The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-09-10
REV GUN ON
M N TRAPPED
ON PAULSBOR0
Sailors Say TankerWas
Death Trap

lfound us. Finally we got the men
huieted down and went out one at
time. Then we got on the after
Heck and saw everything afire.
some were so panic-stricken they
wanted to jump overheard. Then we
Eaw the lifeboats in flames. We ran
through flames, smoke and paint
tunes to get amidship. We could
81 flames going to the top of the
h st. Then the wireless fell down
4 i we started to get the lifeboats
ready. l was on the port boat but
I've could not get it lowered.
Nearly all the men went to star
board boat, officers and all, except
our or five of US. l was one of
hose who still stayed on the port
boat. We got, it lowered somehow.
Then some of the men came over
rom the starboard boat to get into
bur boat. When we started to get
into it the captain came over with
bis gun in his hand and told one
A. B. not to lower falls or he would
shoot him. The boat was already
IN the water but the falls were tied
30 that we could not get them off.
All this time there was no officer
N charge because the captain had
gone to the starboard side.
Yell "Cut Falls"
We stood and wondered what to
10 next, Then someone hollered to
cut the falls. One of our group had
4 knife and we cut the falls. The
ship was going full speed ahead.
The life-boat stayed by the side of
he ship. We pushed of for dear
life so that we should not come near
he propeller blades. We got away
and rowed for dear life for the ship
Nd $500 barrels of explosive oils.
Ne expected to see it go to atoms
ly second. Somehow it did not,
lvertheless we rowed farther and
farther away.
We went about two miles, guess,
md then we started to look for the
other boat. But we could not see it.
The after part of the ship was in
flames. We stayed in our boat about
Two hours looking for the other boat.
We rowed around awhile and then
we saw the fire gradually go down.
When we came back to the ship
he captain greeted US with gun in
hand. He roared at US. He asked
is who cut the falls but no one
would speak up. Finally. an A. B.
spoke up and said he didn't know.
The captain told him to shut up or
ne would put him in irons. The
captain still roared and threatened
is but no one would say anything.
Then he told US to go to our quart
,rs. When we got there everyone
was scared and looking white.
Then they started to tell us about
n nat they did to the fire, and what
j !, captain had done to them. They
3; id that they got the life-boat low
ered and then the captain drove
hem out of the life-boats with a
gun to fight the fire. Some of them
we're nearly scared to death, includ-
ng the mates.
Now I am going to tell you what
,aused the fire. The fireman on
he to IL told the men that the
iced fuel pipe busted. He said he
barely escaped with his life. To look
1T him one would think he had been
n the fuel tank, He was covered
With oil and had small burns about
he hands and face. He told me
hat since the ship left New York
very valve had been leaking hot
Ill. l believed his statement from
he looks of the other firemen.
Now l am going to tell you about
he ship coming to US. 1t got to us
1t the break of dawn. The name,
Beacon Hill of the Beacon Oil Co.
The captain asked us what assist
ance he could give our captain. We
old him to send wire to the COM
oany and to give no information
,ut, and then he told him to 60
ahead, he did not need him any
more. After awhile he came back
md told him that he had orders
rom the navy department to stand
~. Then the S. S. Evrest from the
,me company came and we gave
lem our wire hawser to tow US.
ht it broke and we had to pull
bout 100 fathoms Of hawser aboard.
L took about five hours of hard
painful labor to pull it in again.
Then we gave it to them again.
Again the hawser broke and they
'ooled around all the next day and
We did not know what we were 60
ng to do. Our ice in the ice box
vas melting and supplies were get
ing low. They fed US dog biscuits
md soup. / don't think they wanted
% feed us anyway because l had
hardly anything to eat since / came
aboard. ] happened to pick on this
,oat to keep away from the chain
rang in Houston. They were picking
,eamen right and left. About rs of
is went to the Steam Boat Inspec-
ion in Mobile today and told them
III about this floating death trap.
hope, fellow workers, you will take
! warning from me and keep away
rom the floating death traps. Il
I'M sending you an account of this
the Mobile paper.
Mr.. Mink, I hope you will thank
. Gov thic ipforr, ot;or rAy..o,-