New Britain herald., 1916-01-07
,PATRIS LANDS PASSENGERS
 OFGREEK SHIPTHESSALONIKI
Survivors of Abandoned Craft Tell of Hard ships They Suffered During Five Weeks
 at Sea, Battered by Gales

NeW OTk, Jan. line 1 pdo- , sengers who were forced to abandon the sinking Greek steamship Thes- Baloniki at sea arrived here today on the steamship Patris of the same line hardships they suffered during the five weeks that the Thessaloniki was bat tered by gales.
 A On Christmas day, passengers said the supply of meat on the Thessalo- niki was exhausted, only a few gallons of water were left and the ships of 1icers began to portion out short rations of the meagre supply of food which remained
 Sprung Leak Dec. 21.
 The Thessaloniki first sprung a leak when she encountered hurricane which ragged for twelve hours on De- ccmber 21. The boiler and engine rooms were partially flooded and the s%eamer sent out calls for assistance After the hurricane subsided, however, UIe water was pumped out and the asteaner proceeded.
 Rough seas and gales were again encountered from December 22 to De- Scember 26. Many of the passengers and crew feared that the steamer was sinking, as fresh leaks were opened ana the boiler and engine rooms and X coal bunkers rapidly filled with water.
 Captain Declined Offer
 It was then that the Thessaloniki gent out s. O s. calls which were heard by the Patris, United States, Florizel and other steamers. The Flor sizel was the first to reach the disabled vessel and offered to take off passen- gers and crew and carry them to Der muda. Captain Goulandis, who was making his first voyage as master, de- clined this offer The FIorizel stood by until the Patris came in sight
 The Thessalonikis passengers were transferred to the Patis with consider able difficulty and were forced to leave baggage and personal belongings be- hind. After the transfer the Patris shot line to the Thessaloniki and took her in tow on January l. The wind increased during the night and early next morning the tow line part ed. In the afternoon of the same day the Patris succeeded in getting an- other line to the Thessaloniki and an- other start was made toward New York
 Second Tow Line Breaks
 The tow line parted for a second time early on Jan. 3, and the Thes- saloniki drifted rapidly to the south east before terrific hurricane, ac- companied by blinding snow.
 The Thessaloniki's engines were dead because of the water in the ships hold and as a result she was able to senl out only infrequent wire less calls which covered a small area. The Patris which had become separ- ated from her sister ship, took up the search and was joined by the Scandi- nav1an steamer United States, which had turned out of her course.
 Capt. Goulandis said he had been unable to make solar observations by reason of the almost continuous ktorms and it was for this reason, he added, that he sent out six erroneous messages regarding the position of his vessel
 Refused to Call Aid
 The captain of the Thessaloniki re- Npeatedly refused to send out wireless calls for aid at the behest of both crew and passengers, according to William William, naturalized citi- zen of the United States, who was a passenger returning from visit to Greece. William said:
 "On December 21 a severe storm came up and the first the passengers knew there was anything wrong was when the crew was ordered below to work on something that had gone wrong.
 Many Passengers Alarmed.
 Speculation concerning the trouble tended to alarm many of the passen- gers and on December 22 when the Italian liner Stampalia was sighted, several of them went to the captain and asked to be transferred. He as- snred them that everything was all right. The storm lasted more than twelve hours.
 e"On December 26 another storm saame up anG q life boat was carried away. Several passengers and mem bers of the crew went to the captain h a body and asked that wireless calls for aid be sent out. He was indignant, saying he was running the ship and knew his business, and ne refused to send out any call.
 First Officer Sent Calls.
 Later all the officers and crew except the first engineer and two sailors, demanded that the captain eend out calls. He again refused and the first officer then sent out the calls.
 There was much trouble among the steerage passengers when they learned the ship was leaking, but a Ereek priest, Kallistratos Glavas Of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, went among them and stayed until they were transferred He quieted them and held services much of the time.'
 FIRE CLAIMS ONE VICTIM
 Cleyeland o. Jan 7-Howard