The record-union., 1892-06-14
Terrible Explosion of Powder at the
Mare Island Navy Yard.
MEN BLOWN TO PIECES WHILE
LOADING SHELLS
Bodies Found Hundreds of Yards
From the sceao of the Disaster
Horrible Sight Which Met the Gaze
of the Rescuing Parties = Little
Known as TO the Cause OF the Ex-
pIosion.
plOSion.
Special TO the REcoRD-UNIoN.

| O'Clock by q report which shook the town
/ like sharp shock of earthquake. I'M
mediately the fire bells at the navy-yard
were rung, and the conclusion reached
/ was that there was a fire on Mare Island.
But Gown at the magazine there belched
forth into the sky an immense cloud OF
/ smoke.
AS soon as it was high enough peoples
/ eyes turned thither and for half an hour
report after report was heard as shells ex-
ploded.
Immediately the entire nayy-yard force
rushed for the scene and when the true
/ facts came to light horrible scene pre-
sented itself
a Vallejo Chronicle reporter was among
the first on the scene and the first
spectacle to greet him was the burned and
charred bodies of two apprentice seamen
on the beach, two hundred yards from
the scene Of the explosion.
Meantime one more body, that of a
German, was on the way TO the hospital.
A TERRIBLE SIGHT.
Going farther on to the scene a terrible
! sight met the gaze. In the midst orruins
and all around on the side hills were seen
| DOdleS ana pieces OF bodies scattered here
J StAIN 1iICIC. DOtIGS NCEH taken out as last
as possible, and when all were put along
side each other they counted twelve, with
gunner Hlttnger Of the Boston at the
! head. Some were cut in two, others
were minus a leg or an arm or the head.
Twelve were killed outright and three
! We're taken to the hospital wounded, but
! dying. Two of the three were appren-
tices picked up on the beach. The ex-
! plosion had thrown them into the bav.
and the boat from q merchantmen at the
| Starr Mills on the opposite side rescued
| them and then went into the smoke and
ruins for others. The cuticle Of almost
| the entire bodies Of these two. as well as
| the clothes were blown off, and vet they
We're conscious and able to move. but
| viii die.
HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
How did it happen? was the question
| asked by hundreds. No one can ever tell
A working party Of fifteen men from the
| United States steamer Boston was sent
| down to prepare ammunition and fill
! shells for the ship. All We're at work in
| the hllIng-rOom of the magazine, under
the charge of gunner Hittinger 1t is
| supposed one Of the party dropped a shell
| and that the conclusion caused the ex-
! plosion. One Of the first to go to the
| scene was DR.. Lewis of the Naval Hos
pltal. Notwithstanding now and then
| the explosion of shell he brayed the dam
ger and went into the midst of it to save
life If possible, but the explosion had fin
| ished its work and he found one soul Dos-
| sessed Of life, and this body, filled with
| pieces of wood and burned and bleeding.
was snatched from the flames and rushed
to the hospital.
NARROW ESCAPES.
There were three magazine watchmen
named Collins, Burns and Damstedt on
duty in other parts Of the grounds. and
although injured, will live. Watchman
| Collins had q narrow escape. A piece of
| shell glanced from the top of his head
and lett an ugly confusion. 1t came from
! the second explosion. The first one had
| shaken him almost Senseless, and after
he was struck he walked for an hour
| about the ruins, thinking that he might
save some one. Then feeling faint be
went home, where DrS. None and Ander-
| son found that beside the scalp wound he
was injured internally. The body of gun
ner Hittinger was found on the roof of
sheIlhouse No. /, having been blown
through the roof Of shellhouse No. 2,
which was afterward destroyed by fire,
| He was popular young fellow.
| Mrs McDougall of the lighthouse, with
! her daughters, Misses Bessie and Carrie.
were early in giving assistance to the
wounded, bringing bandages and doing
much that was necessary at the moment,
Drs. Magruger, Crane, Paige, Moore
| e1hANA 1-S" hSJ S'iA VI bilC hdN were Oh LDe
scene, but there was not much for them
| to Go.
IDENTIFYING THE DEAD.
The work of identifying the dead had
| not been done at this writing as the en-
ergies of all We're devoted to getting the
remains together and quenching the fire.
| Almost the entire crew of the Boston. to
which ship the dead and wounded be-
long, worked hard in the ruins under the
direction of Lieutenants Blase, Robinson
and Hughes. Among the dead partially
! identified are the unfortunate gunner.
| Seamen Ketville, Johnson, Henry Joos
and Haeckle.
Had the magazine proper, containing
tons of explosives, exploded, Vallejo
| would have been shattered. 1t is mira
Gle, being as close as it was, that such did
! not occur.
AT THE HOSPITAL.
A visit to the Naval Hospital made by
! the reporter found DR.. Lewis at work on
three men whose lives are Gespaired OF.
| One is German, and his cries OF pain are
| frightful. DIR. Lewis had lust taken a
| piece Of wood six inches long by an inch
thick out of his right side. Beside this
the bones of the left leg are shattered. and
| with the cuticule burned off the better
! part OF the body is in a horrible state,
| one OF the apprentices was blown into
| the water and when taken on the beach
pitifully asked OF the surgeons: "Do you
| think we will get over this?" and then he
requested to be laid down. He will never
again get up. His companions condi-
| ton is equally as bad.
Hittinger was beyond doubt killed
instantly. His head was blown from his
| body. The deceased was appointed from
| Pennsylvania October Is, 1890, and was
detailed to the Boston on February. ?.
1891.
Engines are at work throwing streams
of water on the flames
Following is list of the killed: George
Hittinger, gunner, Z. S. A.; c. @. T..
| Sundberg, the gunner's mate: Thos. Sew
mour, chief gunner's mate: Wm. He Heekel Ike
apprentice; A. ketrell, seaman, G.. W.
Smith, landsman; VIM. Washburne.
seaman; +. Legat, seamen; w. Ostrander.
apprentice; IL. Joos. apprentice: VIM
Rush, seaman; j. Johnson, seaman: II.
| Reincke, seaman; j. III. HoIton, appren-
tice.
Three men were taken to the hospital.
| where two died. The one surviving is
named j. Briscoe, and is son of Boat
swain BriScoe, who was employed at the
yard in 1o77. The men were all iniured
about the lower part OF the body, except
one. whose head was blown of.
The t1ag, which had been living all dav
for the Republican ratification meeting to
| be held tonight, was placed at half mast.
and a postponement Of the meeting was
announced.
THE coRoNER's INQUEST.
| Coroner King arrived from Benicia at
o'clock to hold an inquest on the bodies
of the dead. Nothing new was adduced.
as the only persons, with the exception OF
one, who could give direct testimony
were dead, and that one was unable to saw
anything, as he was in dying condition.
4 verdict of accidental death was found
for all. The inquest was held in the
| EaIlaio HoSpital tn which plano alI ~ n