The Barre Daily Times

TRAGIC STORY OF FIRE TOLD BY SURVIVOR

Passenger on Ill-Fated Volturno Describes Horror as Flames Gained Headway and People Were Driven Back

CARMANIA REACHES PORT AFTER RESCUE

Walter Trintepohl Gave the First Account of the Disaster That Befell the Ship Volturno in Mid-ocean but Story Is Incoherent

London, Oct. 13.—None of the steamers which brought succor to the ill-fated Volturno when she was burning in mid-ocean had arrived at their destination this morning. By a wireless report from the Carmania, the first to reach the scene of the disaster, it was said she would probably reach Fishguard this afternoon. All the other vessels which played such a heroic part in the rescue of the Volturno's passengers and which are coming to Europe are expected to reach port with the survivors to-day or to-morrow. The Uranium line officials have made plans to forward those who wish to America on other vessels as soon as possible.

London, Oct. 13.—Forty of the one hundred and thirty-six persons lost from the steamship Volturno in mid-Atlantic on Thursday were in the two boats which succeeded in getting away from the burning vessel and which without doubt were swamped. The majority of the other victims lost their lives when four other boats were smashed against the steamer's sides in an attempt to launch them.

All this occurred before the arrival of the Carmania and the other liners summoned by wireless calls for help. From the Carmania's lone survivor comes a thrilling story of the burning of the steamer, of the terror, the struggle for the boats, the death of those who went over the sides and his own desperate fight for life.

Arthur Spurgeon, a passenger on the Carmania, in a wireless dispatch, supplements his own description of the race of the Carmania to the burning vessel and the rescue of the passengers of the Volturno by the story told him by the survivor, Walter Trintepohl, a German, who swam to the Carmania and was rescued in an exhausted condition. Since being taken aboard the Carmania Trintepohl has been in the ship's hospital threatened with pneumonia. He told his story to Mr. Spurgeon before he became seriously ill, but owing to his exhausted state and his broken English his account of the disaster was somewhat incoherent.

"All went well," said Trintepohl, "until six o'clock Thursday morning when the fire alarm sounded. We were aroused and told to go on deck as fire had broken out in the hold. On assembling life belts were handed around and much time was occupied in fastening them. We were told that the fire might soon be quenched, but the captain thought it wise for all to have belts as a precaution.

"The fire frightened the children, who cried bitterly. There were many babies in arms.

The fire grew worse. We saw things blazing down below. About ten o'clock there was a cry to lower the boats.

"The captain behaved splendidly. So did the officers, who were English. I am sorry to say that the crew, who were Germans and Belgians, behaved very badly. The people rushed about wildly, and the crew seemed to think they ought to have first place, and instead of quieting the passengers they made the panic worse.

"The first officer took charge of the first boat, but, although he wanted the women and children saved first, a majority of those who entered the boat were members of the crew.

"This boat was smashed against the ship's side. Just as it reached the water it broke in two and all were drowned.

"Meanwhile attempts were made to lower the second boat. I cannot say who was in charge of this but I do know that after the chief steward had thrown provisions in he jumped in himself. There were more men than women and children in this boat, which did not go down from the davits for it was broken against the ship and all were drowned.

"These two boats were amidships. Three other boats were put out aft. The fourth officer was in one of them but I cannot say which one. All was confusion. The ropes broke and the occupants were thrown into the water and drowned or killed. When the captain saw what had happened he cut the tackle of the other boats so that they could not be launched.

"We were so glad when we saw the Carmania come, for we said: 'Now we shall all be saved.'

"The firemen rushed up from below and refused to go back. The captain drew his revolver and drove them below, but soon after, as the fire was spreading, they were obliged to abandon the boilers.

"As soon as the Carmania was sighted the captain made all the women and children go to one side, and the men to the other side. He had been compelled to leave the bridge and go aft because it was too hot. Women wept, shrieked, laughed and became hysterical.

"We had not thought of food, but in the afternoon we considered it better to get something, and went to the kitchens, which we found deserted, made coffee and helped ourselves to biscuit and beef. But most of the passengers refused to eat.

"We saw rafts sent from the Carmania, but nobody told us to jump in. In fact we knew not what they were there for. About six o'clock the decks aft began to get very warm, then hotter and hotter. But we did not seem to feel the heat."

When shown his boot with the sole half burned through, Trintepohl said:

"I don't remember this, but it was awful when the flames burst out. Some of the men and women tore their hair, but others were quite still.

"After the explosion I thought it better to jump, for I am a good swimmer, and an English passenger and one of the crew said they would accompany me. I jumped first. They followed but I never saw them again.

"I made for the German ship, but they did not hear me. Then I came towards the Carmania and shouted 'Help, help,' and was seen by the aid of the searchlight. I was about an hour in the sea and became half unconscious. I know not how I was got out.

"During the day five sailors and one steward fell into the fire and were burned to death.

"I know nothing more. I came away because it was too hot to stay any longer, and I feared the whole ship would blow up."

When Trintepohl was told that according to the captain's wireless message six boats had been launched and two got away, he said: "It is not so. I was there all the time and saw everything. No boat got away."

Other Stories of Disaster.

Mr. Spurgeon in his account tells of the attempts to get lifeboats alongside the Volturno.

"Nothing," he says, "was seen of the two boats, launched with about twenty passengers in each, after they left the Volturno's side. Four others were smashed against the ship's side and the occupants either killed or drowned.

"At 9 o'clock Thursday night the captain of the Volturno sent a despairing message, which read: 'For God's sake, help us or we perish.'

"By a miracle the flames did not reach to the after deck. Eventually the seas moderated and the boats saved 521 persons. The death roll numbers 136."

The wireless operator aboard the Carmania sends the following:

"Two boats were lowered from the Volturno before the Carmania arrived, and 110 passengers were lost. Disembarkation commenced before daylight. The total number lost is 136 as far as known."

A wireless from the captain of the Devonian, one of the rescuing steamers, says that he has 59 survivors aboard, comprising 18 men, 20 women, and 21 children, all well. This is the same number previously reported.

A wireless from the steamer Seydlitz forwarded from Bremen says she has aboard 46 survivors, instead of 36, as previously reported. This would account for the ten supposed to have been aboard the Carmania, the latter steamer having been credited with 11 survivors, whereas she is bringing in only one.

Among the first-class passengers on the Volturno, there were only two Americans, John Krug and Frieda Krug.