Evening star., 1925-01-03
BLAZING SHIP SUNK,
TO Be TOTAL LOSS.
Tales of Heroism Told by 208
Passengers Rescued From
Mohawk.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LEWES. Del, January 3.-The
Clyde Line steamship Mohawk, whose
crew Thursday night fought losing
battle off the New Jersey coast
against flames in her hold. finally
being forced to scuttle the ship after
the 208 passengers had been taken
off. lies today in 40 feet of water on
the 14-fathom banks near the Della
ware Breakwater. Capt. J. NJ. Staples,
master of the vessel, said 1t was
necessary to open the Mohawk's sea-
extinguish the fire. He said the
blaze started in the after hold from
spontaneous combustion. The vessel,
which left New York Thursday for
Jacksonville, probably will be a total
loss.
The survivors. who had spent
night OF peril with life preservers
strapped about them while the burn
Ing ship was tossed about for Ia
hours in the worst storm of the
Winter on the Atlantic Coast, were
sent TO their Southern destinations
or returned to New York and other
Eastern cities in special trains.
Thirty-one passengers and the crew
of 81 returned to New York, while
the others were sent TO points in
Florida Many of those who board
ed the Southern train were employees
of hotels or in the Florida homes of
New Workers.
Small Luggage Saved.
Passengers saved only their hand
luggage, trunks and heavy baggage
going down with the ship. Sixty
eight automobiles were in the hold.
They were being sent to their own
ers in the hotels and cottage COL
onies at Miami, Palm Beach and
other Florida resorts.
All the passengers were taken off
the fireswept vessel without mishap
by the Coast Guard cutter kickapoo,
while the Merchants and Miners liner
Persian and two tugs stood by. Some
of them had been slightly injured by
the tossing of the Mohawk, while
members of the crew bore scars of
their battle with the flames and one
had a broken leg.
After the survivors had been fed
and warmed came stories of heroism
on the part of the crew, OF the stole
calm with which some of the men and
women had accepted their situation,
and of the fear and excitement of
others as the fire became more men,
acing. Prayers were said in the
crowded social hall OF the ship, and
hymns were sung by quivering voices
as the fierce gale mingled its terrors
with the thick, choking smoke from
the burning hold. Many were sea-
sick. AS the fire pressed nearer, In
tense heat drove some of the harder
passengers out into the storm. All
wore life preservers over their over
coats and cloaks. Rockets implorins
aid fiared across the black sky, while
the wireless operator flashed out calls
for help.
Flames Defy Resistance.
The first ship to answer the distress
calls was the Persian, which came
alongside about 1870 am, when the
Mohawk was % miles southwest of
the Delaware Capes. The Kickapoo
and tugs Mars and KaIeen appeared a
few hours later. After the Kickapoo
had turned its fire apparatus on the
names without success, all four ships
accompanied the burning vessel in
side the capes and assisted in taking
on the passengers.
The fire was discovered about II
O'Clock Thursday night.
we had general cargo in the
hold' said Capt. Staples, the last
to leave the ship, "and it was appar-
ent at once that we were in peril.
put hoped, by changing the course
and running into the sheltering bay,
to save the vessel. My men were
courageous, but the flames were too
much for them.
When we got past the capes and
into the bay, we were still in rough
water and 1t was plain we would
have to have the passengers and crew
taken off. When this was done and
we were assured the passengers were
safe, we found 1T necessary to open
the Mohawks seacocks in order to
put the fire out. The ship lies in 40
feet of water. out of the channel
where it will not impede navigat tion."