Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-07-08
LINER RACES FOR
PORT---CARG6 OF
MUNITIONS AF|RE
Minnehaha Carried $4,000
Tons Of War Supplies
To Europe
THEORY OF DYNAMITE"
TRUNK IS SECUTED
Officials Of Line Say Fire Is
Not Threatening High
Explosives

New YORK, july N,-The big $4,000
ton liner Mnnehata is rucing toward
Halifax today with fire ia her hold,
threatening an enormous cargo of muni
tions aboard the ship
Captain f. $, A. Claret. command.
ing the Miunchoho, reported the fire,
which he said was in hold three, 10 the
Atlantic transport line offices here late
last night. He said he was thOn $40
miles east of Halifax, but was making
for that port and that the fire was
not serious The line officials with.
held the news Of the captain 's wirc-
less report until 10 o'clock this morn.
ing They refused TO confirm reports
as TO the exact nature Of the Mnneha
hn = cargo but 1t was pointed out that
no mention was made Of the liners dc.
pnrture in the ordinary sailing lists
The ship slipped quietly from thu har
Dor without any announcement of her
leaving
G, W, Thomas, an official OF the At
lNutc Transport line, declared the fact
that the MinnehuhA carried no pAesen.
gers rendered. the idoa that Holt slip.
ped his "dynamlte trunk" aboard the
ship absurd,
Thomas confirmed the report that
the Minnehaha carried $4,000 tons Of
ammunition, He said, however, that
while the vessel was being loaded ey
cry prccnution was taken TO keep
strangers away from the dock
The fire aboard tho liner caused the
grcntcN speculation as TO whether the
Mnnehuhu might be the ship on which
Frank Holt. nssnilAnt Of J. =. Morgan
and capital bomb planter claimed he
placed bomb before committing sui
eide la the Mneola Jail Another the
ory was that member Of a band of
German spies known to be- keeping
close watch on the departure Of all mu-
milton carrying vessels, might have
set the Minnehnha on fire Holt, II was
believed, might have planted a bomb
in the Minnehaha believing that she
sailed Saturday The fact that the de
pnrture Of the liner was kept would ac'
count for Holt's mlscalculation OF
ficinls Of the Atlantic Transport line
said they had not been advised M TO the
cause Of the fire,
The news Of the blaze aboard the
steamer weakened the stock market
At 1926 the line officials issued tho
following stotementi
"Thc number three hold contained
only general cargo and no munitions
An ammunition aboard Is carried Ia
the hold aft
"The Minnchnha is one Of the most
modern frcightcrs al sea The crew
numbers 100 men and Is especially ~
ted for fighting fires Therefore W.
DO not believe the fire 20 be serious.
According 70 the best available IN.
formation, the Minnehaha has 10000
tons Of ammunition OF ull kinds aboard.
The vessel Is normal speed Is ID knots
nn hour Al this rate she should reach
Halifax tomorrow
The Minnrhuhn is o steel twin screw
liner Of l3,7ll tons, 900 feet long and
80 foot beam. She was built in 1900 at
Belfast and Is registered from there.
The MInucbahb Ia % four deck ship.
She is equipped with wireless
A wireless message received from
Captain r. \. A. Clafct commander 81
the liner this afternoon announced
that the fire aboard the ship which had
been reported earlier in the day was
rnused by au explosion The late word
from Captain Clurrt caused q sensation
In shipping circles N was believed 10
Indicate that tho statement VI Frank
Holt. capitol bomb planter and nssailant
of j. T. Morgan, that he had placed a
quantity OF dynamite upon trans
Atlantic liner was not ON idle boast.
Captain rmret lid mot state in his
message What had caused the explosion
and declared that ibe fire was under
control. but officials OF the Atlantic
Transport line admitted That Holtt
claim of having placed % bomb aboard
liner which he believed 10 be the
Philadelphia or the ~aNoun was the
most likely explnuatiUu
N WIS pointed uut hero that the pier
Of rhc NIuuohnha at tiftyeighth and
north River Is very near 20 those OF the
Philadelphia and saxohiu The Niune-
haha Was also scheduled 10 sail from
New York on saturday the day on
which Holt said the liner which be OK
petted to Doe mnk yesterday departed
Owing 10 being delayed in loading,
however the Niunehaha did not get
away until Sunday and then her Do
pnrture was shroudei with as much