OIL SHIP SINKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 632, 7 January 1914, Page 5

OIL SHIP SINKS.

TWENTY-POUR DROWNED

By Telegraph..—Press Association. —Copyright New York, Monday;

Ihe oil steamer Oklahama, 5853 tons, foundered off Sandy Hook, twenty-four of the crew being drowned and only eight saved. Particulars of the disaster are meagre. The news came through by wireless from the Bavaria, a cargo steamer belonging to the HamburgAmerican line, which took off the men who were saved.

Before the rest of the crew could be rescued the Oklahama sank.

THE LATEST PARTICULARS

HOW SURVIVORS WERE RESCUED. Received this day, 11.5 a.m. New York, Tuesday. The oil steamer Oklahama broke in two without warning. The utern section Bank suddenly carrying forty men to death. The other portion floated lone enough to allow a boat with eight men to leave the wreck.

The Bavaria is now carrying the survivors to Boston.

According to a wireless message Captain Graafle.of ths Bavaria, aighted the Oklahama at early dawn flying distress signals. The seas were high and rough, and later the captain saw the forepart of the steamer floating on the waves, and the other part gone. The Bavaria lowered a boat and six men gallantly fought their way across the waves and Beized a rope thrown from the wreck, and rescued eight, including Captain Gunther. It was explained that the ship broke in two early the previous day without warning.

Twenty-two of the crew were lost instantly. When the afterpart sank the stern wa3 pointing upwards, and the propeller was twirling. The lifeboatß sank with the ship, go escape was hopeless. A Spanish steamer hove in sight lste on Sunday, but was unable, owing to the high seas, to accomplish anything.

FURTHER SURVIVORS RESCUED

LIFEBOAT CREW PICKED UP. Received this day, 10.55 a.m. New York, Tuesday. Six survivors from the steamer Oklahama have arrived aboard the steamer Gregory, having been picked up while adrift in a lifeboat. Shipping experts believe the Oklahama's breaking in two to be due solely to the terrific battering of the seas, not to an explosion aB at first suggested.