The coal on top of the bunker
was wet, as all the coal should have been, but down at the
bottom of the bunker the coal had been permitted to get dry.
"The dry coal at the bottom of the pile took fire, and
smoldered for days. The wet coal on top kept the flames from
coming through, but down in the bottom of the bunkers the
flames were raging.
"Two men from each watch of stokers were tolled off, to
fight that fire. The stokers worked four hours at a time,
so twelve of us were fighting flames from the day we put out
of Southampton until we hit the iceberg.
"No, we didn't get that fire out, and among the stokers
there was talk that we'd have to empty the big coal bunkers
after we'd put our passengers off in New York, and then call
on the fire-boats there to help us put out the fire.
"The stokers were alarmed over it, but the officers told
us to keep our mouths shut--they didn't want to alarm the
passengers."
USUAL DIVERSION
Until Sunday, April 14th, then, the voyage had apparently
been a delightful but uneventful one. The passengers had
passed the time in the usual diversions of ocean travelers,
amusing themselves in the luxurious saloons, promenading
on the boat deck, lolling at their ease in steamer chairs and
making pools on the daily runs of the steamship.
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