Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-04
SUBMARINE SIS FLOODED
BY FAILURE OF AIR VAL We
eCen,inued from First Page

but finally a hole was made and
thin trickie of fresh air fioated In.
Consider saving personnel was
splendid feat Slightest mistake after
accident On part of officers would have
resulted loss of some or ALL" t0csely
said the Beaver report.
Members of the crew of a destroyer
which arrived at the Philadelphia
navy yard after having been at the
scene of the disaster declared the ac-
cident was due to negligence on the
part of a member of the crew of the
SIS Officers would say nothing, re-
ferring interviewers to Washington.
After large hole had been drilled
in the outstanding stern of the sub
marine by Grace and McWilliams of
the Gen. Goethals and the men were
taken from their prison. the first re-
quest of all was for a cigarette.
Every man was wan and pale from
the nearly two days spend in the sti-
fling darkness Of the sunken huh After
they had INDUCED in a smoke they said
they were hungry.
On Bottom In I65 Feet.
An official report made to Wash-
ington by radio by one Of the boats
that stood by and helped in the res
cue of the men from the So, accord
ing to a report here, says:
49, made quick dive for exercise
pm. Wednesday. Large valve in
air intake failed to close. Admitted
large quantity of water, to living
spaces.
Boat went to bottom in 165 feet
of water Got valve closed and ex-
PEELED all water possible. Whereupon
stern lifted barely out of water: bow
Water ran into forward compart-
ments. Storage batteries gave off
strong chlorine fumes.
Forward compartments vacated
and sealed. Continued all possible
Chlorine also forced vacating control
room. after which the thirty -eight Of
ftcers and men crowded into two
small machinery spaces aft and soon
began to suffer from bad air.
Crew Begins to Drill.
Lieut. Comdr. Cooke and crew began
drilling through with small hand
drills. Very slow work. Could only
work two minutes at time, bad air.
AT pm. Thursday steamship Alan
thus saw submarine. came close. at
tention attracted by calling and way
ing through small hole by nsw
through submarine. Made fast and
hung TO submarine until relieved Fri
day morning. no tools. Could not en-
by pumping air in with small water
pump.
steamship Gen. Goethals next ar
rived. Her chief engineer chung to
submarine stern. Worked small hand
drill for eight hours. Splendid work.
Finally got hole large enough at
am. Friday and all officers and
crew escaped without permanent in
jury. All suffering from thirty-sexen
hours bad air. Some temporarily in
others soon revived and began as
sisting In salvaging submarine.
Naval vessels that started from
Hampton roads. Philadelphia, New
York and New London began arriving
tempting to tow SIS inshore now at
Consider saving personnel was
splendid feat. Slightest mistake after
accident on part Of officers would have
resulted loss Of some or ALL"
Accident Due to Negligence,
According to members of the crew
of the destroyer Overton. which ar
rived at the Philadelphia navy yard
disaster, the entire accident was due
to the negligence Of some member Of the
crw.
But al commented on the bravery
Of the officers aud crew Of the SIS
As they were rescued from the ship.
. cigarette. Every one of them was
wan and pale from the thirty-seven
hours spent in the darkness of the
sunken hull. with all oxygen virtual
ly exhausted.
Secretary Daniels has sent the follow
ing dispatch to Capt. E. c. Robert of
the steamship George w. Goethals and
Capt. Il. c. Johnson of the steamship
Alanthus. who rendered assistance to
the disabled SIS:
The Navy Department wishes to ex-
press to you its thanks and Reep appre-
citation for the prompt and efficient as
sistanee which you rendered to the US.
submarine SD Through your prompt
action the lives at the ofdcers and men
of the SIS have been saved and the
Navy is very grateful to you"