New-York tribune., 1922-10-13
Shipping Board Freighter
Picks Up 73 Passengers
and las Members of the
City of Honolulu's Grew
Other Vessels Race
Scene of Fire
Hlaze Stars With Ship, ON
REtnrnFromH Hawaii, go
Miles From California
ssse.o, psspotcn to The Trsban.


SAN FRANCISCO, Oct, IA the
Sassergers. officers and crew of the
steamship City of Honolulu, on which
fire broke cut early this morning in
nid-Pacific, were rescued from life
boats and RATS in which they aban-
doned the burning steamship by the
Chipping Board freighter West Faralon,
bound for the Dutch West Indies. The
City of Honolulu, according to wireless
reports, is still burning and about to
sink. She is about / 400 miles east of
Honolulu and 670 miles southwest of
San Pedro.
The ship formerly was the German
steamship Friedrich der Crosse and
was seized by the United States at the
outbreak of the war
There were "a passengers on board,
Of whom 56 were in the cabin, and 145
caicers and members of the crew, and
all of these, Captain M. M. Walk, of
she West Faralon, said were safe.
The sea was reported to be smooth
as glass at the time the passengers
and crew took to the boats and re-
NAMED so during the five hours or
more that elapsed before the West
Faraion arrived and picked them up.
Army Transport to Bring Victims In
The West Faralon was directed by
wireless to stand by the City of Homo
lulu, which the skipper had reported
was apparently doomed, until the ar
rival of the United States army trans
port Thomas, which will bring the pas.
sengers to San Francisco, permitting
the west Faralon to proceed The
army transport was steaming at TOP
speed, and was expected to reach the
scene before midnight.
When reports through the Federal
telegraph and the Radio Corporation of
America were pieced together they
showed that the fire on the City of
honolulu was discovered at little
after O'Clock in the morning as the
atamship was heading for its home
Fort at San Pedro. on the trip back
non its first round trip in the
hawaiian California service.
Less than four hours after the fire
nfsf was found the passengers and
most of the crew we're ordered to take
to the boats. These were lowered i'm
mediately and life RATS were called
INTO service for those of the crew who
gould not be accommodated in the
boats.
Captain Harry r. Lester. radio oner-
'stor; w. H. Bell, the chief enrineer.
ind First Officer William M. Brust re.
NAMED on board to attempt to hold
back the fire. At 1910 O'Clock they
found their task hopeless, and they
were driven by flames and smoke to
take their places in the boats.
Several Ships Race to Scene
Wireless calls had been sent broad
cast and the Matson liner Enterprise,
the army transport Thomas, the West
karalon and other ships started on
race for the burning liner.
1t was about $3.50 O'clock when the
West Faralon arrived and found the
City of Honolulu pillar of fame and
smoke. Standing off about a mile. the
west Faralon picked up the boats and
safts and the passengers and crew
were given accommodations and food
aboard the freighter
orders were flashed to the West
Eafalon to try to get line aboard
tae City Of Honolulu, but the fire was
VOC not 20 permit this approach with
W. endangering the rescue ship and
81 Noasb guard ordered the cutter
nTHawfiee from San Francisco and the
a.anlarpa from Los Angeles to proceed
:, :, tsil e speed to the burning ship in
=, ah enort nor to salvage it. Reports from
she west Faralon had indicated there
was was little hope of salvage, but the
ssibility. p'''S ~ "o po'-
: some mystery surrounds the origin
VI tne IRE, but this may be due to the
3Mnsagerness M of the dispatches received
radio and perhaps can be fully
y aeared a. up by the officers of the City
- honolulu when they reach land.
,asy Many of the passengers on the |
seaiheo s;aio liner were from Pacific coast
cites and were returning from Ha-
Saii One of the passengers was Roy
g. Growder, general passenger agent
lor the line, who was making the round
ZIP on the maiden voyage Of the ship
IN this service.
The vessel had reached a point ,405
miles from Honolulu and $40 miles
tceutinud m page I'VE,