The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-02-09
Shipping Board Rule
Said To Enjoin Abso-
lutte Silence = Captain
Making Confidential
'Report-Row Over In
surance Money Believ-
ed To Be Brewing

Norfolk, Va, Feb 9--The fire whi' h
destroyed the liner Northern Pacific
off Cape May, n j., yesterday with
the loss of four shipyard men. startel
On the lower deck amidship, and had
been burning fer hours before it was
discovered shortly after midnight by
second officer A B. Wilson. This was
definitely established this afternoon
from statements of survivors who are
in Norfolk and Newport News.
The origin of the fire is mystery,
ard Capt William Lust, commanding
he ship, has so reported to shipping
board officials, it is reported here
Survivors are of the opinion that the
fire started in rubbish and debris in
the lower deck under the cabins oc-
cupied by men believed burned TO
death. 1t appears practically certain
from the headway gained by the
flames when Wilson found the lower
deck seething furnace, that the fire
may have been started before the
Northern Pacific was out of New York
harbor.
Newport News, Va, Feb. Sur
vivors of the S. S. Northern Pacific,
burned at sea yesterday morning with
a loss of four lives. are not satisfied
that the burning of the steamer was
wholly accidental
Captain VIM. Lusti. master Of the
Northern Pacific, declined this morn
ing to make any statement, but men,
bers of this crew were not quite so
reticent. They suspect that foul play
before the ship left her berth on the
Inflated voyage, but, realizing that
they can prove nothing, decline to
make any direc. charge or statement
The Northern Pacific's destruction
took a new turn for the Sun Ship
building Company attempted to get
sworn statements from the survivors.
The crew. evidently having been eau
TONED by the master, had Lothing
whatsoever to say, however.
Men Are Warned
Capt. Lusti has warned his men
that the shipping board orders pro-
hibit their telling anything of the ac-
cident and those who at one time ap-
peared willing 20 give further details
of the disaster now are silent
The master was asked point blank
concerning reports that the ship
might have been fixed" by some one
before she left her berth. He quickly
demanded to know from whence the
report came and on being told that it
could not be traced to it's source, said
that he must decline to answer any
and all questions.
He did not know that the shipping
board has ruled tina. the ship was
regarded as the property of the char
terers or operators and intimated that
there will be litigation growing out
of this phase of the situa ion. The
ship was insured to the account of the
charterers but was not to be finally
delivered, it was intimated until re-
conditioning was completed.
Debating Confidential Report
Captain Lusti now is debating a
confidential report to the shipping
board. The statement is a lengthy
one and goes into detail.
"If the shipping board makes it
public after they receive it. you will
then have the fully story the captain
said.
A conference between Captain Lus-
3 ii, shipping board officials of this dis
= 'trict, officials of the Barbour Steam
T ship Company, and officials of the Ad-
miral line, will be held here this
morning. 1--WE probably will deter
mine a. that time where we are going
from here and what time we will
leave before going into the meeting"
Newport News, Va, Feb. Cap
tain William Lusti, master of the
shipping board, Northern Pacific, de-
stroyed by fire yesterday morning off
the Delaware breakwaters, this morn
ing emphatically declined to make any
statement regarding the disaster
which cost the lives of four men, en-
ployes of the Sun Shipyard Of Ches-
ter, Pa. 1.-THE shipping board regula-
tions are very strict. I am very sor-
ry, I am unable to make any state
ment whatsoever" the captain said.
The S. S. Transportation, which
docked here early this morning
brought with it % survivors of the
Northern Pacific, picked up from three
life boats. Five other survivors, all
of the Inflated steamers skeleton
crew except the four men believed to
have been lost, were taken on board
by the S. s. Wylie now lying at Old
Point Comfort dock.
Captain Seth Chase, master of the
Transportation, was seen this morn
ing by the Associated Press CORE.
spondent while he was dressing, and
described, in sardonic phrases, the
rescue of survivors from the North
ern Pacific, which was on rs way at
the time Of destruction to the Chester
shipyard to be reconditioned.
THE sea was very rough" he said
but we did not have great difficulty
in picking up the three boats. An
other steamer had seen the blaze and
responded, picking up one boat with
ATe men. Wien we lrnt sighted th'