New-York tribune., 1918-05-02
C;tv of Athens Goes Down
in 7 Minutes; No Time
TO Launch Boats
Women and Babies
Among the Victims
Survivors Of Marines Party
Tell Thrilling Stories
of Sea Tragedy

Cautiously picking her way south
ward at hslf-speed through fog be-
fore dawn yesterday, the City of
Athens, of the Savannah line, was
rammed by French cruiser twenty
miles off Atlantic City. In less than
seven minutes the steamer sunk and
sixty.seven of the 1876 persons on board
were lost.
The steel prov of the warship ripped
such hole in the liners side that
there was barely time to launch
s couple Of boats. Seamen went down
standing at the falls of the other
boats waiting for the passengers to
reach them
Although the collision occurred in
sseR eresn thoroughfare and both ships
we're equipped with wireless, no word
n 1T reached the world until the
French cruiser, a gaping hole in her
bow and her foremast snapped. steamed
INTO an Atlantic port late yesterday
afternoon. The shock had knocked
cut both wireless plants.
Survivors of the collision were
brought to safety by the cruiser. All
the names on the passenger list had
not been checked up last night and it
is possible that the dead may number
as many as seventy. Sixty-seven are
known to be missing.
The known dead include four United
states marines--New York rockies who
had just signed up for fighting service
and were bound for the training sta
tlon at Port Royal, S. C. Five other
marines are missing. and it is believed
they perished. ,
Fourteen French Sailors Lost
Twenty French sailors were steerage
passengers destined for a Southern
port. where they were to man mine
tfaw!er. Fourteen of them were
crowned. Out of the sixty-six mem
I oers OF the crew of the City of Athens
lnlrty 1.-TWO were saved
Inc Survivors reached New York City
~ o'clock In the afternoon. 1t was
NOT until one of the twenty-four ma
tines had telephoned marine head
quarters that news of the disaster be-
came known
"A half hour later and the. rescued
marines began struggling into the
quarters: They wore nondescript ear
rents given them by the crew of the
rfeneh cruiser. Most of those aboard
!ne City of Athens had rushed to the
eacx after the smash without clothing.
Inc lists of dead first cabin passen-
ssEs' the missing and those saved were
Steamship Company, of Savannah Jsar p,er
- north River, by i. w. Hildum, port
agent FOR the company.
The Dead
z SSoDLEINER. Richard. Mobile. Ala.
NMninKON, Jean, New York City
SLgG: Edward. Savannah
rrenLLELL. Isaac, Patel son, N J.
ggccNk: G. A. w, Brooklyn
nnVLTHAN. Mrs. r. D., Hyde Park. Mass
nnsSsIL. 1871. James j.. Morristown, N. j.
enm5 81, N,0LDS. ,, Rev j. r.. New York CITY.
u yrqiSES, SyfMtES, Miss E. G.. New York City.
aVuNG. X. A.. Brooklyn.
AN unidentified child.
Dead Marines
q SsassSS,nsAelAAME. B. j.. Buffalo.
NJ. WhG, Samuel. 145 Crotona Place.
ma r1--sN aA~i~Ds marry ilZ0 NOStrand Ave
SING. Stephen H.. jr.. Garden City.
Missing Marines
s gDixON, Frank R., Buffalo.
s Is U SUxSScc,NlGAN, c,SlGAN, Peter j.. Buffalo
WHiTrm;nmp5iIsa WHir; m5iIsam j.: Long Island City
ne marines whose addresses arc ,;st-
IS ss Buffalo on the passenger list are
sse who signed up for the marina
"a sce IN the Buffalo district Tha;r
s5x are towns within a rad;ns ~
1sg miles of Buffalo. ~
49, dead include thirty-four mem
4 ~ ol the crew and fourteen French
'ls aboard the City of Athens.
Dead Officers
sSsst Sa.st Officer LEWIS.
ss9s ne --sN assistant Engineer A. c. COOK.
Marines Dazed by Shock
( ,axed and still suffering from their
z ss1siences survivors told Lieutenant
6s.uner disjointed stories of what
srs in the. fog off Atlantic City
~ ,s.. - .neir thrilling part in the work
/ ane tAty of Athens left her moor
~. = I Pier 35, North River. at g.
E sessss sssA Tuesday afternoon. She en-.
{ heavy. low lying foes as
ossa'sassd on Page ), colam,s .