The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-09-04
SAVE 275 LIVES
ON BURNING BOAT
Wireless Useless Says OPERA
tor As Blaze Sweeps.
LAKE DISASTER IS AVERTEO

Vessel Crashes Into Life Saving Pier
at Dawn and Tugs Save the Passen-
sers-city Of Chicago From Benton
Harbor Races Across Water With
Fire Raging.
Chicago, Sept. "A race with death
across the darkness of Lake Michi-
gan, with roaring flames threatening
her destruction, was won by the ex-
cursion boat City of Chicago of the
Graham & Morton Transportation
company, when it rammed head on
into the pier of the Chicago life sac
ing station at 5: AS a. m. Tuesday.
The margin which saved the lives of
275 passengers and crew was estimat-
ed in minutes. The rescued declared
that with her wireless apparatus out
Of order and unable to bring aid to
the imperiled boat and the lake too
rough safely to launch the small life
boats it was gamble for q time
whether the end of the big excursion
boat would not be written in another
marine disaster. Many of the pas
sengers lost clothes and baggage, the
cargo Of fruit wa, ruined, the boat
badly damaged and the life saving
station and furnishings on the island
at the mouth of the Chicago river
were cracked and broken by the force
of the collision.
The ship left Benton Harbor at
Has p. m, Monday night, with a
cargo of fruit and 275 passengers
Some Of the employees declare that
the fire was started by grease in the
air shaft and the theory was advanced
that it broke out while the ship was
In midlake. Captain Bjork says that
he was only seven miles from the
mouth of the river when the first
smoke was discovered. He says he
raced the craft against the wind, SO
as to confine the flames as much as
possible.
l. Conflicting Stories slfted.
More than one official investigation
OF circumstances surrounding the
wreck will be made as a result OF
conflicting stories told by officials OF
the Graham & Morton company and
by passengers and others who took
part in the rescue. Arthur Fl. He'd
lund, wireless operator on the strip
asserted that his apparatus would not
work and that 1t did notSa an
auxiliary. Captain Oscar Work in
sisted that the ships apparatus was
all right and the failure to bring aid
to the imperiled ship was because
the operators in the Congress hotel
roof station were probably asleep
1t also developed during the day
that the government has not had a
radio inspector stationed here since
w. o. Hensgen was withdrawn by the
department of commerce at the close
of navigation last fall J. F. Dillon
of Cleveland comes occasionally tc
look over the Chicago lake boats His
last visit is said to have been early IL
August
Says Boat Equipped Voluntarily.
Mr.. Dillon arrived at his Chicago
Office, 629 Federal building, at Q a
m. today.
"The steamer City of Chicago is ir
the class voluntarily equipped and Il
not required by existing law to carry
any wireless equipment" he contin
ued In his telegram. "When equipped
with radio apparatus a ship of this
class must be licensed and its appa
ratus must conform to requirement.
as to wave lengths, decrement ant
regulation of power only inspected the
City of Chicagos equipment Aug.
last, and found it adjusted in accord
ance with the requirements Of the
law"
sssOsr I'll TnA'k