Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-02-09
H. A. KREUGER,
Of SILVERSIDE,
ISLOST At SEA
Continued from Page one.

1'HNiudtu rum db' Oiits
Malette and T. ]. Packman, both OF
Rochester, N. Y.
It is reported the transportation
has aboard twenty-five OF the crew
and the wylie FIVE.
The Northern Pacific, OF the Ad-
miral Line, said to be the fastest
steamship flying the American flag,
was bound to Chester. Pa, from Ho-
boken, whittier she sailed Tuesday
night. She was commanded by Cap
tain A. O. Lusu, who also was her
captain in the transport service.
with a keleton crew of twenty
seven men and three craftsmen and
a carpenter from the Sun Shipbuild-
ing Company, she was to arrive at
that shipyard yesterday to be dry
locked and reftted. -
While no official statement has
been made OF the cause OF the fire, II
is believed that 1t resulted from
strained connections in the oil feed
lines, which permitted leaks.
An unofficial story of the disaster
cleaned from members of the Ill
fated steamship crew, was received
in bits by radio dispatches from the
TRANSPORTATION this afternoon and
from Captain John ]. Hutson, COM
mander OF the coast guard cutter
Kickapoo, which returned to Cape
May tonight.
The fire on the Northern Pacific
was first discovered at 1920 this
morning, while the doomed sh p
went through storm, rolling ana
pitching heavily in seas whipped TO
mountainous heights by a 6O-mile
gale. Snow driven with terrific force
across the waves BANKED out every
thing a ships length from the YES
sci.
Scarcely, it seems but few min
utes. after its discovery, the fire
seemed to burst out all over the ship.
So rapidly did the flames spread, u
was seen there was no possibility OF
saving her. The order to abandon
ship was then flashed over the yes
sci. The crew had scarcely time 70
lower the llfeboats on the lee side
before the ship became a roaring
furnace. lighting up the snow
| blanketed skyline with a flare so red
II was wonderful and fascinating in
its terribleness.
Immediately after the first alarm,
s. o. s. calls were flashed through
the storm by radio. The two r.. n-
ing ships were the first to pick up
the appeals for aid. Both were
within a few miles OF the Northern
Pacific when she burst into flame.
Immediately each was headed in the
direction of the distressed. craft and
sped under forced draught TO her
rescue.
When they arrived on the scene
the Hfeboats containing the crew OF
the vessel we're clearly visible within
the wide area lii up by the blazing
ship. Whaleboats from the rescuinf
ships we're launched for the pur'
pose or picking up any OF the meT
who might possibly be in the water
although to have found a human he
ing in the seas that were ragins
would hive been Virtually impossible
Tossed about like toys in the grasI
Of a mighty giant. the small boat
appeared as II each wave would
completely engulf them. Huge walls
Of water rushed upon them. TIT
men at the oars strained with-everS
ounce OF their strength, while those
at the helms chung to the tillers az
desperately. And as each sea sweep
upon them they rose to its crest and
then disappeared again in the valley
below.
The work OF rescuing the men from
the boats was tedious. one by ont
the small craft heaved alongside tn
vessels. The latter pitched and roll
ed in the trough Of the seas, ant
often Il appeared as II the llfeboat
would be caught under the counter
OF the ships Fortunately, eacl
time they careened with the heavin
seas the small loads OF human freigh
b far below managed to shove them
selves clear.
Meanwhile the snow had ceased
but the wind, while luiled consider
; ably, was still blowing at about fort
. miles an hour.
e It was not until o'clock that tn
{ Transportation wirelessed the Navi
l Radio Station at Cape May that a
OF the crew had been rescued. Bt
r the message also stated the fou
$ shlpyard men were still missing.
e Meanwhile. the coast guard cutie
l. Kickapoo had stood out 20 sea
y lend ali possible aid. According
Captain Hutson, OF the Kickapo
j. when he reache4 the Northern Pacif
n az $50 o'clock, she was in latituc
e 3S;4s, longitude 74;1S, which
" about twenty-five miles southeast I
O east OF Cape May. At that time III
e vessel was burning from stem
a stern and was sending up grei
h. clouds of black smoke
Is Receiving a message from n
II Transportation stating the four shil
yard men were missing, CAPITAL
Hutson Immediately began to swee
1 the sea for an area twenty miles
length and twelve miles wide.
search Of them. But no trace ,
l the missing could he found.
N About $50 yesterday afternoon
\ the Kickapoo returned to the Nortl
! ern Pacific which was at that tim
slowly sinking by the head 81
II little Gre could be seen on her. bi
II the dense clouds OF smoke were sti
pouring from her entire lengtl
Where her decks had been nothin
was left but the beams. Her ste'
masts were still standing and pa
OF her bridge. And her whole al
u pearance was one OF the huh Of