The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-06-02
SIX MEET DEATH IN
OIL TANK STEAMER
TEMPORARILY BURIED UNDER
SAND DUNES ON GULF COAST
OF MEXICO.

Galveston, Tex, June 1.-Leayina
behind her in a single grave under the
sand dunes on the Gulf coast of Mex
leo. First Officer p. f. Elliott and
five members of the crew, killed as the
result of an accumulation of gas N
the forepeak, the tank steamship San
Valerie arrived in port Sunday after
noon with cargo of crude oil from
the Tuxpam fields. The accident Oc-
Cured on the afternoon of Thursday,
May IS, five of the men going to their
death in the heroic attempt to rescue
companions overcome by the deadly
gas ahead of them. The rescue of
the dead bodies was finally accom-
plished only by the use of fire he'll
met such as is carried on all tank
liner ships for use of the men who are
compelled to go into the tanks to re-
pair machinery.
The dead are:
CHIEF OFFICER p. F.. ELLIOTT Of
Sunderland England
CHIEF CARPENTER II. COUSINS
of London.
BOATSWAlN F. SCHEAF of Corn
wall.
w. JARVINEN, a seaman, a Russ
ian, residence unknown.
w. CANNELL, seaman, of Suffolk
England
F. STANHOPE, fireman, from Aus
tralia.
Down Into Forepeak.
According to the story of the men
on board the tanker II. Cousins, chief
carpenter of the ship went down into
the forepeak to make repairs to one
Of the bilge pumps, The entrance to
the forepeak was by means of man
hole about two feet in diameter. When
about half way down the ladder, the
carpenter was seen by his helper, one
Of the seamen of the ship, to let go
suddenly and fall. Believing that he
had simply slipped the helper imme-
diately started after him and was in
turn overcome, falling to the bottom.
Chief Officer F. F. Elliott was next
to 90 to the attempted rescue and was
in turn followed by Boatswain f.
Scheaf and four men who, not daunt-
ed by the sudden fate that had be-
fallen their mates, and realizing that
an immediate rescue was necessary,
to save their lives, ventured into the
peak and were in turn overcome.
Plenty of Volunteers.
While there were plenty of volun-
tecrs ready to follow, they We're held
back until the ships smoke helmet
could be rugged on Fireman F. Hyde,
who went down, and fastened ropes
under the six bodies, and they were
lifted to the deck.
Captain f. f. Cadon and his men
Immediately applied first aid remedies
in the attempt to resuscitate the un-
fortunate men and they worked over
them for several hours without sue,
cess.
The ship being close to land it was
decided they could be taken up later
on and shipped to their homes in
England Coffins or material to make
them not being available, the bodies
of the men were sewn up in canvas
and a boat was lowered to take them
ashore. Near to where they landed
was an abandoned railroad track with
several handcars, and these we're used
as funeral cars and the bodies taken
well inland away from any possible
wash Of. high tide and were laid to
rest side by side in one grave. Capt.
Cadon reading the funeral service
over their bodies.
Caused by Foul Air.
The cause OF the death of the men
is ascribed to foul air, something that
is said likely to occur on a closed
compartment of any ship. The com
partment is not used for fuel oil and
so far as is known there is no means
by which gas from the oil could
escape into the forepeak. It had
been closed up for some time. and
no danger was even thought OF until
the six men went down the ladder 10