The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-09-12
-FOUR ESCAPE RIVER
AFIRE With GASOLINE
Princeton Professor Tells
of Adventure in South
American Blast.
HUNDRED LOST LIVES
Family Dove Into Flaming
Waves in Recent Ship
Disaster.
MEN FOUGHT WOMEN OFF
Scores of Children Perished
When Villa Franco Sank,
Educator Declares.
MEN FOUGHT WOMEN OFF

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The story of the explosion and sink
ing of the steamship Villafranca, ply
Ing the Parana River. between Para
quay and Argentina. South America,
10 which nearly 100 persons were
killed, was told yesterday by Prof. Ed
win kemmerer of Princeton Univer-
sity.
He returned here with his wife and
two children aboard the steamship
explosion of the river boat, which was
carrying more than 5000 gallons Of
gasoline. happened early in the morn
ing of June and was one of the worst
marine disasters ever known in South
American waters.
The fact that Prof. Kemmerer, who
is in his forties, and his wife and two
children. Ruth IL and Donald Is, all
are excellent swimmers and were able
to cover the 800 feet to the shore and
swim underneath the water at times
to avoid the blazing oil on the surface
saved their lives. Scores of women
and children and many men aboard
were burned or drowned when the
river boat sank few minutes after
two explosions had occurred. The
blast covered the ship and the sur.
rounding waters with blazing gasoline.
Find River Ablaxe
OF the entire list of first cabin pas
sengers, Mrs. Kemmerer and Ruth were
the only women saved. Prof. KEN
merer said that the manner in which
the men aboard fought to get away and
abandoned their -womenfolk was ap-
palling. There was panic and confusion
everywhere. When several men reached
the shore in single Iifeboat they re-
fused to put it out again to rescue the
women and children who were floating
about on the river In the darkness.
There were no life preservers anywhere
to be found. Prof Kemmerer said.
This was responsible for many of the
fatalities.
The Villafranca was heading for the
Iguazu Falls, known as the Niagara of
South America" and on the night OF
June was anchored off the Dutch
settlement of Hohenau. taking on a
cargo of maize. At o'clock In the
morning the passengers were thrown
from their berths by a terrific explosion,
followed by a roar. The Kemmerers.
scantily clad. ran to the deck and saw
the flaming oil rushing along the deck
and spouting from the port holes below.
The waters surface about the ship for
a score Of yards was blazing with float
ing patches OF the ignited gasoline.
1--WE stood at the rail for moment"
Prof. kemmerer said, and watched the
panic all about ~us. when we noticed
that the ship was taking heavy list
to starboard. My wife handed me a
suitcase which contained some valuables
and papers, but we had no time for car
ing for anything else save getting away
safely.
Saved ny Beer Case.
ct told the children to get ready to
dive from the rail. We all went over
the side together. As we went under the
water on the dive the second explosion
came. Only the fact that we were under
water saved us. US blazing oil was
hurled in all directions. When we came
TO the surface all swan toward the shore,
but we were carried out OF our course
by the heavy tide Here and there fear
crazed men and women were struggling
to save themselves and many were
trying to beat out the flames which
chung to them, scorching some to death.
when we came to widening ring
flames we all dove and swan under
cie surface for some distance. l noticed
then that Mrs. kemmerer was near a
fear crazed man who had found a table
and was floating on IL. He sprang from
the table at her, but she freed herself
after some struggle and he went down.
Another sprang at me. but was unable
20 down me. I shook him off. A float
ing beer case passed and grabbed II
and pushed II toward Mrs. Kemmerer,
who was growing weak. She held on
to this and we finally reached the shore,
where the natives OF the settlement
cared for US for several days"
Prof. Kemmerer said that when the
explosion and fire occurred the excitable
natives among the passengers lost their
heads, otherwise many more could have
been saved from the total number of
$50 passengers. The ship was of 1875
tons and was built In 1876, he said, for
river service. There was no opportunity
TO save the men and women in the
water, Prof Kemmerer said, as many
of them had gone temporarily insane
from fear and attempted to kill any one
who came near them.
Those on the shore refused to put out
boats because Of the blazing oil. The
drowning passengers thus we're left to
die. He said his two children took the
whole dangerous affair more as lark
than anything else and were not con-
cerned about the danger. After the
family had reached the shore and found
one another their suitcase fioated up
with the valuable papers and money.
Mrs. Kemmerers face was burned
slightly.
Prof. Kemmerer, who Is head OF the
department Of economics at Princeton,
went on leave to study banking con-
ditions last February. He also travelled
as United States Trade Commissioner
and collected important data for the
Treasury Department. which he will
send II in report TO be filed shortly.
lie IL at the home Of his brother. Roy
G. Kemmerer. at Jamaica. l.. l.. and
will return TO PRINCETON for the autumn
term soon