Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
RAM|NED ship
S|Nks;43 men
IN LIFE BOATS
Texan, An American Vessel,
Is Lost In Mysterious
Accident.
ANOTHER VESSEL
MAY BE DAMAGED

An Atlanuc fOrt, SAn. ~
the American steamship Texan. Ves-
sci of $4,000 tons, received aavlces "
day from naval authorities tnat sns
was sinking ct sea. The Ioca'ion VI
the ship was not given.
The naval authorities did not stale
the cause Of the Texans distress Dut
reports received in shipping ciIcles
here from other sources were tnat u.e
vessel had been rammed amiosnips ~
collision with another ship.
CREW TAKES TO BOATS.
II vas said a steamer wmch mao
picked up the Texans 3. Y. >. csns
was hurrying to her assistance anu
that the Texans crew OF forty-tnree
had taken to the boats. The Ie1an
left here recently with q cargo OF NJ
trates. bound for France, agents OF Tue
vessel stated. .,,
Messages reaching here from anotn-
er port said that steamer arIiyms !a,as
hare renorted that at 4 a. m. she picked
nm an s. O. S. from the Texan report
ing that she had been struck amid
ships and was sinking. The last mes
saee from the Texan said: Good bye
The MESSAGES did not give the loca-
ton of the ship.
ONE LIFE BOAT LOST.
The Texans wireless operator re-
norted that the starboard boats nad
been lowered, that the aft boat was
Lost and that an attempt was being
made to lower the forward boat Oli
from the ships hold was poured on the
starboard side In an effort to make
sen conditions better for launching the
life boats.
The ship which brought word OF the
Texans plight reported that sne nso
endeavored to get In touch WIN tne
latter but had not been able 70 oo ~.
Tho vessel picked up = messase to Cr
from the xtesmef Imam eyle; = - Z 3.
N"Go 10 assistance Of Texan.
MAY HAVE HIT ICEBERG.
In the absence Of definite word re-
gardinx the accident, shipping men
expressed the opinion that the Texan
NAV have encountered an iceberg.
Efforts were made by government
radio stations to communicate with
ships with which the Texan might
have been in collision. The fact that
the Texan apparently was sinking
soon after being rammed, without
word as to assistance by another yes
sel in saving the crew, made the acci-
dent puzzling, naval authorities said.
WILLAMETTE MAY BE DAMAGED:
A government radio station picked
up a message later from the steamer
Willamette, sent to an unidentified
ship, saying: -,
.Will you escort me back To-
The answer was not ineligible. Ma
val authorities who got the message
said they were unable to determine
whether the Willamette had been In
collision with the Texan or had been
damaged by the same agency that
sent the Texan to the bottom. Nothing
more had been heard from the Texan
at noon.
Fragmentary wireless messages sug'
gested that the damaged steamers be-
ionged to a feet passing north. That
none of the messages indicated what
had struck them aroused some con-
Germ as to the actual cause OF their
trouble.
The Texan is commanded by Capt.
G. B. Enight. The vessel was requisi-
toned by the government from the
American Hawaiian line, for which she
was built in 1902. She measures S,615
gross tonnage, $4,000 tons dead
weight.
CREW BELIEVED SAFE.
Indirect information reaching the
navy department said the Texan had
been in collision with another ship,
which had gone to the rescue OF the
Texans crew. As far as is known no
lives were lost in the collision. An
oficial report On the accident is ex'
pected at the navy department.