The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-08-11
LOCAL BOY WITH
ICEBERG PATROL
JOSEPH WHITE TELLS INTER
ESTiNG EXPERIENCES.
OF Life Aboard the Revenue Cutter
Seneca. Which Has Been Patrol
ing teeberas in Northern Seas

Altnoucn DANGEROUS IN q Wav. the
occupation OF patrolinz icebergs IL
hardly az thrilling as might be ex-
pected. according TO Joseph White
house. a Wheeling boy. the wireless
operator on the revenue cutter Sen
eca. who spent a weeks furlough as
the guest OF his father on Chspline
street. last week. Young Whitehouse
is serving his second year as second
class radio operator in the employ OF
the treasury department He has
been stationed on the revenue cutter
Seneca. one OF the United States gov
ernment's derelict destroyers Dur.
llg this summer. the Seneca and the
Mama. another reye nue. cutter. have
bsen patroling the iceberg region OF
the Atlantic ocean. between New
foundland and Greenland.
Mr.. Whitehouse left Saturday even
ing for Baltimore. Nd. where he will
resume his duties While in this city
he related many interesting stories OF
his experiences on board the Seneca.
both while patrolins for iceburgs dur
ing the past summer and searching
for derelicts during the previous year.
The patroling OF the iceberg region
10 warn ships IL the location OF the
mountains OF ice is something new.
this being the FIRST year il has BE- n
done" said Mr.. Whitehouse This Is
largely the outcome Of the Titanic
disaster last April. The United
states Was the first country 10 insug-
urate the movement Soon after the
Titanic's fatal collision with the giant
iceberE. the Seneca vas sent TO the
region where they were known. 10 be
most numerous A short time later
the Mama was dispatched TO assist
no ~ oil
ship TO Join in the patrol, but recalled
her after few weeks
The Seneca's work was 10 cruise
around the iccbCrE district and 10
Keep all passing boats informed OF its
location. We were almost continually
sending out ice reports. Most OF the
time We were about l zoo miles from
Newfoundland. although al times we
were much farther away
Relayed Wireless Messages.
In addition 10 sending out ice re-
ports. often We relayed wireless mes
saSeS from ~hips az sea 10 stations
on land ! relayed al least fifteen mes
saSes. ! think. 20 the Cape Race
station. receiv" the first wireless
message from he lmperator. the II
tanic's twin. on her maiden voyage
rev weeks ago The Imperator. al
though hardly as long as the Titanic
was. has greater capacity"
The district whore the bergs are
most numerous Is several hundred
miles IN circumference. Mr.. White
house said A. one time twenty ice
bergs we're in sight. Some OF them
are hmm nse IN size. he said. ana
often ris" 20 height OF 300 feet
above thu water As only one-Aigntn
or them are above the water line -
can readily be- seen that many are
Veritable mountains Of ice So hard
are they that when six pound guns
are tr'd a. them Mr. Whifehousa
Ssld. the snot made no apparent ef-
i"ct. hu' relied down thsir sides into
the water without even so much as
cracking thnu
The iceberg season is three or four
months IN length. beginning about The
hrs Of April
Mr. Whitehouse told many inter
'stinc experiences OF huntinr Tor
derellct ships Ia the Atlantic n viii
%" remembered ihs; The Seneca res.
cued The crew of the disabled Tur.
t1aiba. on RE coast - Atlantic City.
last Christmas During a h.aVy fos
on December =. the Turrialba was
wrecked. hurried call was sent 10
"" Nork for q revenue cutter and
Fhc Seneca responded Fifty-eignf
passengers and the crew. nearly loo
persons IN all. were rescued after
many thrilling experiences
ON" Of the most dangerous VOYAGES
mad" by he Seneca since he has bren
aboard vas after he derelicf OF tho
Russian bark Dura,hea. said Nj
Nhitehcuse. The seneca was a. sea
y da's before locating the dereiict.
Nhich was towsd 20 he g. rmuda Is
idudS. ana turned over 20 the Russian
government. The rip occupied TWEEN.
o. eitEf DAYS. most - which ffD.a ~.
sea was very rough Three men were
WSsH'1 overheard. and The gunner OF
~" seneca succeeded in rescuins
Two. ~" was presented with a gold
M'1al hN congress. FOR his heroic acf.