Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-17
VIKING NEWS SENT
|. BY YOUNG WOMAN
Radio Flashes DispeIIed Idea
That Blast Was Only
Movie Scene.
BY the Associated Press.

Ay the Associated Press.
ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland, March
17.-An 18-year old girl last night car
ried on against tremendous difficulties
in an effort to send through static-filled
ether news of those who were aboard
the sealer Viking, which was destroyed
Sunday by an explosion.
Listed automatically on the records
of the Mackay Radio Co. as o. Bartlett,
the young woman, who serves as radio
operator on Horse Island, near which
the Viking was destroyed, spent feverish
hours tapping out messages for the
outer world, many of which were never
received.
Thought Movie Set.
Rumors of the explosion had reached
here earlier But it was known that
the Viking was chartered for motion
picture purposes and 1t was behetcd
what had been taken for disaster was
only a carefully staged scene. This be-
lief was shattered only when Miss Bart
let's message was read to Parliament
by the prime minister, and the govern
ments agencies marshaled and dis
patched to the Vikings survivors.
1t was at O'Clock Sunday night when
the girls first message flashed through
the air, giving the first actual hint of
the tragedy in the ice-filled waters
near the lonely island, which she shares
with three families.
Heard terrific explosion this morn
ing" she said "Wreckage of burning
steamer sighted about miles east Of
here. Also men travelling on ice toward
island"
Men on Ice Watched.
FTIoov, fOIIouyoJ apv{o,,c %
ing, while she watched the human
forms on the ice some miles away
While she watched she sent what little
news she could.
mo particulars at hand, yet" she
messaged. Ice in bad condition.
Heavy sea, wind blowing off shore.
First crowd of men may reach island.
Others have very little chance. Making
very slow progress"
Then came a disturbed note. The
three families who occupied the island
made hasty calculations and this
worried message came:
People have only sufficient sup
plies for selves. No medical assistance
here. No chance getting to mainland"
First Real News Obtained.
The night dragged, while on the
island the three families and the girl
made what precautions they could to
care for the mariners staggering to-
ward them through the Arctic cold
and against shrieking gale.
Meanwhile all the information at
Miss Bartlett's disposal had been sent
to Government officials. There wasn't
much. Simply that there had been an
explosion on an unidentified steamer
eight miles away. that the steamer was
in flames and that men we're walking
hn 20 ~
Early in the forenoon, however, came
the first sepcific news.
A trace of the girls excitement en-
tered the message, which began, THE
men have reached the island; in such
exhaustive condition could give no CO.
herent story. Impossible wire further
details now"
Name Of Vessel Learned.
Impossible, just then, perhaps, but
within a few moments she wired that
the ship was the viking; that the cap
tain was seriously injured and that the
cook, wireless operator and doctor were
missing.
The one man who could relieve her
and the man who could care for the
injured were missing. Nothing to be
done about it, SO, little later, she
passed on the word that dynamite, used
to free the ship when it became caught
in ice jams, had exploded in the ships
stern, demolishing the vessel aft and
setting her ablaze forward.
If Miss Bartlett was suffering from
fatigue or nervous strain from the
ordeal under which she labored, there
was no hint of it in the distressing
message that followed:
Men below and asleep when ex9lo-
sion occurred. Many blown to pieces
Twenty are dead and injured unknown"
And then the ether filled with static
OF the messages sent out few were re-
ceived.
Copyright. 1881 the Associated Press)