The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-13

San Francisco, Oct. 13.-The task
of transferring the passengers ana
crew of the City of Honolulu from the
rescue ship West raralon to the
United States army transport Thomas
was completed at 7:45 a. m, accord
ing to radio received at army trans
port headquarters from the Thomas at
1925 4. m. today.
'AlI passengers and crew aboard at
7:45 and are under way for San Fran
cisco" Captain Hall of the Thomas
said in his message.
(By Wireless to Associated Press)
Aboard United States Army Trans-
port Thomas. Oct. 13.-The passen-
gers of the burned steamer City of
Honolulu were embarking on the
tran port Thomas from the rescue
ship West Faralon at a.. m. The
weather is fine
Capt Harry r. Lester of the liner
City of HohoIulu and a mate. were
overcome by smoke and flames in in
Vestigat!ng the fire which destroyed
their vessel, but quickly recovered. it
was revealed on board the Thomas to-
day. Officers of the City of Honolulu
attributed the cause of the fire to de-
fective electric wiring in the second
cabin. There were no injuries suffered
by any of the fire victims. Every one
was in good spirits.
Water was pupnped into the burning
compartment of the Honolulu as long
as possible but fire gained rapid head
way into the superstructure.
The above was sen- to the Asso-
ciated Press by Captain Hall of the
transport Thomas.
CBy the Associated PressJ
San Francisco, Oct. 13.-The pas
sepgers OF the City of Honolulu, which
burned at sea, were transferred to the
United States army transport Thomas
from the rescue ship, West Faralon, at
dawn today, according to an official
MESA ge received by the Federal Tele-
graph company. The Thomas is due
in San Francisco tomorrow but it is
expected she VIII be at least a day
lac.
Glvo Credit TO Radio.
The radio mars bride on space
and that hardly less potent thing, the
Fellowship of those who go down to
the sea in ships, stand responsible to-
day for the safety of 217 persons-the
passengers of the steamer City of
Honolulu, which burned yesterday.
The readiness with which mariners
~ half dozen craft, from pleasure
ANacht to dreadnaughts of the Pacific
fleet offered themselves for the rescue
of their distressed fellow travellers
afloat was but an echo of story first
told so long ago that men have for
gotten the time of the telling, but the
tale of the radios part belongs to
a more modern generation. They
mingled, this old thing and this new
one to save life.
Early yesterday. while she was $40
miles off San Pedro. Cal, fire broke
out in the second -class abins of the
steamer, one time pride of the north
Lloyd d-German line and more recently
leader of the Los Angeles Steamship
company's new Honolulu service. IN
accountably the flames gained much
headway on the fighting crew that,
two hours later, it was necessary to
time came. she radio had cried far and
wide the call that means disaster, dis
tress and human extremity on the
high seas, the IS. o. S"
Quick TO Answer Call.
Two ships. the Enterprise of the
Matson line, and the Thomas, an army
transport, east-bound from Hawaii,
caught the signal and turned toward
the position the operator had given.
millionaire yacht, the Casiana,
pleasure cruising to Honolulu with a
party, including Crompton Anderson,
brother-in-law of the owner, Z. L.
Doheny, who is in New York, caught
the appeal and turned that way.
q Los Angeles caught the signals and
. navy vessels stood by to race with
death to the scene or the fire. San
Francisco caught the signals. waited a
while until the wireless operator on 4
distant ship had turned that vessel,
too. toward the scene.
1t was this ship. the West Faralon,
NJ NJ. Walk, master, that swept down
the sea lanes to the City of Hono'ul-,
and effected the rescue. But she did
not get there until more than four
hours after the flames mad forced the
captain. his first officer, the Chi
glneer and the radio operator who
had stayed behind to serve to the ut
termost the passengers confined 10
'Inelr care, to leave the blazing hulk.
The officers stayed to advise. Suggest
ana confer; the radio operator STAYED
10 keep the West Faralon advised. lest
she miss the boat loads nf passengers
lCnnfinned ON DE- 1n-N