The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-19
Captain of Burned Venezia
Tells How His Crew Saved
Passengers.
FOUGHT BLAZE FOR HOURS
Engine Room Men Stuck to
Posts Until Flames Drove
Them to Boats.


Line arrived yesterday from Bordeaux
with details of the most serious fire
aboard a transatlantic steamship since
the Volturno tragedy in october, 1913.
Only the perfect discipline maintained
by the passengers and crew of the We
nesia and the excellent work of Captain
Paul Bonificlo and his officers made
possible the rescue of the entire ships
company without the loss of a single
life. Even three dogs belonging to some
Of the passengers were allowed places
In the boats with their owners.
A smooth sea and the fact that the
Chicago. eight miles away, picked up
the Venezia S o S and was able to
reach the latter only about three hours
after the passengers had been sent away
in the boats, facilitated Captain Boni-
fcios task. In telling the story yes
terday, however, he laid special empha-
sis on the way the members of the crew,
especially the men of the engineers and
nreroom force had stuck to their posts.
Captain CrestfaIIen.
The Captain. in spite Of the fact that
al those entrusted to his care had come
safely through an experience which had
every potentiality OF horror. told the
story yesterday sad. He had lost his
ship after nursing her safely through
years of dangerous navigation in the
submarine zones of the Me- terranean
and the North Sea, and no, even the
reflection that he had discharged the
trust imposed upon him by the care of
hundreds of lives served to cheer him.
He gave the details of the unfortunate
voyage, however, simply and without
reference to the depression that was
evident in his appearance.
I'VE were bound from Havana to st.
Nazaire," he said, with a cargo of 230
tons OF rum and 1880 bags of sugar.
1t was o'clock in the morning of Oc-
tober IS when fire was reported in hold
No. 2, forward. just under the bridge.
This was the compartment in which
the rum was slowed. but we never were
able to discover the cause of the fire.
IT Immediately ordered s o S calls
sent out and constantly repeated. The
crew was called to quarters and began
the fight against the fire. We poured
water in the matches, both forward and
oft of the No. . hold, in an effort to
keep the fire where It was.
at was about 3 4. NJ. when we got
a reply to our 0 s from the Chicago.
She asked our position and we gave
II to her. Capt. lie Toux then replied
that he was eighty miles to the south of
US and said he would make all speed
toward us. At the same time he asked
that we steam toward him.
I'VE turned about and raced for the
Chicago. We went at full speed, with
engineers and firemen sticking to their
posts regardless of danger, and every
man doing his best at the job given him
But the speed We made famed the
flames. They mounted higher and
higher out OF the hatch and spread aft.
We had to stop at $3.50 A. NJ
Half an hour earlier all the passen-
gers had been called. for some OF them
had slept through the noise of fighting
the fire. The lifeboats were swung out
and the women and children placed in
them first. Then the male passengers
got in. The boats were lowered and by
o'clock all were free OF the ship.
Explosion on Board.
THE first officer and such men as
were not needed to man the boats re-
manned on the ship with me. At s
O'Clock there was heavy explosion and
the first officer had to leave the bridge
The smoke was very thick.
FINALLY we, too, had to leave. We
slid down the ropes into the remaining
boat and rowed over to the passengers
boats These had been fastened to one
another. We rowed up and down the
line doing what we could to cheer the
passengers. None of them had been al
lowed to bring any baggage with Them
uut tIree insisted on bringing their dogs
into the boats and we let Them do this
AT 10 o'clock the Chicago came in
sight and an hour and a half later all
had been transferred to her, as we'll as
sixty-nine bags of mail"
The Chicago remained in the vicinity
OF the burning steamship for two hours
and then resumed her voyage to New
York. She carried 700 passengers, 174
of them being Czecho-Slovak brides, who
homes. These contributed portions Of
their trousseaus to the depleted ward
robes of the women passengers from the
--Yenezia.
~
Passengers Cared For.
The Chicago locked at the Fabre Line
pier in Brooklyn, and representatives Of
the American Red Cross, who were on
hand to meet the Czecho-Siovak brides,
also assisted the Venezia's passengers
and crew. None has passports to visit
this country, but the members of the
crew were paroled In the custody of A
r. Henderson. general agent OF the
French Line, while the Red Cross or
ganizatlon will be responsible for such
of the passengers as wish to come
ashore
Meanwhile the latter are being lodged
and fed aboard the Chicago. The first
class travellers Will NrObhDly be for
marded by La Savoie, which is expected
TO sail within a few days. and the
steerage passengers viii remain here
until the Chicago sails.
Among the regular passengers on the
Chicago which sailed from Bordeaux.
was Samuel Charney, we'll know,
Jewish art critic and writer, who escaped
with his wife and two children from
Russia through the influence Of Col.
House of the American Peace Commits
sion. With his family he fed from
Petrograd to escape the Bolsheviki and
went to wilma. Here, on April 20, he
witnessed a massacre OF seventy Jews
Nv the Soviet forces, and that same
evening the Red soldiers broke into
bis house, seized Charney and his vile,
and unde- pretence that they hsd been
tniping at the revolutionary soldiers
from the house ordered both shot within
hve days.
Before the sentence was carried out
Col. House was appealed to, and sent an
bfficer to Wilma with demand for their
release. They were accordingly set free
On the fourth day OF their imprisonment
ind went TO Paris. They lost all their
property, however. Mr. Chaney, who
b a brother of Alderman Charney OF
ass Keap street. Brooklyn, win lecture
h this country.
reception for New Citizens.
The foreign born who have become
American citizens during the month
have been invited to a reception and
roncert TO be held Monday evening at
- Second avenue. the downtown head