The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-03
Liner Dixie Still Fast Upon Shoals
Scontinusd from Page I,

the Dixie was thrown onto the reef by the hurricane 1t had been light ing on It's voyage through the straits all day.
 A few minutes later the winds brought her radio antenna crash. ing to the deck and wrecked part of the sending apparatus. Before this happened, a message flashed out: In distress-in immediate need of assistance"
 Seamen ashore reconstructed the scene aboard. Braving great seas breaking over the decks, sea- men rigged an emergency antenna, connected 1t with the radio direc- ton finder. Within 20 minutes feeble signals came from the Dix ie through this makeshift appara- tus. They spelled out SOS. SOS. Within more minutes the rescue vessels, unfnindful of their own. danger in risking the same fate as the Dixie's were on their way to the stricken liner.
 Dixie Is Flagship
 The Dixie is a modern vessel of 8,188 tons and is flagship of the Southern Pacific Steamship Com pany (the Morgan Line) and Cap tain Sundstrom is Commodore of the company's fleet. She sailed Sa- turday from New Orleans and was due in New York Thursday.
 Though hurricane warnings were flying ashore, she entered the treacherous Florida straits yester- day morning, a stretch of water considered by all navigators as among the most dangerous in the world. Threading her way through the shoals as the wind increased steadily in velocity, she was near ing the open Atlantic when fur ious sea tossed her up on Carysfort Reef.
 The reef is six miles east of Key Largo and 13 miles from the mainland town of Glades.
 The first coherent message, re- ceived little before midnight (EST), read: IS. s. Dixie ground ed near Carysfort Reef, 275 pas sengers, pounding antenna and re- ceiver out. Using direction find- CT. Please try to get bearings and assistance"
 A few minutes later came the S. o. s.. Then the radio went out and when it resumed the $. 0. j. was repeated several times. At 1:46 a. m. (EST) her feeble sig nals spelled out: Pounding heavily but not making much water. Seas and wind heavy"
 Center of Hurricane
 The Miami weather bureau at 2 a. m. (EST) placed the center of the hurricane approximately 200 miles west of Carysfort Reef, which would place the Dixie well within the storm. It crossed Cuba Sunday night and Monday, moving in an cratic course northerly. It's maximum velocity was placed at 80 miles an hour. Small craft were held in Cuban and Floridan ports.
 The Dixie's passengers are from all parts of the United States, many of them vacationists from the 'lstern seaboard on one of the Morgan Lines special "all-ex- penses paid" cruises to New Dr. leans.
 The Dixie, though built in 1927. is one of the most modern ships afloat. She has telephones and hot and cold running water in every cabin. She is propelled by electro turbines and is capable of top speed of 18 to 20 knots. Her lines are similar to those of the ill-fated Moro Castle, which burned off tho New Jersey coast last fall with a loss of 124 lives. Though she has but one stack, her main deck is overall and her promenade is abutted at the poop. Among her passenger accomodations are lux uriously fitted suites and her en- tainment facilities include a small string orchestra. She was built in Kearny, N. J., for her present service. Her dimensions are: length, 426 feet, inches; beam, 60 feet, inches; draught, 20 feet.
 Veteran Sea Captain
 Captain Sundstrom, the Dixie's commander, is veteran seaman and 6 veteran also of the treacher- ous Florida straits where he has navigated vessels since 1904. when he joined the Morgan Line as quarter master. He was command CT of the lines passenger liners "Momus" and Creole" and of a number of it's freight boats before being promoted to command of the flagship, which made him com modore of the fleet, several years ago.. He is 50 years old.
 Relatives Anxious
 New Orleans, Sept. 3.-UP)- Headquarters of the Southern Pa cific Steamship company were be- rinnad an rlu f0-dau with the