Norwich bulletin., 1914-05-06
l3 Survivors of
 Burned Steamer
PICKED UP BY CUNARD LINER
 FRANcoNIA
ONE BOAT STILL ADRIFT
Containing Chief Officer and Second Officer and 17 Men-Lost Ship was Leland Liner Columbia.

VII DoaTQ 0leaiueT fTa0CO0ld, Via Sable Island. May 5.-Thirteen sur vivors of the British steamer Colum- Dian. bound from Antwerp for New York, which caught fire at sea Sunday night, were picked up today by the Cunard liner Franconia. bound from Liverpool for Boston In the boat with the survivors was the body of the chief steward, Matthews.
 Another boat. containing the chief and second officer and seventeen men. was still adrift The Franconia cruised in search.
 Those aboard the Franconia are: James Drohah, wireless operator; An tone Eias. carpenter; Ivar Iverson, poatswain's mate; Unguz Prinze, Jens Jensen, A; Abernick. quartermaster; Thomas Connor. Juri Lei, and Arthur Brantik. able seamen: Antony Cor dones and Bennett Bother, f1remen and Frank Wedekind, mess room steward.
 The survivors suffered terribly dur ing forty hours exposure in an open boat. Their exhaustion was so great that 1t was impossible to obtain a coherent story from them for several hours after they were picked up.
 The Cosumbian caught fire Sunday night when about 800 miles south of Cape Race A series of violent ex- plosions occurred almost immediate iy- Captain Mcdonald gave orders 70 the wireless operator, James Dro- ham, to send out calls for assistance but one Of the explosions put the wire ting off the Columbian from commu- nicatton with nearby ocean liners which might have gone to the rescue.
 With the vessel belching flames and torn by the explosions, 1t soon be- came evident that the crew could do nothing to control the fire and the or der to abandon the ship was given The men left the Columbian in two boats. Chief Steward Matthews was in charge of the first. This boat put away from the steamer and lay-to for time, but in the dense smoke which surrounded the burning vessel the other boat was not visible and the stewards boat finally drifted far from the scene.
 Of their sufferings during the forty hours in which they were tossed about and Of the death of Chief Steward Matthews during this time. the men could say little when they were Drought snto the decks of the Fran conia-- Food and sleep were matters of first consideration and although sympathetao passengers were ready with offers of assistance to the ship wrecked ones. Captain Miller of the Eranconta saw to it that they were first given the required rest
 Having learned that another boat with nineteen men, probably includ- ing Captain Mcdonald, was stin miss ing and supposedly adrift, Captain Miller ordered the Franoonia turned about on the searching cruise. No trace of the second boat had been obtained late tonight.
 Was LeyIand Line Ship. Boston. May 5-The Columbian was reported by the North Ger man Lloyd steamer Seyd1it. to- day to be burning all over. with position was given at 41.21 north. b9.07 west. The Seydlitz apparently had remained alongside the steamer since yesterday. Until the receipt of the radiogram from the Franeonia late today. nothing had been learned as to the name of the vessel of to the fate of her crew.
 Last direct word from the burning vessel had been a mysterious message saving, We are on fire. Hurry up" It was believed tonight that it was this message which Operator Drohan was flashing out when his apparatus was smashed by an explosion The Columbian, although owned by the Leyland line. was under charter to the Phoenix line of which Sander agents. She formerly ran between Boston and London.
 Franeania Abandons Search.
 Now York, May a-The Franconia stopped searching for the Columbian's s missing lffeboat early tonight and is on her way to Boston, where she ex- poets to arrive at midnight wednes- day, according to @ wireless message which reached the offfceS of the Gu hard line here. The message came from the Franconia and was signed by Captain Miller. It was timed at | o'clock tonight when the Franconia reported ship was 4t5 miles east o1 tho Boston lfghtship. It read as fol- | lows:
 Expect to arrive at Boston light | ship at midnight Wednesday. Search | ed but could not trace other boats l Steamship Manhattan and steamsh mir | Haverford steering for position to | search"