Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-14
WRECKED IN A FLASH.
Twelve Men Instantly Killed, Three
Fatally Injured, and Three
AWFULLY MANNED AND MANGLED.
No One Left to Explain Mysterious Navy
Yard Explosion.
TERRIBLE SCENES AMONG THE RUINS

ESPECIAL rELKGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.l
VALLEJO, CAL, June 13.-One of the
worst explosions ever known In California
occurred just before noon to-day at the
Mare Island Government navy yard, by
which IL men belonging to the United
States cruiser Boston were instantly killed.
three fatally injured and three severely
wounded. The explosion took place in the
shell room, and supposed to be due to one
Of the dropping shells as it was being filled,
but this is mere theory, as none engaged
in the work were left alive to tell the
story.
The force of the explosion was so great
that most people In Vallejo believed 1t was
an earthquake. In q moment the Mare Isl
and navy yard fire bell began ringing, and
dense clouds of smoke arose. The SUPPOSE
tion was that fire had broken out
The navy yard Is directly across small
stream from Vallejo. A reporter who was
among the first to cross on the ferry to the
navy yard beheld a terrible scene. One Of
the strong, small houses In which the work
of filling shells was carried on, was in ruins,
while lying all about on the hill, ss though
great shell had burst among them, were
the scattered, mangled and bleeding forms
of men wearing Uncle Sans blue jackets.
Flowing Worse Than Cannon Balls.
The ground looked as though it had been
plowed up by cannon balls. and to add to
the horror Of the scene, flames broke out
among the ruins filed with fragments of
human victims Bloody legs and arms were
scattered about among blackened heads and
unrecognizable fragments of what had been
only q few minutes before strong and active
men. Lying near the door of one house
was the headless body Of Gunner Hittinger,
of the cruiser Boston, while over on the other
fearfully disfgured. On the beach near by,
where they had been thrown by the terrific
force of the explosion, were found two
naval,apprentices, both of whom will die.
A large squad of sailors and marines soon
brought out mangled remains of their COM
rades from the burning shell houses. When
the fragments we're laid together it was
found y men had lost their lives Several
of the bodies were cut clean in two, others
had an arm or a leg blown of, and veterans
who had seen hard service in the Rebellion
declared they had never beheld a ghastlier
sight than this.
Fate of the Two Apprentices.
The two young apprentices were blown
clean across the beach into the water and
we're picked up by - fre-boat. They were
terribly burned and mangled, and the
doctors give no hope of recovery. A visit |
to the naval hospital found Dr.. Lewis at |
work on three men whose lives were de- |
SPARED Of One was German, and his |
cries of pain are frightful DR.. Lewis had |
lust taken q piece of wood six inches long
bv one inch thick out Of his right side. Be-
sides this the bones of the left leg were /
shattered, and with the cuticle burned off,
the better part of the body was in q horrible
state.
One of the apprentices was blown
into the water, and when taken on
the beach n puy y,bns asked % of the the
over this?" and then he requested to be laid
down. He will never again get up. His
companions condition is equally bad.
How the explosion occurred will never be
known. Fifteen men from the United
States Steamer 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
Hittinger. 1t is supposed one of the party
dropped shell, and that the conclusion
caused an explosion.
Bravery of One Of the Doctors.
One of the first to 60 to the scene was Dr..
Lewis, of the Naval Hospital. Notwith-
standing now and then the explosion of
she'll, he braved the danger and went into
the midst of it to save life, but the explo-
sion had finished its work, and he found
only one body with any life in it
There were three magazine watchmen,
Collins, Burns and Damsted, on duty in
jured they will live. Watchman Collins
had narrow escape. A piece Of shell
glanced from the top of his head and left an
ugly confusion. 1t came from second ex.
plosion. The first one had shaken him
almost senseless, and after he was struck he
walked for an hour about the ruins, think
ing he might save someone. Then feeling
faint, he went home, where the doctors
found that besides scalp wound he was in
turned internally. Hittinger was beyond q
doubt killed instantly. His head was
appointed from Pennsylvania, October %,
1890, and was detailed to the Boston, Feb
ruary 2, 1891.
Had the magazine proper, containing tons
of explosives, exploded, Vallejo would have
been shattered. It was a miracle, being as
close Is it was that such did not occur.
The List of the Victims.
The following is list Of the killed:
0GOAsoI, Suhh0AB OaisCo |
States Navy.
sUNDBORG, COLONEL, gunner's mate.
SEYMOUR, THOMAS, gunner's mato.
HECKEL, WILLIAM, apprentice.
KETTIEL, A., seaman.
SMITH, G. W.. landsman.
WASHBURNE, WILLIAM, seaman.
LEGAT, F., seaman.
osTRANDER, w., apprentice.
JOOs. H., apprentice.
RUSH, WILLIAM, seaman.
JOHNSON, -, seaman.
REINCKE, B.. seaman.
HOLTON, j. H., apprentice.
p OF the three men taken to the hospital
two have died. The one surviving is j.
Briscoe.
Just opposite the magazine where the ex-
plosion occurred this morning are the st. Fir
Flour Mills, the windows in the mills were
broken and the men left work and rushed
to the hills, not knowing what would hap
pen next A she'll was picked out of Q
railroad wharf close by.
The Boston is in dock bay. There is
gloom and sadness through the ship, as the
men who lost their lives belong to its crew.
Flames in the house which exploded were
this afternoon, thus averting
any danger to the main powder magazine.
SOLDIERS COMPETE AT DRILL.