Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-03

pressed down on the SIS.
Transport Sees Buoy
It was late yesterday afternoon that
the U. s. army transport General Goe-
thals, coasting along off Henlopen,
passed close to the spot where the S-J
lay buried under the sea. The lookout
on the bridge of the Goethals, sweeping
the ocean with his binoculars, picked
up and reported the buoy. The trans
ports commander, mystfed by a buoy
which was not OH his charts, decided to
investigate. A boat was lowered and
soon was alongside the iron sphere. The
siren could be heard, and the deck off
Ger in charge Of the boat knew instantly
that at the other end Of the cable tc
which the buoy was attached were men
held prisoners and perhaps near death
It was the work Of few minutes tc
range alongside and secure the buoy,
then to cut into the cable and establish
communication with the men aboard.
The submarine S-5 has been sub
merged for thirty five hours" came the
message from Commander Cook. "Air
running short. Machinery is damaged.
Send for help"
Wireless Relayed Help Calls
From the powerful wireless appara-
tus of the Goethals sped a call for
help. The General Goethals herself
could do little, as she was not equipped
either to raise the So or, having
raised her, to cut a way into the i'm
prisoned men. So she stood by, and
flashed wireless calls to ships ut sea
and government stations on the land.
In the wide circle of that radio call
ships caught the message and relaycd
on, those which were near enough to
help turning their noses toward the
spot where the So was reported sub
merged. The big wireless station at
Cape May picked up the message and
flashed it to the Philadelphia Navy
Yard. 1t was relayed to every g,vcrn-
ment station along the Atlantic sea-
board. 1t was picked up by an ann
/ ttuE OptTutOE hOtln us arm
ington. Conn.
1t was late when the message was
received, but not an instant was lost
in sending help from all directions.
Admiral Hughes, commandant Of rhe
Philadelphia Navy Yard, dashed back
this message:
Request information if acetylene
burners can be used for cutting steel
hull"
The General Goethals replied:
Exact condition not known, but it
appears both acetylene burners and
steel cutters without acetylene can be
used"
Meanwhile the Alanthus, out of
Boston August 81 for Newport News,
had arrived on the scene. and. with the
Goethals, stood by to give assistance.
Though nothing could be done in the
way of rescue until tools arrived, the
two ships standing by kept up commu
nication with the imprisoned men. The
officers and crew of the SIS, relieved
of the most pressing weight of their
anxiety by the arrival of the transport
and freighter. were in good spirits and
hopeful of early safety.
Call Made For More Aif
Then came brief disturbing message
from the submarine:
I'VE must have more air."
The brevity of the appeal made il
only too evident that the men were ex =
hausted. some of them perhaps almost
helpless. The stern Of the submarine
was not far below the surface, and q
desperate effort was made to raise il
sufficiently above the sea to get air in tc
the imprisoned men.
Gables with powerful graphing hooks
were lowered from the derricks of the
Goethals. and one of these caught in
the running gear at the SOS stern
Slowly, 80 that no sudden strain woulL
carry the running gear away, the sterr
was hoisted until its black bulk brok,
the water. Other cables were passec
round the stern by the Alanthus, ant
made secure.
Through the jutting stern a hole wa
drilled and an air hose inserted. Th
revivifying flow of fresh air immediatel
raised the spirits of the men on tn
submarine, and revived those who ha
begun to. lose strength and even con
sciousness from the foul air.
Meanwhile rescue ships had been die
nufrhnI Ia
Philadelphia Navy Yard rushed tn
Overton, swift oil burning destroyer
carrying acetelyne torches and othe
wrecking gear. The destroyer PrestO
and Breckenridge raced from Norfolk
and the battleShip Ohio from the south
ern fairgrounds. From New York wen
the DESTROYER McDougall, the repair shi
Bridgeport and the sea going tug A
gerna.
Buoyed Up BY Rescue Hope
The second night of their imprisor
ment had closed upon the crew of IL
SO. Most of the officers and me
were nearing the point of exhaustion
Only the knowledge that release wa
speeding to them through the darknes
kept their spirits from sinking utterl,
AS the ships rolled in the sea, the nois
Of the steel plates of the Alanthu.
grating against the sides of the wrccko
submarine, penetrated with comfort
ing sound through the thin shell of tn
So.
The bow of the submarine scrapc
and bumped on the ocean floor as tn
vessels tossed The men had clmbe
the steel hill of the ships sides, to sc
AZ near as they could to the life givin
flow of fresh air that was steadil.
pumped in through the heavy, maile
air hose that had been thrust throug
the hole drilled in the deckplaces o