Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-06-08
BELFAST
Passenger on City of Columbus
Believes That Storm and
Darkness Saved Ship From
U-BOats

Mr. and Mrs. Orlnan 4. Hopkins arrived
in Belfast on Thursday, coming to Boston
from Savannah on the steamship City Of
Columbus. which had a narrow escape from
being sunk by the U-boats and which was
at one time reported as lost In the opinion
of Mr. Hopkins, an old time sailor, only a
! bad blow and q pitch dark night saved the
steamer from the same fate as the Carolina
and the other craft which were sunk by
German raiders. To the Ionrua correspond
cnt he told the following story:
1--WE we're three hours late in leaving the
dock at Savannah, owing to freight but
started out at $50 and all was uneventful,
calm aud smooth. We made Diamond
Shoals lichtshp on time and from this point
a straight course is set for Gay head. Sun
day night about o'clock | was walking the
deck and looking for a sail, had seen
none since leavin. Savannah on Friday
night. when l heard distinctly a gun. |
listened and heard another and another
| til [ counted five in all. | was sure that
there was trouble and knew it was either
| a German raider or else our ships were Civ
! ing battle to the enemy sonieu here. Moth
)
ny of them women, kept on knitting and
cosSipinc We soon began 10 pass wreck
age, fruit, oil cans, life preservers pieces
Of boards and many other things which |
knew could mean but one thing. The pur-
ser gave orders that no one should light
lamp in his cabin without pinning blanket
up to the window and when asked by some
of the passengers why this was necessary, he
said, 20, We'll this is war times you know
and it is best TO be careful" ! noticed al
sc that the lifeboatS were uncovered and
made ready to lower quickly but we were
not told where TO 60 or which boat 10 take
in case Of trouble No lights were placed
in the rigging that night A bad storm
was brewing and BY dark there was nasty
sea and it was Of the blacklist nights
ever saw It was on the dark OF the moon
not star, thick and raining with occasion.
al flashing Of lightning, ! firmly believe
that it was this storm that saved us from
the fate Of the Carolina ard the other steam
ers and schooners which we're sunk ~ the
raider. No boat could have operated ia
such sea, even had she been able to see us
which was impossible in the dark and our
having no lights. l did not go to bed un.
til nearly morning and few took their clothes
off all night, most of the passengers and
crew remaining up. The captain Of the
Columbus is German, you know, and
heard him telling some ladies one day at the
table that he came TO this country at the age
OF years and was loyal American. Prob
| ably he is but the fact of his nationality did
! not make me feel any safer. ] don't think
many Of the passengers We're much afraid
OF course we knew nothing of the C.boatS
| being over here, only what We had surmised
but there was panic and not word was
| said BY any of the officers or crew as TO
trouble. ! think that the wireless operator
may have gotten some messages but as far
as the passengers went there was nothing
given out. We were stopped at Martha S
Vineyard and told to anchor until further
orders, this was on Tuesday. We finally
reached Boston late in the night and landed
during the forenoon Wednesday,"
Mr.. Hopkins is an old sailor and no
doubt realized the dangers of the situation
more than many of the passengers. He
owns fruit ranch in Port Orange, Fla,
five miles from Daytona, and with Mrs
Hopkins passes the winters there and the
summers at his home in Bay View street,
Belfast. The past winter was q hard one
for fruit raisers and his trees were badly
damaged.