Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-12
RUSHES TO SCENE
OF SHIP DISASTER
Sister Liner Will Seek Bodies
of 1876, the Volturno's
Dead.
WORLD HAS FEW FACTS
CONCERNING TRAGEDY
Grief Reigns in Halifax-New York
Makes Plans to Care for
Survivors.


Survivors.
LONDON, October 11.-Not since the
Titanic sank has Europe been so thrilled
as by a wireless message today telling
of the burning of the steamship Vol
turno in mid-Atlantic with a loss. so
far as is at present known. of 13o lives
and the rescue of 521. The survivors
are now aboard fleet of steamers sum-
moned by the VoIturnos call for help,
some of which are bound eastward and
others westward
The Uranium steamship Uranium, Capt.
T. r. Agassiz sailed for New York to-
night under orders TO rush TO the scene of
disaster and cruise around in the vicinity
as long as there was a possibility of re-
covering bodies. Capt. Agassiz was di-
rected to give proper burial to the dead,
ii any were found. after first securing
AL available MARKS of Identification. The
Uranium should reach its destination
by Wednesday.
The Volturno sailed from Rotterdam
October = for New York. According to
the official statement she carried twenty
two first cabin passengers. Jt'S steeraSe
and crew numbering ninety-six.
The rescue ships reached the scene of
the disaster in plenty of time to save all,
but iU. hours stood by the blazing vessel,
inpotent because OF the storm to reach
the agonized men. women and children
crowdinS the after part of the ship and
within stones throw.
Rescuers Beaten Back
All night Thursday the lifeboats made a
desperate effort to get alongside the Vol
turno. but the waves beat them back
again and again and not until the storm
abated at daylight Friday did the rescu-
ers succeed in removing the survivors
from the doomed ship
Even now only the fringe of one of the
most thrilling tales of the sea is avail
able Exactly how the rescue was ef-
fected is not known.
The Nolturno was well equipped with
= boats, sufficient, the agents say, for
thousand people, but the boisterious sea
or lack of boat drill, or panic among
the passengers, prevented the successful
employment of them. The rescue ships
were able TO lower lfeboats.' but ap- 1
parently most of the boats. launched
from the Volturno were smashed or up
l.sst,. and the occupants drowned
Two 5oats Get away.
Two of the boats, crowded with pas |
sengers, are reported to have got away |
from the ship, but a search for them has |
proved fruitiess and they have practi- |
cany been given up as lost. The occu- !
pants of these boats are included In the |
death roll.
The steamer Carmania, bound from
New York for Liverpool, was seventy
eight miles away when the call Tor nelp
sounded. Capt. Barr. ordering full steam,
in spite of the gale. drove through the
seas at twenty knots an hour and was
first of the fleet TO reach the burning
vessel She was followed by La Touralne,
Minneapolis, Rappahannock. Car, Mar
ragarsett Devenian, Kroonland, GroS-
ser Kurfuerst and Seydlitz at various
hours throughout the day. But try as
they might the rescurlng vessels could get
neither line nor lifeboat to the Nolurno,
the forward part of which was almost
h.uden by a dense cloud of smoke when
the Carmania arrived.
Propellors Eouled.
The burning steamer lay in the trough
CT the sea, pounding helplessly. with
her prope.lers fouled by the boats tackle.
The terrified passengers We're huddled
together as far as it was possible to
get from the flames, while throughout
the day the officers and crew fought
. desperately with whatever appliances
were al hand 10 hold the fire In check
But night came on and the seas abated
only slightly. The circle or steamers
kept their searchlights playing and waited
patiently within the danger zone Tor the
first moment when they might again
launch the lfeboats.
The hopelessness of the situation was
manifested at 9 o'clock in the evening,
when "a great explosion tore away part
OF the upper works, and flames burst
from the engine room. II then became
matter of how long the Nolturno would
stay above the water.
|. People Drop into 0ea.
Meanwhile several of the terrified pas
sengers, wrapped in life buoys. dropped
over into the sea. One of them was taken
aboard the Carmania. 1t may be that
others found a haven with other vessels
of the fleet but some undoubtedly were
swept away.
When day broke the Vourno was still
afioat The gale had moderated and the
seas had calmed down. From almost
every one OF the encircling steamers
ufeboats were sent out. and into these
the women and children were lowered
first. Several trips were necessary before
the survivors We're removed to place of
safety
Captain Makes Report.
/. BREMEN. October 1.-THE full text
CT the report of the captain of the
Crosser I<urfuerst received here follows:
We received the appeals for help from
the Nolturno Thursday at 4 o'clock in
the afternoon while we were in latitude
$3.50 north. longitude 1906 west. When
We arrived near the Volturno we found
| !er completely on fire. The fire APP
| parently had arisen from "a violent eX
Itcsion III the forward part of the ves
So. and this explosion had killed a
member of passengers and sailors.
Eleven steamers gathered in the
uci:shborhooG of the disaster which
took place during violent storm blow
\ ins from the northwest with the sea
breaking high.
Kept at Work During N;ght.
Two of the boats of the Grosser
KuIfuerst We're lowered and kept az
work during the whole night from .
o'clock in the evening till 3:i5 O'Clock
in the morning. 1t was almost impos-
sible for them to approach the wreck
and The rescue of those on board the
NoltuTno was possible only when they
Jumped overheard.
"A boat was lowered from the Volturno
with five men, who were saved, but the
boat sank Immediately afterward
The total of those rescued from the
burning ship was J23. and of these eighty-
six passengers. two ships officers, one en-
gineer ana sixteen sailors, making "A total