The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-04-15
ship SAVED BY
CAPTAINS SKILL
Fire Breaks Out in Hold of
Potomac in North Sea.
FIGHT FLAMES FOR IS HOURS

sUliI LhlvilO VII ~ IIUUllO
Captain Macleod Swings vesse
Sharply to Port, Throwing 400 Tons
of Water on Blaze and Quenchne
Twas Ready to Beach Ship on
Dutch Coast to Save the Passen-
gers-Firemen Held to Their Work
by Officers With Drawn Revolvers.
BY presence of mind on the part of
the master of the steamship Potomac,
fire which had been blazing for 16
hours was eXtinguished and the ne
cessity of Bleaching the vessel OBJ
waited. Two members of the crew
who had been overcome with smoke
and another who had been struck on
the head by piece of iron, had recov-
cred when the ship reached port. Two
engineers had to stand guard in the
fire room with drawn revolvers over
the Spanish and Filipino stokers who
wanted to get out on deck The fire
which was in No hold, right next to
them, combined with the heat from
the furnaces, made things too warm
even for natives of the tropics
The Potomac sailing from Bremen
for New York was SO miles out in the
North sea skirting the Dutch coast
when the quartermaster reported that
smoke was coming out of No. hatch,
where the provisions were slowed.
Capt. William Macleod. who had just
turned in was notified by the officer
of the watch and word was sent to
Chief Engineer e. M. Garland, who
had been on duty for two days and
nights in Bremen overhauling the ma
chinery and had just gone to his
cabin.
Pumps Have Little Effect.
The pumps were started and the
chemical apparatus, was turned into
the hatch where the blaze was raging,
but had little effect. At l a. M the
fire had gained so much Roadway
that the heat could be felt by the
watch who were wetting down the
1ecks. The crew worked quietly and
stewards were stationed at the com
'oAAiOii NoN " ~ NNOil PetsooOi1S VI ,
rom coming on deck and impeding
he work Of the crew. BY this time
he spare straw mattresses slowed |
lnder No. 4 hatch had caught on fire |
nd the pungent smoke made it diff
ult for the engineers and officers to
let along the between decks to direct |
he hose on the fire.
The pumps worked steadily inject |
ng tons of water into the hold, and |
he passengers, who had been I'M
ware of the fire until they got up for
reakfaSt, watched the crew at work
Without any signs of panic because
hey realized that the shore was not
ar off and that they would be saved
Y steamers standing by their blazing
raft.
At p. m. the next day the ship was
sted to starboard, and with 400 tons
water which had been pumped into
10. 4 hold to quench the fire, which
vas on the port side, Captain Macleod
ecided that he had to take sudden
nd drastic action If he wished to
i've the ship.
About this time the foreign firemen
nd coal passers became FESTIVE and
Id not want to stop down below, but
Re presence of Assistant Engineers
dward Standish and Henry Topping
18th big navy revolvers in their hands
acided them to stick on the job ]
ealizing that he could not get the
I i | .
lie captain stopped the ship just be-
re 5 a. m. and sent men over the
de in bosuns chairs with sledge
lmmers to smash in the ports open
G into the blazing hold
Lines Of canvas hose were run over
e side to the seamen who placed
e nozzles through the broken ports
rectly onto the fire. Just at that
ne German steamer bound for !
.emen came up and hove to within |
quarter of a mile of the Potomac,
d stood by to see if Captain Mac |
I'd needed assistance. While he did {
t admit this, the officers said that !
e captain had decided to run into
e Dutch coast and beach the vessel
the fire could not be got under CON '
il before it spread to the passen- |
RS quarters.
After sending word to the engineer {
charge below to give her every Il
und of steam he could. the captain {
Tered the quartermaster to put the L
I'm hard aport. and as her bow
ing over the ship recovered her I
t to starboard and the water went =
or to the opposite side of the hold z
II noise like a tidal wave and :
ocked seven bells out of the fire as Il
!, bo'sun said. From that time 1t a
S under control, and the flames D
dually died out. after destroying 9
quantity of stores u
Bridal Couple Find t