The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-05-02
CITY OF ATHENS
WENT DOWN WITH
MANY IN BERTHS
Lacking Time to Launch Boats,
Survivors Leap Into Sea;
Cruiser Aids
SIXTY-EIGHT ARE RESCUED
u. S. Marines, French Sailors
2 Women, 80 Of Crew Are
Lost
SIXTY-EIGHT ARE RESCUED

An Atlantic Port, May Six
ty-six persons lost their lives
when the steamship City Of Ath-
ems, bound from New York for
Savannah, was rammed and sunk
by a French cruiser off the Della
ware coast at one o'clock this
morning. The missing include
ten men and two women who
were passengers, seven out of "a
United States marines, who were on
board, fourteen out of twenty French
sailors and thirty.three members of
the crew.
New York, a. Y, May 1.-The City
of Athens carried crew of 1876 men.
The vessel sank within seven minutes
after the collision. Sixty-one of the
crew were brought to this port late
today by the French cruiser, which
was seriously damaged.
Fire was discovered in one of the
holds of the city of Athens Immediate
ly after the seal lisionx An attempt was
made ITO lower the Iifeboats but the
}vesselsWas sinking too fast. Most of
those son beard leapM overheard and
the sllrgiyorss Mere rescued by the
boats sof The flpiSsr.
All the PASSENGERS and many of the
crew were TIN their berths when the
bow Of the wArship plunged into the
side Of 2 .Qs0 ton cosstwise vessel. Fire
broke 0slt Sllmost Immediately after.
ward in cM No, /. but it had no
bearing WI the l6f the ship for the
flames WIRE quickly quenched .by the
rush sof J'ater which poured in.
Captain Tnfward, one OF the veter-
an cominigp deys ns.the service of the
Ocean Steamship Company, owners of
the vessel, did hfs best to avert a pan
ic and mat the lifeboats; So quickly
did the d5pmed vessel sink, however.
there Ras Aps tiIne to get the boats
away TF,ntny of those who perished
were ,pped in their, berths. r..
Th''a:: OF the passengers and the
crew wlS we're ble"to reach the deck,
all of tren; .hinly clad and many, with
out liff p'c&ervers, plunged into the
sea,
The cruiser launched lifeboats i'm
mediaely after the crash and turned
its sarchlights upon the waters in
which men and women were strug-
ellington their lives. 'Sixty-eight per-
sons we're picked up and brought back
to tits port by the warship, which
was not seriously damaged.
Bfh ships were carrying running
lighs because Of the heavy fog which
h,tH over the sea.
F. B. D0herty the wireless operator,
was able to send out only one IS. O.
S." call after the warships bow plung-
ed into the City of Athens. There was
resp,nse to appeal for aid and the
vessel sank so quickly Doherty had no
opportunity to repeat the call. He Is
beloved to have been drowned at his
pos.
(ne of the heroes Of the sea tragedy
wal Harry A. Kelley OF New York, an
Oil.r, who swan to an overturned
lifiboat and dragged up on the bottom
oft four persons who were struggling
inthe sea. He held them there until
tley were taken off by boat.
The City of Athens left her pier here
al 3 o'clock yesterday, she carried a
ergo of general merchandise and
Sme passengers. She was in charge
i Captain ]. Forward, one of the old
st commanders in the service of the
ocean Steamship Company. The yes.
sel was of 2,O3O tons and was engaged
in trade between this city and Say
annah ------