The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-01-08
A THRILL CT PRIDE


RI DARK New Years night off the Delaware Tenn
la perature freezing wet, seety forty
gale driving before it. drenchng the decks
with icy every plunge Two hundred passengers
asleep easick below decks and half of OF sevent
on duty Blinded officers the bridge in their heaviest sea-
gear shverng and strainng take the place of
eyes weary quartermaster wrestling with stubborn wheel
straning keep the vessels head the rushing
At such week ago frightened member Of the
crew the Clyde liner Mohawk reported to the bridge
serious fire forehod Smoke already beginning to
stream into the Investigation showed the whole cargo
abaze, the entire hold mass of smolderng fame
How the fire nobody knows Probably nobody will
ever know. Fires that way at
But about it by those who in charge
of the responsible for the lives of her 207 help
less passengers matter of glorious record Captain James
NJ Staples issuing his orders calls were broadcast by
wireless The changed for the nearest port
which happened Lewes inside the Delaware Bay entrance
More power called for from engineers and emen to drive
the big 60O0ton hull through angry at speed that
been attempted in of
JOLT JAR the crash of the her bow becoming
with every of the propeers Pumps were
started Every who could be spared from the actual
ming ship forward and below to direct streams
from the hose bukheads and partitions
with and sledge.
Last sent waken the passengers and
life preseryers quietly without alarm They
told stay with passengers food and hot coffee
display calm themselves and prevent panic The stewards
and the There fear among
But there Oh control no
screaming in spite of the terror of the situation The
sengers Immediately that the officers and crew
of the Mohawk the job, thinking and acting cooy
doing everything that could be done.
RI Guard also showed that the job
i It was wild night But within hour of the first
the Coast Guard cutter Kckapoo alongside the
doomed Mohawk accompanying her her mad for
landing place 1t the Kickapoo" that finally took the
Mohawks people ashore Two tugs also answered
the alarm was impossible take the passengers off outside
the bay because of the fury of the storm
Finally the Mohawk did make port Her passengers,
still orderly landed The followed The captain and
others the last leave her steamng decks opened her
and with record transport, turned her side and
sank kissing forty feet of water 1t the only save
what was left Of the Quilted hull.
great defeat of the great disaster with the loss of
hundreds of lives has always awakened thrill of horror
throughout the length Of country Cor
prompt action based sound seamanshp and perfect
izaon Of the personnel of the Mohawk this New Years
night fire off the blizzarswept Delaware might easily
have done just thamght easily have been pfu tale of
wholesale suffering and death
great victory the sea- the saving every 2Ss
lives in the face Of terrible Odds should awaken thrill of
pride Captain Staples his officers may their
ship For weeks many of them will broken bones
bruised limbs frozen fingers and perhaps shattered But
they the New right They shown
American do American ships even when the
ships sinking They stirred of millions
inland living Americans who had almost forgotten that had
coast lines and merchant marine They and the Coast Guard
who aided Them have lived up the best traditions of
sailors of all time and doing they proved that the
claims of the United States place in the world
farng nation real