, 1935-09-05

Editors Note: Francis w. S. Lee,
financial editor Of the Philadel-
phia Evening Public Ledger, was
a passenger on the fruit steam
ship Atenas. which rescued 20
persons from the stranded steam
ship Dixie and left for Charles
ton, s. G. He was one OF the first
newspapermen TO obtain first
hand accounts from the rescued.)
BIZ FRANCIS w. S. LEE
(Copy't, 1895. the A. p. and The
Philadelphia Evening Public
Ledger
ABOARD S. s. ATENAS, Sept. 5.
-(P-A dramatic story Of how they
calmly donned lifebelts while water
flooded their cabins, was told
Thursday by the first passengers to
be taken off the liner Dixie which
a tropical hurricane hurled onto
treacherous French Reef.
They sang while discussing pros
poets or death. Women climbed into
their hunks to avoid getting wet.
Ship Is Damaged
Passengers told Of a terrific twist
er which struck the steamer at $50
D. m. The tremendous seas washed
away the ships rudder and pro-
peller, smashed the upper super
structure. flooded the cabins, lounge
rooms and passageways.
Even though the Dixie drifted
helpleSSly. finally going aground on
French Reef, near the Carysfoot
Reef lightship, the passengers said
there was no panic aboard. They
attributed this to the excellent dis
cipline maintained by the officers
and crew.
The passengers donned their life
belts with the first sounding OF
the alarm Monday night.
The rescue Of the passengers,
begun late Wednesday afternoon,
vas by the most skillfull maneuver-
ing OF the vessels standing by the
Dixie. AS the lifeboat crews made
their way slowly through the peril
laden sea. the rescue vessels cons
family kept shifting their positions
TO protect the lfeboats from the
high waves.
The Atenas. under command OF
Capt. D.. B. Kerr. hoye TO by the
Dixie around noon Wednesday, but,
like the other ships standing by,
was unable to launch life boats
until 2 p. m. (CST).
4nc first boat away from the
Atenas was under the command Of
Chief Officer Service and the next
under Second Officer Burgett. II
took the two lifeboats an hour to
reach the side OF the grounded Nor
gan liner.
The boats were back with 20
passengers from the Dixie, mostly
women, about 4:30 D. m.
Those rescued by the boats Of the
Atenas told Of the courage and
calmness displayed by Captain Z.
w. Sundstrom OF the Dixie. Although
he suffered a serious injury to one
leg, he sought constantly TO allay
the fears Of the passengers.
Came Terrific Jar
One Of the typical accounts OF
the scene on the Dixie was given
by Miss Florence z. Steiler OF San
Francisco.
1T started 10 rain" she related,
about 10 o'clock Monday morning.
At noon, the ship started to pitch
and the storm broke in all its fury
about 3 o'clock. We seemed to be
in the teeth OF a hurricane.
"At 4:30. the storm abated some
what. but 1t broke anew in the
next hour with eve greater intens-
ity. Then came a t~hunderous jar
and terrific vibrations. We were all
ordered to put on our lifebelts and
during the remainder Of the night
the ship swung from side 10 side.
The devastation wa terrible.
Iron windows and doors crumbled
under the weight Of the heavy seas.
The water was up 10 the hunks in
the cabins. Men were compelled TO
roll up their trousers TO their knees
while women sitting on their hunks
had to raise their feet as the water
flowed from one side Of the state
room 10 the other.
Il want to pay particular praise
10 the crew, which lived up to the
highest traditions Of the sea, and
especially to William S. Bolton, a
steward. His efforts were untiring
IN cheering up the passengers. He
inspired at times a spirit of levity.
There was no hysteria We all
sang. The death which seemed TO
face H. vas discussed with unpre-
Csuented freedom. Fear seemed to
be unknown, as we were all Of the
opinion We would finally be carried
down.