belts Paseed Out.
II gave orders to send no more boats
away, as had received word from the
Carmania that she was hoping to be
with US by II a. m. Lite belts were
served out and put on each passenger.
The passengers now became calmer.
Food was served out to them.
"At 8 a. m. the bunker was found to
be ablaze. It being impossible to stop
the fre In the bunker. on account of
gases. the water tight doors were
closed and water poured down the No.
2 hatch onto the fire. but the hre was
gaining all the time.
The carmania Arrives.
"At II a. m. the Carmania arrived
and lowered a boat. but could not
reach the ship. on account Of high
seas. Asked Carmania to look for the
No. boat. The steamship Seydlitz
arrived and lowered boats, which
could not reach US. About p. m. the
Carmania returned and tried to reach
the ship with life RATS. 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.
Pumps and Dynamos Stop.
':At $3.50 p. m. the saloon and chart
house were flaming. The deck, bridge
and all before the funnel were blazing
hercely. Pumps and dynamos stopped
for want Of steam. Marconi operators
worked with the accumu1ator until II
p. M, when the magazine. on the
bridge, blew up, carrying the aerial
away.
Several boats by this time were lay
ing off the ship and induced passengers
to Jump. and they were rescued by
boats. At IL o'clock midnight the
weather was overcast and squally. OPP
erations were suspended. It being too
dark for boats to see.
Fire Eats Way At.
.oThe fire meanwhile worked thru tho
women's steerage to the after end Of
the ship. but we kept knowledge Of
this from the passengers. who were
quiet thruout the rest Of the night.
'The chief engineer. the Marconi men
and seamen and myself spent the night
making small rats In case the hre
burned thru the deck before daylight.
"At 6:15 q. m. the first boat arrived.
Weather and sea having moderated.
boats were enabled to como alongside
ship. which enabled passengers to en-
bark quickly.
No Panic Abroad.
"All the steamers lying around the
ship sent boats. Now we were enabled
to load three boats with passengers at
once. The passengers left IN very
orderly way and there was no panic.
women breaking down and crying when
help was alongside, and al were OF
the ship by q m. about 400 passen.
gers.
Il searched the ship myself ana
feund no one else On board. - decided
ts abandon her as the Ne. : hatch was
well alight by now, % with the re-.
mainder Of crew embarked on the
Kroonland.
..Nothing at all has been heard Of
the two missing boats. Passing ves-
raj. were asked to keep Q lookout for
them.
II wish to express my hsartiest