Evening star., 1916-01-07
1T THESSALON|K|
SURVIVORS IN PORT
Greek Liners Passengers
Reach New York on Steam
er PATHS.
SHIP TOSSED BY GALES:
AT SEA FOR FIVE WEEKS
Everybody Put on Short Rations
Christmas Day, When Meat Sup
ply Was Exhausted.

NEW YORK, January THE III
passengers who were forced to aban-
don the sinking Greek steamship Thes-
saloniki at sea arrived here today on
the steamship PATHS of the same line
and gave vivid descriptions of the hard
ships they suffered during the five
weeks since the Thessaloniki left
Piraeus. and during which she was
battered by a series of terrific gales.
Christmas day passengers said the
supply of meat on the Thessaloniki was
entirely exhausted. only few gallons
OF water were left, and the ships off,
GERS began to portion out short rations
of the meager supply of food which
remained.
The Thessaloniki first sprang leak
when she encountered hurricane
which ragged for twelve hours Decem-
ber 21. The boiler and engine rooms
were partly flooded and the steamer
sent out calls for assistance. After the
hurricane subsidized, however. the floou-
ed portions of the ship were pumped
out and the steamer proceeded on her
voyage.
Ninety-Mile Gale.
Rough seas and gales were encoun-
tered from December - to December
26. when the Thessaloniki ran into a
ninety hurricane, which lasted for
twenty-four hours.
Many of the passengers and crew
reared the steamer was sinking. as
fresh leaks We're opened up, and the
boiler and engine rooms and coal
bunkers rapidly filled with water. and
the ship was badly tossed about. 1t
was then the Thessaloniki sent out nu,
merous 5 5 calls, which were heard
by the PATHS, United States, FlorIzel
and other steamers. The Florizel was
the first to reach the disabled vessel,
and offered to take off the passengers
and crew and carry them to Bermuda.
Capt Goulandis. who was making his
first voyage as a master. declined this
offer The Florizel stood by until the
PATHS came in sight.
The Thessalonikfs passengers were
transferred to the PATHS with consid-
cradle difficulty, and were forced to
leave all of their baggage and personal
belongings on the disabled vessel.
Towing Cable Parts Twice.
After the transfer the Patris shot a
line to the Thessaloniki and took her
sister ship in tow January l. The wind
increased greatly during the night, and
early the following morning the tow
line parted That afternoon the PATHS
succeeded in getting another line to the
Thessaloniki, but the cable parted for
a second time early on the morning OF
Monday, January 3, and the Thessa-
loniki was driven rapidly to the south
east before a terrific hurricane. ac-
companied by a binding snowstorm-
owing to the Thessalonikis engines
being stopped by the water In the
ships hold, she was only able to send
out infrequent wireless calls, which
covered a small area.
The PATHS took up the search and
was Joined by the Scandinavian steam
er United States. which had turned OUT
of her course.
Cant. Goulandis said he had been un-
BILE to make solar observations by rea-
son of the almost continuous storms
and it was for this reason, he adoeo'
that he sent out six erroneous mess
ages regarding the position OF his ves-
sci.
Refused to Call for Aid.
The captain of the Thessaloniki re-
peatedly refused to send out wireless
calls for aid at the behest OF both crew
and passengers. according to William
William, a naturalized citizen of the
United States, who was passenger re-
turning from Greece. He said:
THE Thessaloniki left Piraeus No
vember Is and stopped at Algiers for
coal December ~ the nrst severe
storm came UP, and the first the pas
sengers knew there was anything
amiss was when all the crew was or
dered below to work on something tha'
had gone wrong. Many passengers be-
came alarmed, and December -, Wnen
tba italian liner Sta1npalia was sight
cd several of them went to the captain
and asked that they be transferred. he
assured them that everything was an
right and that they wouIa araiee ai,,.i "a
m TheSSalOflkl.
That storm lasted more than twelve
hours. .-.... .,.,,,,,
up. One of the lifeboats was carried
nf the crew went to the captain and
asked that wireless calls for ald pc
sent out. He was indignant saying ne
vas running the ship and knew ms
business, and refused TO seho OUT any
calls. , -.
Later all the officers and crew ex-
cont the first engineer and two sailors
demanded that the captain send out
messages. He refused and the hrst OF
ficer then sent out the calls
Got Supply of Water.
"wben the FlorizeI came in sight, on
Friday. we were living on short ra-
lions and half a cup of water a day.
We had no meat for two weeks, al
though there were vegetables and
oreda.
"Wben the Patris came up. on Decem-
her Al the captain and a few men went
TO the other ship. He brought back ten
,.sks of water and a supply of meat.
Ali this time the vessel was leaking
badly, but the captain seemed oeter-
r,ined to take his ship and passengers
70 New York. New Year day, however,
he gave up hope and the passengers
mere transferred to the PATHS in about
two hours. There We're forty,hve
,.onen and twenty children aboard.
Thara were one first cabin passenger,
forty-eight second and 12S steerage.
..Tbere was much trouble among the
steerage passengers when they learned
the ship was leaking. but a Greek
Rapids. Iowa. went among them and
STAYED until they were transferred He
,uieted them and held services much