Evening star., 1934-09-11
i. s. GRAND Jury
LAUNCHES PROBE
Quizzes Bridge Officers and
Wiper of Inflated
Liner.
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speed at the time of the fire.
He said he was asleep up until the
fire alarm went off.
mo one awakened you?" asked
Smith.
mo- sir"
"What did you do?"
ct jumped up and got in my clothes
and went to deck to see If the hose
was working. Then I worked my way
down to B and c decks. I met some
of the crew helping passengers.
II met the third assistant engineer
on D deck. How are things?' asked,
Pretty bad he said.
Don't let any one leave the engine
room, but If you have to leave be sure
to shut down the turbines and leave
things in order I said.
Il went back up to the top deck
then and reported to the captain on
the bridge l told him things were
pretty bad down there and I didn't
know how long the men could stay. I
had a lot of smoke in my lungs by
then"
Emergency Lights Failed.
'Were the electric lights still on?"
"I don't think So"
did the emergency lighting set
work."
ut failed, sir 1t was the first time
the emergency lighting set failed, sir,
because the cables we're burnt. 1t had
cut in automatically when the regular
lighting system went off,"
Don't you think" asked Smith,
"that it was strange the oilers, water
tenders and men working down below
were not called?"
"The alarm called them"
Were the water tenders and oilers
asleep2"
'Yes, SIR"
Where were the engine room
ofhcersP"
They took their posts at the en-
gines and fire rooms"
did you see the fire in the social
hallP"
Eyes sir, from the outside-it was
all flame"
did you go IMP"
II was too busy. was trying to
get to the engine room"
Could Not Have Stopped Fire.
''In your mind, if they had put a
hose with pressure of 100 pounds a
square inch on the social hail. don't
you think they could have knocked
down that fire?"
mo Sir-not with 100 hose when I
seen it."
Did any of your men help pas
sengers?"
II helped some"
Did you close the bulkheads down
belowP"
No. sir, we were afraid that the
men below would never be able to get
out. My crew and my engineers were
good, know they were true"
did you leave the fire pump run
ning?"
"Yes. sir, we did. 1t was running
all the time"
"You had about 800 pounds pres
sure on your boilers then, didn't
you?"
About that"
What were your orders from the
bridge?"
"One was astern and one ahead. "
"One engine astern and one ahead?"
"Yes. sir, to work the ship around u
Telephone System Intact.
''Was the telephone communication
to the bridge working?"
Yes, sir. It was intact"
How about the engine room tele-
graph?"
"It burned out"
"No trouble with machinery"
"Never-on that ship"
why weren't the men below told
when fire was discovered?"
II can't tell that"
WAS there any friction between
the engine room and the bridge?"
mo. SIR
Abbott said the Moro Castle wa.
"more than a ship to me-"
she was like my child" he sale
in hoarSe, quivering voice.
'"She went through hurricanes with
out any trouble. I knew every boil
and rivet in her. I was on her owe
AFC AlOaltAAo vi OCoIo'
Did Not Go to Engine Room.
Hoover turned the questioning bacl
to the time of the fire.
when did you wake?'
about 3 o'clock"
did you go to the engine room
first?"
mo. sir, I went first to the frs
officers room to see if he was up
Did you at any time go to the en-
gine room?"
mo. sir, did not"
why not?"
81 telephoned and everything wa
in perfect order. Then tried to worl
my way down, but I trapped mySel
among the passengers and tried Il
direct the hoses"
Was it possible to get down to tn
engine room?"
Hesitating-"Yes, sir. it was"
When did the pumps fail?"
"They did not fail"
I'm what way did you come of tn
ship?"
Took No. l Lifeboat.
ct reported to the bridge and tn
captain told me to take No. life
boat I got it off"
do you know if you were frs
Off"
"I think Nos 3 and S were away
"Was the fire burning then?"
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