The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-05-07
FIRE ABOARD SHIP
A Danger Every Vessel Faces and
Is Prepared to Meet.
QUICK ACTION BY THE CREW..
When an Alarm Is Sounded Every
Man Springs to the Post and the
Work to Which He Has Been As
signed-Working the Pumps.

Work to Which He Has Been As
signed-Working the Pumps.
In every ship carrying passengers the
law requires that there shall be posted
In conspicuous place what Is known
as a station bill, giving the post Of duty
for every man In the deck, engineer
and stewards departments In case OF
fire or abandoning ship The law further
requires that there shall be drills once
each week ut least and that during the
stay Of ship I'm port these drills must
be performed In the presence OF Unit
ed States inspector OF steamships. This
Is done TO insure orderly and prompt
action against any danger that may
threaten. During these drills the
pumps are tried out, and all the appa-
ratus must work to the satisfaction Of
the inspector or the ship will not be
permitted to sail until repairs have
been made and everything works as II
should.
Some ships are provided with tubes
let into the deck and extending into
the holds containing thermometers,
which are examined every four hours.
Any suspicious increase In temperature
brings about immediate and thorough
investigation. In this way the presence
serious headway.
There is n rapid ringing Of the ships
bell for about minute. Instantly
there is change throughout the ship.
Where but q moment before things
were going on In the manner pre-
scribed by the daily routine now all Is
activity. Men get to their fire stations
with the alacrity induced by danger.
Sailors under the direction of the off,
GERS get out hose lines and appear with
axes and lanterns. One group Is rip
ping the battenings off the main hatch,
where the fire has been detected. They
drag the canvas away and open the
BOBBY hatch On small opening in the
large hatch cover), and Immediately
there pours out a column OF dense
black smoke.
Two or three men make an attempt
to go down, but after two or three
trials they are obliged to give 1t up.
The captain gives the order to flood the
hold and turn on the steam lines. Hose
Is pushed into the opening, which by
now resembles crater, for the air ad-
mitted by taking the cover off has fed
the flames, and smoke and flame roll
out in alarming quantities.
Suddenly the hose fills out and the
swish OF water under high pressure is
heard. At almost the same time far
below In the smoke filed hold the hiss
ing and roaring Of liberated steam
reach the anxious ears on deck. The
pipes connecting with the boilers have
been put into use, and the fire Is al
ready beginning to feelsthe choke Of
the steam as 1t keeps the air away and
settles over everything In n dense.
damp cloud. While some pumps are
throwing tons Of water into the hold
others are hard at work taking that
same water out, for any great amount
Of water sloshing about would endan-
ger the stability OF the vessel.
Up In his cramped quarters Sparks Is
working with oil his skill to pick up
some station ashore and fash the wire.
less call for help. The spark crackles
and crashes, then stops. Sparks snaps
shut switch, and then with deft fin
gers making an adjustment here and
there listens In for the faint buzz that
announces that his call has been heard.
There comes just series OF faint
buzzes, like the noise Of fly on a
drowsy summer afternoon. At once the
operator Is galvanized into action
Again the spark crashes out the ships
position and need. Soon ships alter
their courses and with all possible
speed make for the threatened ship, to
stand by in case OF need.
Perhaps the crew are able to master
the blaze. And, again-and this Is a
danger that always stares them in the
face-perhaps they can't. What hap
pens then is not always pleasant to
think about. You will doubtless recall
the burning Of the Uranium liner Vol
turno and the lives that were lost then
while other ships stood by helpless.
That Is what is likely to happen when
the blaze gets beyond control. And this
Is only one of the dangers that every
seagoing ship must face.
When sailing vessel takes fire 1t Is
q case OF man the hand pumps unless
the ship should be modern one and
carry q donkey engine and a steam
pump. Those Of wooden construction
offer very little resistance to the fire
once It gets headway, and 1t is gener-
ally case Of oil Off when n windJam-
mer Is discovered to be aflre.-New