The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-27
RS GOES TO BOTTOM IN
LOS ANGELES HARBOR;
CAUSE IS UNEXPLAINED
Officers and Other Mem
bers of Grew Are Ac-
counted For.
BT LLETIN.

Only two men lost their lives
when the submarine RS sank
in Los Angeles harbOr last
night, it was ofIiei tally annOunc-
ed today by Rear Admiral Her
man o. Stickney, commander
of the Pacific fleet train, and an
eyewitness OF part of the dis
aSter. A third man who was
missing and who for a time
was thought a possible victim
of the accident, has been ac-
counted for, together with all
other officers and men of the
submarine.
San Pedro. Calf, Sept 27.-(By
Associated Press. .)-Three men are
believed to have lost their lives
when the United States submarine
RS sank in Los Angeles harbor
last night, the result of an unex-
planned accident, it was stated at
the submarine base here early to-
day.
First Report Two Lost.
First reports were that two lives
were lost. An electrician whose
name was given as Spaulzberg waS
said to have been blown from the
sinking craft by an explosion, while
I Dreffen, a seaman, was reported
imorisoned in the sunken craft
Today officers at the base said an
other man, whose name was not
given out, was thought TO have
gone down with the Rs.
divers are working in 35 feet OF
water alongside the RS endeaVor-
ing to fix hawsers to the craft
which would make it possible 10
raise her to the surface. 1t was
possible, according TO naval men,
that anv one inside might nave
escaped to an airtight compartment
in which life might be sustained lot
forty-eight hours.
Two Subs Search HarbOr.
San Pedro, Calf, Sept 27.-Two
submarines from the base here are
searching the outer harbor IN an
attempt to locate the bodies OF the
two members of the crew OF the
R-6 who are believed 10 nave
drowned when the vessel sanH IN
the harbor last night. Naval OIL
ficials stated that the cause CT
the disaster was unknown, but thaL
an investigation would be launched
Immediately to determine the re-
sponsibility for the sinking OF the
vessel.
Commander Leaves Last
Los Angeles. Calf, Sept. 81
Lieutenant L r. Chambers, who was
in command of the submarine Rs,
is reported to have been the last
man TO make an escape from the
craft. After he left he immediate
Iv began to aid members of the
crew unable To swim 10 get lie
boats and piers OF floating tim
bers.
Previous to the accident the en-
tire crew. it was said, was INSIDE
the hull getting torpedoes ready for
hattie practice Suddenly the rear
torpedo tube apparently yielded .
sea pressure and orened. The yes
sci began to iii rapidly and the
+ members Of The crew rushed for
the coming tower. One Of the lrst
men to reach the outside of the sub
marine was seen 70 cut the hawsers,
releasing the other submarines.
Explosion Comes.
/ Just as the man believed to have
. been SpauIsberg. who was reported
. drowned. reached the coming toW-
+ er ladder. there was what seemed -
i he q gas explosion and it is SAID
the man vas blown clear Of the
i tower, stream Of water following
him. The man believed to have
/ been J. Drefen. reported drowned,
never reached the tower ladder. II
IS said. and he is believed TO have
gone down with the boat
The Rs was Of the Holland type,
built in 1918 LieutenaBts S. D.
Jutt and J NJ Stee. were junior Of
fcers.
a landing party from the flag
ship New Mexico sctl they were
unable to give 4 detailed account
of the sinking but they believed
that while members Of the crew
we're flling a cylinder with alcohol
the tubes Of the vessel became open
cd n some unaccountable manner
and she sank within sixty seconds
Cheek Survivors.
The crew Of the Rs included %
officers and men and Efforts ara be-
ing rade TO check the accounted Tor
and the missing 10 determine Il any
more men were lost
The Re was tied up 70 the ten
der Camden when she SANK. Taet
-ae Geo = llst was not large. and
trat oniv one submarine was in
voted Is thought to have been due
TO tEe presence Of mind OF q sailor
whose Ha-ne IS not known, who, 7
IS said when lie RS be gan 70 set
tie. raa u the foTe-peak and CT;
the hawser By w1ich the submarlne
vas moored to the Camden and twC
other vessels Of similar type as TIE