The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-17
Frightful Accident on the German Iron
clad Brandenburg During an Ex-
pertinent in the Harbor of Kiel.
A STEAM PIPE EXPLODES
Scalding, Mangling and BruiSing
Nearly Fifty in ALI.
Nine of the Victims Likely to Recover
Confession of the Paris Cafe Bomb
Thrower-London's Dead ''Red.n

KEEL. Feb. 1s.-A terrible accident oc-
CURED on board the German ironclad Bran
denburg this morning. near Stollergrund.
three miles from the Duelk lighthouse at
the entrance TO Kiel bay. Thirty-nne men
were killed and nine injured by the expIo-
sion Of a steam pipe.
The big vessel for some time past has
been in Keller Fohr, one OF the best havens
in Europe and the chief war harbor Of
Germany, undergoing various experiments.
To-day was selected for a forced-draught
trial To get the ironclad I'm first-class con-
dition for the test forty artificers were sent
aboard from the imperial dockyard Willis
eleven OF these artificers We're IN the en-
gine room tremendous explosion took
place. The main steam pipe OF the star
board engine had burst Far above ths
noise Of the escaping steam We're heard
the heartrendlng crys Of injured and dying.
Panic temporarily spread among the crew,
but after a moments hesitation every effort
was put forth to rescue the unfortunats
men in the engine room. II was then found
that Of the eleven artifcers all but on had
been killed. The man who escaped owed
his preservation from the fate OF his COM
rades to the fact that at the moment Of ths
explosion he was standing on a ladder near
the top Of the room. His companions were
all on the floor. When the steam had
cleared away and the panic had subsided q
further search was made among the crew
for the dead and injured. 1t was then dis
covered that thirty-nine men in all had
been killed and nine injured. This list in
cludes the ten dead artificers. Thirty-seven
OF the men We're killed instantly. Two OF
the wounded died short while after receiv-
ing their injuries.
Frightful as the accident was news OF
Il reached this city in an exaggerated form
1t was at first said that forty-six men had
been killed and as many more wounded.
Four steamers were promptly dispatched
from Kiel to the scene of the disaster. They
carried a number of physicians and sur
geons and a large quantity OF medical sup
plies. The guard ship Pelican, with Primes
Henry Of Prussia on board. also put of In
stantly TO the Brandenburgs aid. The dead
and wounded were carried from the Brans
denburg 70 the steamers and conveyed "a
Kiel. The injured were taken to the hos
pital. 1t is believed they viii recover.
The details of the accident are very hard
to obtain. 1t is said that as soon as the eX-
plosion occurred all hands We're summoned
on deck and the pumps rugged. II was not
then known what the accident amounted TO,
and fears were entertained that the Bran-
denburg was in danger Of sinking. All day
long the most intense excitement prevailed
In Klel Most of the dead and injured lived
here or in the neighborhood, and many OF
them were men Of family. The wharves
were crowded from the time the steamers
left for the scene Of the explosion until they
returned with the victims AS the dead and
wounded We're borne tenderly from the ves-
sells TO the shore the air resounded with the
cries OF the bereaved, while those who had
not lost any friends or relatives uncovered
their heads strict inquiry will be mads
into the cause OF the disaster.
Kiel is not unused to such scenes OF suf-
fering and death. In August, 1S93 an acci-
dent, similar in It's dreadful features. 10
the present calamity, took place While
the German vessel Baden was engaged in
gun practice at Friedrichsort, near Kiel,
shell, by some unexplained cause, exploded
prem2turely, killing two lieutenants and
seven men. Prince Henry OF Prussia to-
gether with Admiral Schroeder and other
high officials were on board the Baden az
the time watching the experiments
Ship building is one Of the principal In
dustries OF Kiel and it's great navy yard
| is one Of the chief features OF the city.
Kiel is the Baltic headquarters OF the Ger
man navy. The haven on which IL is located
runs into Kiel bay, whose waters fiow into
| the Baltic sea-