Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-03-20
nch17dSt
Wars Sea Stunt
Saves Burning
Ship in Mid Ocean

New York, March ia thrilling
tale of fire at sea. with l0i panic.
stricken men and women locked in
their state rooms and stokers held at
their posts under the threat OF drawn
pistols. was related by passengers Of
the United States liner Potomac
when she arrived here today from
Bremen.
1t was the tale of Yankee pluck
and inSenuity-of shippers refusal
TO give UP his ship until every hope
had been abandoned. and Of his &C.
ceptance of the "thousand-to-o one
chance which turned q threatening
catastrophe into mere narrowing
experience for those aboard.
The fire was discovered at mid
night of March 2. few hours after
the Potomac, with Captain William
Mcleod in charge, sailed from Brem-
en- up the coast of Holland into the
North Sea. She had been pounding
along on smooth sea when sud
denly, with howls of warning. the
Spanish and Filipino stokers bound
ed fromthe hold and started for the
lifeboats.
Officers, with drawn revolvcrs, Or
dercd them back to the fire room,
which had become an inferno Of
smoke. with flames bllowing from
an adjoining compartment whore
mattresses. life preservers and ships
rIx col fec
The dread cry OF fire" spread
quickly through the ship. Tic 100
passengers broke from their state
rooms and made for the lifeboa's
Captain Mclean sent stewards to
herd them back and prevent the
frenzied ones from jumping oNCr-
board.
Chief Engineer F.. y. Garland al
ready placed guards over the boiler
room crews, aud streams of hose
were spouting tons of water on the
blaze.
The engine and fire rooms were
flooded with water. but huge clouds
of smoke, pouring from the hatch
ways and the almost unbearable heat
at the stokers. next TO the fire. gave
evidence that it was gaining head
way.
At 1 4. NJ, the fire had become 50
fierce that the decks were piping hot.
At o'clock the Potomac slowed
down to half speed. AT $50 Captain
Mcleod ordered the engines stopped
and the blazing craft rolled sluggish
~ about while the whole crew turn
ed flrefiGhters.
Seamen went over the sides in
bos'ns chairs with slcdge hammers.
in the cast iron port lids, and
directed their hose into heart OF the
fire, but without effect. Even i've
steam turned into the hatchways fail
ed to retard the flames.
At SEQ A. NJ. after the s. Q. s, had
been sent out and a vessel was hear-
ing TO, to await the result of the bat
Tie Captain Mcleod decided that
rather than beach his ship and leave
her TO her fate he would try a stunt
he learned during the war, wh!lr
lodging enemy submarines.
lie steamed ahead at top speed. III
I'll the whole ship throbbed with tie
and her outline was almost
obscured by the dense smoke sweep
ng astern. Suddenly he ordered the
'udder hard over AS the vessel ca
'eened in the come about" her star
BOARD side lifted so sharply as to
throw tons of water in her hold VI
along her sides and opposite the heart
u the fire. Immediately the flames
subsidized and at p. NJ. 16 hours after
he alarm was sounded. the fire was
lnder control and the vessel resumed
Ter voyage.
Chief Engineer Garland was COM
oietely overcome by heat and fumes
n the last hour of tho fight and was
lhder the care of the ships surgeon
or several days. according to pas
'engers who narrated tho tale. Rich
ira Aibrecht, chief officer, and Al
req run. seaman, were slightly In
ared. The Potomac still had about
70 tons of water in her hold when
Fi'h a list to port she steamed In to
law