The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1922-02-08
LINER NORTHERN PACIFIC,
FORMERLY ARMY TRANSPORT,
DESTROYED BY FIRE AT SEA
81 Members of Grew, Only
Persons Aboard, Rescued
by Relief Vessels.
SHIP IS A TOTAL LOSS
"Hard Luck" Vessel, Afire
From Stern to Stern, Sink
ing Off Jersey.

The former United States Army
transport Northern Pacific, reputed
to he the swiftest commercial vessel
afloat. caught fire and was abar-
doncd off Cape May in the early
hours this morning. The ship was on
her way from the dead storage"
yards Of the Shipping Board in Ho-
bokcn to the sun Shipbuilding Cor
poration OF Chester. Pa, to he reno
waited for service in the Admiral Line,
to which she had been allocated.
The Northern Pacific was IN charge
of Capt. William Lustie, who com
mandcd her before she was put in the
Transport service. There were 81 men
aboard her when she sailed from Ho-
bo>cn, yesterday.
II was feared for a time that w. J..
Mnlctt, 7. u. Peckman, r. u. Hall
and II. Kruger draughtsmen put
! aboard tho ship yesterday by the sun
Shipbuilding Corporation of Chester,
! Pa, to hurry the recondtioning of the
vessel, which was to he completed in
ninety days, had been lost. r. j.
| KchOc resident manager of the Ad
miral Line. announced at noon that
| he had n message saying the four men
wcrc on one of the ships which had
been trying to aid the Northern Pa
cific,
The first news OF the plight of the
| Northern Pacific came to the Naval
| Communications Once in IA wireless
at three o'clock this morning from
| the steamship Herbert G.. Wyle,
which reported she had picked up a
lifcboat with five members of the
former transports crew. A moment
later came a message from the Trans
| pOrtdtion, of the Merchants and
Nincrs Line, saying that she had
aboard "all but nine men" OF the
Northern Pacific's company.
The Transportation later wirelesscd
that she would put in at Hampton
Roads to land her share Of the
! rescued men. The Wylc stood by tho
! burning ship in the hope of saving
| the four drauRhtsmcn, though she
! reported just before noon that tho
! Northern Pacific was atirc from stem
to stern and sinking By the head.
Lieut.. Col. l.. II. Bash. Chief OF the
Army Transport Base In Brooklyn,
said his bureau turned over the
Northern Pacific to the Shipping
Board last December The Admiral
Line announced yesterday that it had
taken over the liner and was to spend
100000 in making the ship lit for
Pacific coastwise service, The shin
was to be renamed the II. r. Alex
andcr, after the President Of the line.
|. was planned to make the ship over
TO carry first class passengers only,
with accommodations for 674.
The Northern Pacific left HoOokCn
with full engine room crew arl a
full deck crew, but with only enough
cooks and stewards 10 care for the
personnel. Her ordinary complement
was eighteen officers and 200 mon.
The Northern Pacific was launched
in 1914, with Mrs. George F. Baker,
vtc OF the Vice President of the First
National Bank, as sponsor. She was
IrHllntp lOi service hetwcCn san
Francisco and Astoria, Ore In April,
1913, her steering gear WAS carried
away in "A storm and she driftod help.
Joss for three days off the California
coast with $50 passengers aboard. HcI
crew made repairs and brought her in
under her own power after the storm
dIeI down.
With 5000 soldiers aboard, the shII
INT the sand bar off Fire Island on
Jan. !, 1918, 1,744 of her passenger
being hospital patients. These wer,
taken ashore with great difficulty
The ship was not floatcd until Jan. lS
THO Northern Pacific is 524 fc.
8 uv.. ll with a G3-foot beam ana .
, depth Of II feet. Her gross Tonnage .
$50 and she was with her sister s. ii
.'ur greatest turbine driven ship bu.
lin mis- country. In passenger service
She had accommodations for $50 hrs
1 class l0S second class and 1873 thirC
c..ss passengers.