The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-10-15
BRAVERY SHOWN BY CREW
Fought Fire and at One Time II
Was Thought Flames We're
Under Control
SURVIVORS REACH NEW YORK

Kew York. Oct. 15.-Betwecn oiehty
and ninety passengers Of the Volmno
were trapped in compartment one by
the first explosion in the vessel and
they pcrishcd At once OF were burned
alive. This news was brought by the
Grosser kurtuerst which arrived today
with loi survivors. The Crosser Kur-
fuerst reached quarantine at 1890
o'clock.
Committees from the Red Cross and
Jewish organizations and friends and
relatives of the dead and living await
cd the ships coming Ten automobiles
and ambulances were on hand 10
bring the unfortunates to temporary
refuge in Manhattan.
In broken English. Third Officer Bis
selmau Of the Nolturno, one Of the res
cucd told his experience on the fire
swept vessel The cause Of tho fire he
established as an eXnloslcn Of q drum
containing chemicals and oil
II was jus, going 10 the hridgc when
the first explosion occurred" no said
The Volturno trembied as il struck
oy a shell. Almost Immediately 9TH
or drums began TO explode and there
were rapid fire explosions like can
nonading.
Captain Inch was on the bridge.
BEARD him shout 70 man the life boats
Passengers came running TO the decks.
Sailors sprang 10 the davits. 4 gale
was bowling and the seas were Sweep
ing I'm great rollers around US Pas
songers crowded the rails and tho sail.
ors h7l difficulty In lowering the boats
In the meantime dozens OF small
drums exploded every few minutes
The flames swept Number one com
partment and leaped to the foreeastlc
IN Few minutes il was blazing Tho
gale famed the fire"
Bisselman here described how
Of boats were covered In mo
difficulties encountered. Ono Of tho
boats w's smashed The fourth on
GERS boat. with q passengers in il.
ten minutes after IL was
lowered according 20 Risselman.
THE captain gave orders 20 night the
Ere, continued Disselman The wire
loss had been working FOR am hour. T.
naIIy il got word that the Carmani,
was coming az fun sreed. ] ram TO tho
-assengers who were huddlca art. some
were praying, ana some laughing
,huutCd 20 them that tho Crmoni.
was coming Most of them fell on ,u,lr
knees. The panic cndcd
After the steering gear on the
bridge blow up, we began TO drift. car
ocuicrs fixed The hand steering gear
fho captain fought the flames hard for
IN hour or two and thought he had
hem under control went 10 take
n observation Of our position. The
smoke made IL difficult bat / succeed
d after an hours work ~ ] came
iovn. tts wireless operator shouted
hat the Carmania was sighted
Many Caught in Compartment
The flames beneath IN, deck seem
'd under control. but the hre in the
orccastlo was burning fast met
aD captain in the smoke and he com
ilainci about his cycs They wcra
ably aurned and he was naIc bind
u ordered The stewards TO bring food
% the PASSENGERS. Tho Grossor Kur-
uerst got into wireless communication
with us she asked us IL we needed
lelp. Captain Inch thinking thr
lanes vrrc beaten. wirelessed back no.
lid not need moro heip. The Carma
lin was nearby Captain Inch asked
ler captain 10 scout for boats that hal
'ut of. she went ton miles and re-
uned without finding them.
None ot us thought about the cich-
y or ninety passengers in No. one
We hadn't time 20 do
10. We were busy Hebtlng the fire.
on't know how many OF thcm were
n their places when tho first explosion
ccurcd. as scmo may have been IN
ther parts of the vessel However.
t was near breakfast -imc, ana fear
most of them were there. TEoy Were
ut of tS the flames
some time during tho morning. the
aloo4 and frst-class quarters caught
ire We pat that out one after an
thcr elnvon ships stood around dur
ne a., fight and came in sight and
Cop4ipueJ an e,k p.n. Ia, r Cni,....