Passaic City record., 1892-06-18
MANGLED BY SHELLS.
Horrible Tragedy at the Mare
Island (Cal. Navy Yard.
Thirteen Men of the Cruiser Bos-
ton Blown to Pieces.

One of the worst explosions ever known
in California occurred just before noon Q
few days ago. at Mare Island Government
Navy Yard, by which thirteen men. belong
ing to the United States cruiser Boston
were instantly killed, two fatally injured,
and three severely wounded.
The explosion took place in the she'll room,
and was supposed to be due to one OF the
shells dropping as it was being filled, but
this was mere theory. as none en- "a red in the
work we're left alive to tell the story.
The force of the explosion was great
that most people in the valleys believed it
was an earthquake. In moment the Mare
Island navy fire bell be gan rinying and dense
clouds of smoke rose. The supoosition was
that fire had started. The navy yard is
directly across small stream fro n Vallejo.
A reporter, who was among the first to
cross on the ferry to the Navy Yard. beheld
q terrible scene. One of the strong small
houses in which the work o. filing shells is
carried on, was in ruins, while all about on
the hill, as though great shell had burst
among them, were scattered the mangled
and bleeding forms of men wearing Uncle
Sans blue jackets
The ground looked as though it had been
plowe1 up by cannon balls, an to add hor-
ror to the scene, flames started among the
ruins filed with fragments of the human
victims. Legs and arms were scattered
about among the blackened heads and unre-
cognizable fragments of what had been only
few minutes before strong and activ.
men.
Lying near the door of one house was the
body of Gunner Hettinger, of the Boston,
while over on the other side was his head,
powder blackened and fearfully disfgure l..
On the beach near by, where they had been
thrown by the terrible force of the explosion,
Axxy<. nf
whom will die.
A large squad of sailors and marines soon
brought out the mangled remains of their
comrades from the burning shell houses.
When the fragments were laid together 1t
was found that twelve men had lost their
lives Several of the bodies were cut clean
in two others had an arm or leg blown off,
and veterans who had seen hard service in
the Rebellion declared they never beaeld a
ghastlier sight than this.
The two young apprentices were blown
clean across the beach into the water an
wers picked up bya fireboat. They w5ce
terribly burned and mangled, and the
doctors give no hope of their recovery.
A visit to the naval hospital found DIR.
Lewis at work over three men whose lives
were despairei of. DR.. Lewis had just
taken piecs of wood six incaes long ana an
inch thick out of Germon sailors right
side Besides this, the bones OF the left lec
were shattered, and the cuticls burned off
of the lower part of his body.
One of the apprentices who was blown
into the water was taken to the beach pitt
fully asked of the surgeons: ''Do you think
we will get over this? Then he requested
to be laid down, never again to get up. His
companions condition was equally bad.
How the explosion occurred will never be
known. Fifteen men from the Boston were
sent down to prepare ammunition and fill
shells for the ship. All were at work in the
filling room of the magazine under charge
of Gunner Heitinger. 1t is supposed one of
the party dropped SHE'LL and the concus-
sion caused the explosion.
One of the first to go to the scene was DR..
Lewis of the Naval Hospital Notwith-
standing now and then the explosion of a
shell. he braved the danger to save life, but
the explosion had finished its work, and he
found only one body with any life in it be-
sides the two apprentices. There were three
magazine watchmen name1 Collins Burns,
and Damsted. on duty in the other parts OF
the grounds, and, although injured. they
will live