The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-14
TRAGEDY AT MARE ISLAND.
rurRrEEy MEN OF THE CRUISER
BOSTON BLoWy TO PIECES.

rh.x Were Filling Shells In One OF the
w.ra,,ues When an Awful Explosion
o.,urr,d-u IL Believed Ono or Them
Dropped sheIi-sovcral OF Their Com
rade. Hurt-Ths Bedies Terribly Man
.,.s-p,t,tul Scene On tho River Hank.
VALLEJO. CAL. June 13-One OF the worst cx-
,,osions ever known in California occurred
mat before noon to-day at the Mare
Island Government Navy Yard. by which thir-
tssn mon belonging to tho United States
sruiser Boston were instantly killed. two
btally injured. ard three severely wounded.
The explosion took place In tho shell room
and is supposed to be duo to one OF the shells
dropping as II was being filled. but this is
mere theory. as none engaged In tho work
we're left alive to tell the story.
The force Of the explosion was so great that
most people in tho valleys believed it was an
earthquake. In moment the Marc Island
navy fire bell began ringing md dense clouds
Of smoke rose. Tho supposition was that q
fro had startoi. The navy yard is directly
across small stream from Vallejo.
Areror.er, who was among the first to cross
on tho ferry to the Navy Yard. behcld torri-
BE scene. Ono Of the strong small houses In
which the work OF fllng shells is carried on.
was in ruins. whilo all about on the hill. as
though great shell had burst among them.
were scattered the murglcd and bleeding
forms Of men wearing Uncle Sans blue jackets.
Tie ground locked as though 1t had boon
rloughed up Ivy cannon balls. and to add hor-
ror 10 tho scene. flames started among the
ruins filled with fragments Of tho human VIC
tins Legs and arms wore scattered about
among tho blackened heads and unrecogniz-
able fra.m onts NJ what had been only few
a kt,.~
lying near tho door OF ono house was tho
body Of Gunner Hettingrr O! the Boston. while
over on ths othcr side was his head powder
blaoscnei and icarully Lisf,gnred. On the
beach near by wher" they had been thrown by
the terrific force Of the explosion. were found
two naval apprentices. both Of whom will die.
brought ia It out I'd the mamgied .remains Of their
comrades from the burning shell houses. When
thefracments we're lHid together i was fonni
ttvrrat OF the bm'!cs We're cut ccan In two.
othrts hid IN arm or leg blown OF. md VET
Grams VIII" had seen hard service in thu rebel
lin Iccinr,d they ncver brhrld ghastler
Tnr two young apprentices we-o blown clean
picked M lya l-ch"at. They were terribly
burned mud mnnsed and the doctors give NO
e visit to tho navnl hospital found DR..
Jews at work over three mon whose
lv 3 are de.raired OF. Ono is n German, DR..
in hes ions and nm i?ch thick out 81 Il is right
file. BESIDES this the homes OF tn" left leg
are ssa'ter"h; ard the cut clio is burned of Of
On" .';ie arnrertl"es who was blown into
the vat !, ", en- taken to the beach nitin!iiH
@ rtn no a yeS ts q be he %
down. will never again &C.: ~ His com.
panton condition IL equally hal
How thu explosion occurred viii never be
rent down 70 v;.rrarc ,aIeru"i;itn md az
Grnnc, Htl.nger. 1t Is sGrf o-ed ore OF the
": "''hs NJ So H. s:s1Kss n{
lie eSri sioa i hal ifhEi.hsi is ~ak. AMI
Beside. e. the Tvs 9"S "G Thers ' v
three maeszin. wntclmen named Collins
rsr 1ns s1G nma All" In S"n
Wntchnnn Collins, had narrow escape.
SECOND EXPLOSION, The lirst one h I'd shaken
he wy kei, f,,rn m hour about the ruins. link
irG J." might save some orc. Then feeling
fnint Ia went home. where the doctors ioun.l
thnt besides the sca.p wound he WAS injured
ini"r".lls.
H"hng,.r was beyond n. doubt killed. in
on rri.. 4. 1891.
Ha ~" magazine pope. containing tons
Of xplos w.. exploded Vallejo would have
been .s're'. Il is a miracle. being as close
as wts. that tho greater accident did not
occur.
Tie !at Of the killed is rs follows
>. y. q, Hettinger. gunner.
{. Snndbarg. Eunners n:nte.
Thomas seymour. chief gunner's mate
VII, ..,u Keokrl. W. Ostrander. and J. Fl.
E"i,on. apprentices.
4. Ket+yal. G. W. Smith. William Wash
bnrnn. r. I esat. William Rush. - johnson.
and II. Rincao. Soamen.