New-York tribune., 1921-12-26
Fights, Suicide,
Fire and Debts
Trail u. S. Ship
Pocahontas Srnothering In
Rust at Naples After "a
44-Day Trip From N. Y;
Strike Breakers i'm Grew
Engineers Aid Kills Self
Armed Guard Ends Clash
Between Spanish Stokers
and American Sailornlen

Fragmcntary narratives of The erihu-
iations of the Shipping Boards steam.
ship PccahontAs, which lies In tina
harhor of Naples srothered in rust and
debt, we're brought 10 New York yes
terday by some Of her crew, who were
passengers on the Anchor liner Came
roma, In from a Mediterranean cruise.
The pocahontas, formerly the prin-
Eess Irene, Of the North German Lloyd
Line, was taken over by the United
States in 1917 and used as transport.
Later she carried passengers TO the
Mediterranean. Ninety officers ane
men returned on the Cameronia TO be
paid of and TO seek new jobs In this
port.
In May Of this year the vessel left
for Naples, via Boston. She had engine
trouble soon after clearing Sandy
Hook, and it took her nine days to get
TO Boston, 8 trip that is made by the
Sound steamboats, in about twenty
hours Repairs were made and it was
thought that she would get rc Naples
within fifteen or sixteen days, but she
made the journey in forty-four days
record or slow passage.
According TO A. Gnemmi, the master
at arms, the Pocahontas carried 270 sa-
loon and $50 steerage passengers Her
fire and engine room force was made up
largely o. strike breakers, who had
little or no experience at sea.
We carried bunch of boiIerniakers
who knew nothing about marine en-
gines," said Gnemmi. 1.-THE stokers
were largely Spaniards and they were
forever fighting with the American
sailormcn. The skipper assigned me
and five mates-all Of ua armed-to
keep the factions apart. We we're busy
all the time. At the Azores, when we
put in for repairs, We heard four Of The
engine room force plotting 20 sink the
vessel in dock. and they were promptly
put in irons and not released until We
got 10 Naples. Our refrigerating plant
was put out Of commission ard the pas
sengers had 80 live almost exclusively
on canned goods. Conditions were so
depressing that Albert Prendergast, an
assistant engineer, leaped overheard III
the Atlantic.
Drinking Water Quenches Fire
"A day after we left the Azores for
Naples fire broke out in holds Nos.
3 and 4, end as 81 demonstration Of ig-
norance and :ncompetency, the fresh
water taken aboard for drinking was
pumped into the fire. Three thousand
bags Of sugar N hold Nc. were
ruined. The Pocahontas underwent re-
pairs for thirty-five days in Naples and
then started westward on her return
trim. We left Naples September and
in the Mediterranean she went wrong
again and had to put into Gibraltar.
I'VE were informed by the surveyors
there that it would take job lasting
six months to make the Pocahontas
right, and we were ordered back 20
Naples. She is still there condemned,
her boilers and condensers utterly use
less; also 8 great quantity OF bills for
repairs have been levied against the
vessel
The Cameronia also brought to por.
slxry-nine Filipinos, all Of the crew Of
the steamship Crook, who were dis
charged at Trieste. The men will be
sent to Manila via San Francisco. The
Crook waa sold recently to q Manila
steamship company, and the crow which
arrived here yesterday signed on to the
new owners 10 take the vessel ae fa1
az Trieste.