Evening star., 1937-07-30
TW0D|E, 2M|SS|NC,
g RESCUED FROM
BLAZING BAY SHIP
Passengers Plunge Into
Water to Escape Flaming
City Of Baltimore.
SURVIVORS TELL TALES
OF THRILLING RESCUEs
Fire Engulfs Liner Within Three
Minutes After Kitchen Helper
Discovers It.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
BALTIMORE, July 3O.-All but fou,
OF the 96 passengers and crew driven
by flames from the liner City of Bal
timore in a night of horror on Chesa-
peake Bay reached land today with
tales of amazing rescues.
OF the four not counted among
survivors, two were known dead and
two unaccounted for.
The dead:
j. R. Polikoff, an Aiken, S. c.,
lawyer.
Charles Wheaton. Crisfield, Md.
crew member, identified by officials Of
steamship company.
The missing:
H. Paige, passenger, address un-
known.
Cy Haynie, an oiler
Boats and planes from the Naval
Academy or nearby Annapolis took ur
the search for bodies at dawn, but
the planes were recalled later when il
appeared that only two persons were
still unreported at hospital or the
company office
Flremen, who had pumped water
into the hot mass of twisted beams
aboard the hulk all night, turned to-
day to pumping it out. They sought
any bodies which might be aboard
and also hoped to uncover some clue
to the origin Of the fire.
Six of those rescued were injured
during the fire or their escape from
1t. The injured
Second Officer Earnest Horsely
burned hands, suffered when sliding
down rope to water.
Miss Elizabeth Ramsay. Baltimore
burned on neck, hands and legs.
Edward Clayville, Baltimore, shock
Bessie Howard, Baltimore, sprained
ankle and lacerations of the hip.
Nick Scalmius, Norfolk, possibly
broken shoulder.
Robert Jones. Baltimore, waiter,
burned hands and arms.
The liner. sliding down the bay to
Norfolk, became a floating furnace
after bursting into flames IA miles be-
low Baltimore.
Flames EnguH Ship.
Flames. passengers said, roared from
the lower holds and within 3 minutes
after the first alarm had wrapped two
thirds of the boat in fire
The passengers, most of whom were
at dinner, scurried to the rails. many
still clutching their napkins. Others
tumbled from state rooms. The crew
surged up from the hold.
Two miles away. resort residents
who had been sitting on their lawns
q moment before talking about the
mildness of the night-rushed down to
the waters edge aghast at the horror
before them.
Boats put out from the beaches.
Fishing craft near the liner hurried
towards her.
Huddle in Bow
With the fire licking up the deck,
the passengers. joined by the crew,
tuddled toward the bow.
Screams could be heard ashore
above the roar OF the flames. Passen-
gers begged for help as those in the
smaller boats were driven back by
the fierce heat.
The ship, witnesses said, after the
first alarm turned and headed for
the shallow water Of the west shore
Luther Booze Of Baltimore, fishing
nearby, said he and five companions
were the first boat on the scene.
I'VE yelled to the people to jump"
ne said, but they seemed to hys-
terical to pay any attention. They
we're scrambling around the railings
and screaming"
"Jump or Face Flames"
A few minutes later and it was
Jump or face the flames. Many nerv-
ously pulled themselves to the top
rail and let go. Others got over the
railing and clung there until the heat
forced them to drop.
AS the passengers jumped, the
small boats piled about, picking them
up
The William D. sanner, pilot boat,
rescued 81.
Max Stein, Baltimore fruit bro
ker. said that when he jumped into
the water a colored man, swimming
without life preserver, tore his
from him and swan away. Stein said
he swan until dragged from the
water.
L. S. Harvard of Newport News, Va,
said he and Capt. Charles o. Brooks.
the ships veteran master, were the
last to leave the ship.
II was eating dinner" he said.
when heard the call of fire. I
went outside and stayed with the
captain until the deck was empty.
He and I then jumped into the
water"
Girl Tells Story.
Elisabeth Ramsey of Baltimore, one
of the first passengers dragged from
the water, said:
Il was locking my door when the
drst alarm rang. I ran on deck and
saw flre In the staterooms. In about
hve minutes the whole boat was on
6re."
She with dozens of others pushed
her way to the bow of the liner.
The fire." she gasped to rescuers,
was coming toward us and burning
our faces"
An unidentified man-calm be-
fore the impending disaster-grabbed
a rope, tied it around the rail and
hurled 1t overheard. Those who dared
(see SHIP, Page A-3)