The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-06
She BURNS AT SEA
The Steamer Columbian Is Lost
on Sable Island.
Twenty.Seven Of Her Crew
Rescued From Open Boats.

Sable Island, May S.-CAptA1n NC.
Donald and thirteen men OF the crew
OF the British steamer Columbian
burned at sea, were saved by the
steamer Manhattan. A wireless dis
patch to this effect was received from
the Manhattan by the Marconi station
here today.
The Manhattan, bound from New
York for Antwerp, had been near the
scene Of the burning Of the Columbian
for some hours and was known to be
searching for boats containing men,
bers Of the Columbian crew. Her sue
cess was announced In the following
message:
Manhattan picked up one boat of
Columbian, captain and thirteen others.
One engineer killed in explosion and
one man drowned leaving ship. Man
haitian still searching for other boats.
The rescue, it was added, was made
early this morning in 41.19 north lati-
tuce and 1875 west longitude. Yester-
dag tho Cunard liner Franconia picked
up one Of the Columbian boats con-
tanning Is men and the body OF Chief
Steward Matthews. so that n in all
have been rescued alive. The other
missing boat for which the Manhattan
and other steamers ere still searching
contains the first and second officers
and II men.
Mystery Is Solved.
Boston, May e.-The mystery sur
rounding the identity OF the steamer
which was on fire in the west-bound
transatlantic steamer lane south OF
Sable Island was solved when wireless
messages from the Cunard liner Fran
freighter Columbian, and the rescue
Of thirteen members Of her crew from
4 small boat. The death of Chief
Steward Mathews. whose body the sur
vivors had in charge, and the disap-
pearance of a second boat. in which
were nineteen men, including the first
and second officers. also were re-
ported.
Whether the number of missing was
represented by those said to be in the
second boat is still uncertain. Esti-
mates by officials OF the Leyland and
Phoenix lines placed the number Of the
crew at between forty-five and fifty.
The messages. from the Franconia told
Of only thirty-three men, represented
by the occupants Of the two boats. 1t
was thought possible that there was a
third boat commanded by Captain
Mcdonald of the Columbian.
The survivors suffered terribly dur
ing forty hours exposure IN an open
boat. Their exhaustion was SO great
that 1t was impossible to obtain \
coherent story from them several
hours after they were picked up.
night when about 300 miles south OF
Cape Race. A series Of violent ex-
blossoms followed Immediately: Cap
tain Mcdonald ordered the wireless
operator, James Drohan. to send out
calls for assistance, but one Of the
explosions put the wireless apparatus
out Of commission, cutting on the CO.
lumbar from Communication with
nearby ocean liners, which Nn18hf
nave gone to the rescue.
With. the vessel belching flames and
torn by the explosions, it soon be-
came evident that the crew could do
nothing to contr0luthe fire, and the
order to abandon ship was given.
The men left the Columbian in two
boats. Chief Steward Mathews was
in charge Of the first. This boat put
away from the steamer and lay to for
a time in the dense smoke which sur
rounded the burning vessel, the other
boat was not visible and the stewards
boat finally drifted far from the scene.
OF their suffering during the forty
hours in which they were tosse j
about and Of the death Of Chief Stew
ard Mathews during this time. the men
could say little when. they were
brought onto the decks Of the Fran
coma.
New York. May 6.-The steamer CO.
lumbar. which the Cunard liner Fran