Evening star., 1934-09-09

City of Savannah and listened TO the
stories of the captain of that rescue
ship and of the survivors.
"I am investigating the disaster, "
Conboy said, naturally to find out
where any responsibility rests.
have not, from what have yet heard,
drawn any conclusions"
To View Charred Hulk.
Hoover made arrangements to ex-
anime the charred hulk as early as
possible Monday, accompanied by
Capt. Karl Nielsen, hull inspector
James Smith, boiler inspector, and
John Crone, supervisor of Federal
steamboat inspection in this district.
They also will question First Officer
Warns, who assumed command of
the MORO Castle after Capt. Will
motifs death.
Pending examination of the hull
and questioning of the surviving crew
and passengers, the records of steam
boat examination were overhauled.
They showed the MORO Castle was
built at Newport News, Va, in 1880
at a cost of $4,800,000 through a
Shipping Board loan of $3,400, 900 to
the Agwi Navigation Co. She was
rated as the last word in marine con-
struction, with the latest fire alarm
system, fire-hghting apparatus, and
with an interior built Of fire-resisting
materials.
Inspection in May.
Her last annual inspection was
made in May, and it was rechecked
August 4. At the local steamboat in
spection ofice and also at the offices
of the Ward Line, which operated the
Moro Castle, officials declared they
were mystified that fire could spread
in such a ship so surprisingly and so
catastrophically.
Many survivors were in agreement
In declaring the fire originated in the
ships library. Some said lightning
struck the liner. Reports from Havana
that it might have been sabotage by
striking dock workers were quickly
denied both by Havana officials and
officials of the line.
Leaving Havana Wednesday eve
ming, all was gayety aboard the Moro
Castle until news of the captain s
death spread over the decks last night.
BY midnight all was quiet. Most of
the passengers were asleep in their
cabins.
1t was the last night out. Tomor-
row they'd be home-but the morrow
brought only disaster and terror.
Near Akron Disaster Scene.
This section of the Atlantic has
known many disasters. Only q few
miles to the south, down by Barnegat
Lighthouse, the Akron had gone down
a year ago. Farther down, in 1928, the
Vestris had sunk in a gale.
At 1923 am. the wireless cracked
through the storm the news of the
latest tragedy of the seas:
IS o S! S o S! MORO Castle
afire 20 miles south of Scotland Light
ship"
Scotland Light is the welcoming bea-
con for ships plying north in New
York on the coastal routes. But this
morning it served only to mark the
spot of death.
Wireless stations notihed Coast
Guards. At once the seabcard was
awakened for the rescue.
A few seconds later came word of
the seriousness of the fre-only few
words, but ominous:
Fire just outside radio room"
The message ended, the radio was
gone, the outside world was cut off.
Accounts Accusing.
Confusing were the accounts on
board the flaming ship. Some sur
vivors said there was no disorder, 9TH
ers said the decks were filled with
milling, screaming throngs of men,
women and children.
Members of the crew in their quar-
ters forward of the library-some OF
them saying the fire spread first to
fuel tank nearby-Scrambled to the
decks, smashed in windows of the
cabins, hurried to the lifeboats.
The alarm spread. Firel Fire
that dreaded foe of the seas, more
feared than storms.
Passengers, clad in night clothes
some wearing bath robes, opened theil
doors, seeking to gain the decks. Many
were forced back by the flames that
ragged through hatchway and passage
way. Acy uoSQ IIlc M11lQOWo.
To reach the upper deck and the
lifeboats meant Drawing the flames
and the dense smoke, made all the
more suffocating by the drizzle and
fog that held it down low-like a
shroud over a lifeless form.
Only Eight Boats Launched.
Some passengers paid no heed
members of the crew said, to their
orders to break through and head
for the upper deck They stayed
on the lower deck. The B deck was
one of the most crowded.
Only eight boats put away from the
ship-each of these capable of carry
ing upward of SO persons. But some
had only handful aboard.
Scores of persons jumped or slid
down ropes to the sea-started swim
ming for the shore miles away.
The fire ragged at its worst appar-
entity, on the port side. Here, only two
boats were lowered from the davits
Six put off from the Starboard side.
Most of those who made the Jersey
shore in the lifeboats were members
of the crew. They said repeatedly
that they called for passengers tc
brave the flames to the upper deck
that they were finally forced to lower
the boats with what few passenger:
were aboard after the flames started
burning through the davit ropes.
Some Criticize Crew.
Some survivors picked up from the
dark and churning waters severely
criticized the manner of the crew.
Benjamin Hirsch, Philadelphia hab
erdasher, declared members of tht
crew never turned hand to help us.
When the alarm was sounded,
HirSch said, there was banging O
tin pans and whistles and buglel
were blown. On the deck men anC
women were running from one sid
of the boat to the other My wife anC
ran to the rail. 1t was hot as {
furnace. I lost track of my wife il
the confusion. / searched for her
but to no avail. When it was too no