Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
g SAVED At SEA
BY CAPT. FRIED
IN RAGING STORM
Full Crew of italian Freiqhter
SWims From Sinking Ship
to Lifeboat.
OWN STORY OF RESCUE
IS TOLD BY SKIPPER
Radio Direction Finder Succeeds
When Other Craft Give
Up Search.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, January 24.-Trium-
phant for a second time in a battle
with the sea, Capt. George Fried of the
United States liner America, was headed
toward port today with the rescued crew
OF the italian freighter Florida, which
was reported abandoned.
The following message was received
by wireless by the Associated Press from
Capt. Fried
On our homeward bound voyage we
experienced succession of westerly and
northweSterly gales with a very high
rough sea, accompanied by heavy snow
and hail squalls, on January %. We
received S o S calls from the American
steamer Dannedaike and the italian
steamer Florida both vessels giving their
positions in latitude 38 north and longl-
tude so west.
I'VE aScertained then that several YES
sells were in their vicinity, but only one
had radio compass, and the distressed
vessels could not be located, so we de-
cided to proceed to their assistance
about noon January %. We were then
$50 miles north of their reported posi-
tions.
We were covered with ice in freez-
ing weather and having violent snow
and hail squalls with a heavy gale
Chief Radio Operator Nelson Smith
was stationed at the radio compass
direction finder and took bearings con-
tinuously.
Bearings Erratic.
"We proceeded on these courses. The
bearings of the Florida were cratic
That is. they appeared SO because they
were not checking or agreeing with
his reported position. We kept search
ing and taking bearings, but these
bearings all placed him north, which
we believed to be in error due to his
given position.
From am. until noon of Wednes-
day the weather cleared and mod
Grated. Observations were taken and
our position found. We asked the
Florida to obtain position, but she
informed us they had no navigation
books, as all equipment was destroyed
when their bridge was carried away"
Rescued full crew Florida. Total,
80. Chief Oficer Harry Manning in
charge. Whole westerly gale. Life
boats lost. Details later"
This message to the United States
Lines last night told the essentials Of
the grim drama which opened when
the America began her $50 miles race
with death Tuesday.
The message recalled a similar COM
munication sent by Capt. Fried almost
three years ago to the day, when he
told of the rescue of the crew of the
British freighter Antinoe against heavy
odds of sea and wind.
Guided by Radio.
Driving his ship through the welter
of a midwinter storm and taking his
bearing on the disabled ship by means
of radio direction finder, Capt. Fried
steamed more than day and a night
on his mission.
Am standing by the S. S. Florida"
The long vigil kept by shore radio
stations to learn the outcome of the
race of the America to snatch 80 men
from the threat of death was rewarded
by that terSe message at pm.
Before that there had been fragments
of messages indicating that the Amer
lea was feeling about in the darkness
for the Florida and wanted to know If
the crew of the Florida could see the
BEAM 1t was three hours later that
the liner located the object of her
search.
AS the searchlight of the America
was focused on the Florida, so was in
tereSt In the contest between men and
the elements focused on the Florida
Continued on Page 4, Column 3D.