Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-09
CREW CHOPS SHIPS
GEAR TO GET FUEL
President Harding, Out of
Fuel, and Facing Danger,
lowed to Halifax.
BY the Associated Press.


HALIFAX, Nova Scotia. February
9.-The United States line steam
er President Harding entered the har-
Dor at noon yesterday in tow of the
Canadian government steamer Lady
Lauricr, and will make temporary re-
pairs to her fuel tanks before resum-
ing her voyage from Bremen to New
York.
The President Harding was COM
pletely out of fuel when the tug reach
eel her anchorage last night. due to a
leak which developed at sea.
When several boats, headed by the
Government tug, Lady Laurier, ar
rived at the scene last night the Presi-
dent Harding was rising and falling
in the trough of the long Atlantic
swells, completely helpless. The boat
did not have sufficient steam to weigh
her anchor or to keep the passengers
warm in the bitterly cold wind that
was sweeping offshore. The matches
and all surplus wooden gear were be-
ing chopped up by the crew.
Whistle Is H0arse.
AS soon as the liner sighted the lit
the Canadian boat with the blue en-
sign she blew her whistle or attempt
ed to blow her whistle, for the sound
from the big brass siren seemed more
like the mutf1ed groan of a wounded
animal The Laurier gave an answer
ing signal. and Capt. Sutherland of
the government steamer Immediately
prepared to go aboard. AS the Iifeboat
approached the liner, the passengers
who were lining the rails gave a great
cheer.
When Capt. Sutherland returned he
told of the sraits the ship was in.
Capt. van Beck, he said, was ex.
tremely worried over his boat and pas
SengerS, as he was unable to raise suf-
ficient steam to weigh anchor, and all
things taken into consideration the
steamer was in a critical way Her
passengers were cold, restless and i'm
patient to get ashore, but this was not
their chief worry 1t was admitted by
the sailors on board the Laurier that
if strong southwest gale arose the
boat would be in a bad way, as she
was close on shore.
The two commanders decided that
the most feasible plan was to await
the arrival of the tug Mary Curry
with the consignment of oil. She ar
rived just at dusk, and almost imme-
dlately new difficulties were expert
enced, for the only side of the ship
that the fuel could be loaded on was
the weather side, and with an adverse
tide 1t was almost impossible for the
light black lighter to go alongside
without smashing to pieces against
the huge hulk of the American craft.
Lines Go Into Water.
To make lee for the small boat
Capt. Sutherland took the Laurier
practically under the stern of the
liner. The little Laurier was tossed
ABOUT like an eggshell. waiting for
the American to drop a line. The first
three lines went into the water in
stead of onto the Laurier, but one
was finally secured and a cable was
taken aboard. Then the Laurier pulled
the great liner to weather, making a
lee for the tug with the oil. This
maneuver of the Laurier's captain
proved successful and in a few min
utes the oil was being loaded. Once
more the passengers gave a great
cheer.
Hardly had the move been accom-.
plished when, at dusk, the tug
Coalopolis came smashing through
the white caps. The Coalopolis then
put a line on the Lady Laurier, hold.
ing her bow up to the wind, and cut
At O'Clock the captain of the Lau.
rier again put off in small boat to
the Harding and conferred with Capt.
Van Beck, and it was decided to leave
the tow until daylight this morning.
The liner was then in better condi-
ton. as sufficient oil had been loaded
to get up enough steam to work the
ships dynamos full force
In the early morning a line was
run to the Harding from the Laurier
and a stern line given tn fhe Coa Iopo
lis to steer by and the procession start
ed for Halifax, the American ship
having enough power to use one Of
her engines at part speed. Halifax
was reached without mishap about
o'clock.