Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-05-24
Steamer Burns; Fear Many Lives Lost.
TRAGEDY IN BAY
TIES TONGUES
OF SURVIVORS
Terrors of Night Silence
Rescued Passengers
3 Known Dead.

Gals OF the Old Bay Line
Steamship company for the
safety of a number of passen-
gers on the steamer Virginia
which burned to the waters
edge of Smiths Point in CheS.
apeake bay shortly before 1
O'Clock this morning. Over a
hundred survivors were
brought to Norfolk this morn.
ing on the steamer City of Nor
folk and the remainder were
taken to Baltimore and Wash
ingtOn. Three negro tirRmen
are known to have perished.
The survivors, half clothed and
showing every indication of a
terror-f1lled night, could hardly
give a coherent statement of the
disaster. The majority of them
were asleep when the fire was dis
covered.
Norfolk, Va, May 24.-The steam
ship Virginia of the Old Bay line,
Baltimore to Norfolk, burned to the
waters edge off Smiths Point,
Chesapeake bay this morning. The
survivors were picked up by the
steamers Florida and City of Balti-
more, bound for Baltimore and the
City of Norfolk, bound for Norfolk.
Three negro firemen are believed
to have gone down with ,he blaz-
ing hull of the Virginia. They
were seen at portfolios in the low
er section of the superstTucture
minute before the vessel sunk. So
far as known all of the passengers
were rescued.
Baltimore, May 24.-The Old Bay
liner Virginia, bound to Norfolk
from Baltimore with 156 passen-
gers and full cargo of miscella-
neous freight, was burned to the
waters edge near the mouth of the
Potomac river last night
Lieutenant Commander George
". Dawes, who was passenger on
board the steamer Florida, one of
the rescuing ships, stated here to-
day that he believed 10 or Is per-
sons perished.
Many of Crew Lost?
This afternoon the officials of
the steamship company gave out q
list of the survivors, that totalea
up to the number who are said to
have sailed last night on the Vir-
ginia. 1t is feared, however, that
a number of the crew were lost
Only 16 of the 62 were announced
as having landed.
Other Ships Save Passengers.
Baltimore, May 24.-No definite
information regarding the burning
of the Old Way Line steamer Vir-
ginia in lower Chesapeake bay last
night was obtainable at the execu-
tive office of the line here up to
10 O'Clock this morning Officials
of the company said that if there
was any loss of life lit was very
slight" as the rescuing steamers
took aboard large numbers of pas
sengers.
The Virginia sailed from Balti-
more for Norfolk last evening with
between $50 and 16O passengers
and full load of miscellaneous
freight aboard. The steamer was
valued at about 100000.
The steamer City of Annapolis,
also of the Chesapeake line, ar
rived here this morning with four
passengers of the Virginia, among
them being Hugh H. Schumacher,
ST. Louis, and John M. Warden of
Harrisburg, Pa.
Fire Holds OF ReScuers.
Captain Dougherty of the City of
Annapolis said that his ship was !
about 25 miles away when the
burning Virginia was noticed. He
proceeded to the spot at sull speed, |
as did the masters of the ships |
Florida, City of Baltimore. South !
land (running from Washington |
to Norfolk, and City Of Norfolk |
When he arrived close to the Vir-
ginia he found that the fire was
blazing so fierceIy that Ae could |
not approach her. He mdhaged to |
pick up the four survivors, who |
were in a lifeboat.
The steamer City of Baltimore.
with about 100 passengers of the
Virginia, and the Florida, with |
passengers and members of the |
crew of the Virginia on board, fol- |
lowed the City of Annapolis into
port. Captain w. G. Lane of the |
Virginia was aboard the Florida. |
He was said to be injured, but to |
what extent was not known.