New Britain Herald Newspaper, March 20, 1929, Page 13

‘The rescue of crew of the Florida still is fresh in everyone's memory. Fried gives a detailed account of the hours on the heaving seas while the fate of the 32 men hung in the balance; told in his simple, modest but graphic style. He adds several new side-lights and anecdotes to the story. By CAPT. GEORGE FRIED (Copyright, 1929, Associated Prees) CHAPTER XX 1 have been somewhat of a fatal- ist. The rescue of the crew of the Florida by the America was fate. It my vessel had not been caught in the ice floes on the day of departure from Bremerhaven and had not "lln;ul over hand and through the water they worked their way" been further delayed by a dense fog for 24 hours, during which my ves- sel anchored, we would not have been close enough to render any assistance to the Italian freighter. Another vessel, however, would cer- tainly have come along and prob- ubly saved her men. On our return voyage we had ex- perienced a succession of gales and high rough seas accompanied by rain, hail and snow squalls. While off th rand Banks it became very cold and started snowing. The decks of the America were covered Wwith two inches of snow and ice. If the Florida had foundered In that re- gion a rescue would have heen ex- tremely difficult, New, Low Prices for Standard Eights Early on the morning of Janu- ary 22 a baby hoy was born to one of the third class. When that bap- pens the sailor looks for trouble. It was not long after—12:30 P. to be exact—that Chief Radio Op- erator Nelson Smith picked up the 80S from the Florida. I learned by radio that four vessels were not far away and were responding to her distress signal so the America continued on her course. It was not long after that another BOS came from the American freighter Dannedaike, both vessels, strange- ly enough, giving their positions in latitade 38 north and longitude 60 west. The America was 350 miles north of their reported posi- tions. ¥ decided that additional help might be required and turned south. Mr. Smith constantly teok radio compass bearings from the Flor- ida’s operator, who steadfastly re- mained at his post. At 4 A. M. the | bearings were changing rapidly, in- dicating that we were in close proximity to the Florida. Mean- while we had received word that the Dannedaike had made repairs and was continuing under her own steam for Bermuda. At 9 A. M. the skies cleared, giving us a chance to take observations. I asked the captain of the Florida for his posi- tion after we had ours. His navi- gation books and charts had been swept way and all of his instru. ASX THRE MAN served latitudes. I then calculated his position which, I believe, is the first time on record when one ves sel determined the location of an- other at sea. I plotted him just about 150 miles northwest of the position he thought he was in. Radio bearings ,checked with the results of my calculations. Then we picked up the imploring mes- sage, “I beg of you to do all pos- sible.”” Every man on the bridge knew what that meant. " We were M. |going at full speed. The radio sig- nals were becoming were getting nearer. Darkness was approaching. Our ship was illum- inated s0o we could be seen. Then came the words, “We see you.” 8ud- denly a light. The Florida was directly ahead. Our entire crew and every passenger waited and watched. Bhortly after 6:10 1 stoped the engines. 1 maneuvered the America to a position on the Florida's weather beam, a quarter of a mile distant, as close as I dared to go while launching life boat. The akies became threatening. A light snow squall sprung up. I turned to Harry Manning, my chiet officer, who had picked a crew from volunteers. The Florida was heaving on a heavy squall. Her lee rall was un- der water. She was listing at an angle about 35 degrees. Mr. Man- ning and his eight men jumped into the boat and it was lowered. They louder. We {pushed off, aided bya northwest wind, and I took the America to the lee side of the Florida. There were atill a few lights on the Flor- ida and her engines were turning over slowly. The lifeboat got clos« to the Florida but Mr. Manning had to use extreme care. There was danger of the small boat belng crashed against her side. was thrown to the freighter's deck to which was attached a two and | a half inch rope. The Itallans made this fast, and the other end being tied to tue lifeboat which was head- |ed away and kept in that position by the oarsmen. Orders given by Mr. Manntng to Salvatore Bracco in the boat crew were translated and shouted to the Italians. The transfer then started. over hand and through they worked their way, one by one, Hand into the lifeboat. Fifteen men made the gap when the rope snapped un- der the tension. The seas were mounting. Another line was thrown to them and the transfer continued. 8ome of the men had been injured and many were exhausted from hunger and exposure. Several were practically naked. Capt. Giuseppe Favaloro was the last to leave and they started back. . The rescued crew was huddled in the bottom of the boat acting as Ballast. Just before the last few men were taken from the water the wind in- creased to gale force, whipping up the seas. At times it was impoasible to see the little boat in the trough of the billows. I again maneuvered the America to windward to pro- vide a lee which helped our men in their struggle. Cargo nets and ladders were thrown over the side OWNS ONB the water | | | | | | ot our ship. By this time it was raining hard. The lifeboat, tossing violently, got alongside. The men leaped for the ladders and nets and clambered aboard. Mr. Manning was | | the last to leave and had to be | pulled aboard after his trying ex- | perience. Tae sea was 80 rough | that it was impossible to get the | boat aboard our ship. We left the | Florida to the fury of the elements. | Tomorrow: Manning, My Brave Men | SPEED BIATLFET | Welthy Commuters Use Water Route Going to Business (By W. W. Chaplin, Amoclated || Press Staff Writer) H New York, March 20 UP—When | the supreme court at Washington || decides whether the subway fare | shall stay at a nickel or go up to }[ seven cents it will mean flaring | headlines in the papers here, but || AGAIN UNDER WAY |the decision will have little effect on one class of commuters,—the |f speed boat owners of Long Island || Sound, the Hudson, and the Jersey | coast. | Ther eare half a hundred or 8o of these commuters and with the com- ing of spring the rivers are once | more ploughed twice daily with | their fast furrows. Most of them | live along the sound, in Long Island | or Connecticut, and they come roar- | ing down through Hell Gate and the | | East river to bank into an upstream | |landing at the New York Yacht club | A line | at 26th street. A smaller number, to whom the North river is more | convenient, use the Columbia Yacht | club at 86th street and the Hudson. | These commuting boats are mostly | from 40 to 100 feet in length, from | 25 to 50 miles an houryin speed, and | from $40,000 to $75,000 in cost. | They are luxuriously appointed in- | side and out and are” largely the | property of wealthy business men | who have long since passed the stage || of personal interest in the cost of ' subway fares. | The way these boats are used is | about as follows: The craft is| ordered to be ready at a suburban pier near the owner's home at a |l given hour every morning. The |}] owner is driven to the pier, perhaps with his secretary, steps into his || speedboat and is oq for his office 30 | miles or s0 away. During the trip he || may have breakfast, read the papers, gf dictate a few letters and have time for a stroll on deck before swinging into the basin. On the way home | at night the routine may be varied |’ to permit a shower bath and change || to dinner clothes or, If guests are | along, a hand or two of bridge. Dr. A. Upchurch of Jackson- ville, Fla., has given away his dog |: and bought a canary. “Ganarles | don’t bite and spread rabies,” bhe ] contends. - Wire, e Cmith & Go. 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