The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-02-22
EzpLcsIoe;
On .ts,a German fronclnd Esnenbur3
Eesr Riai--The, HIain Steam t.re OF the
E.nrboard Engine Expiodcs. 5

FSSE Mill nSk EttaAh ;SLc3tu AiIsS VI sdS
s.arhoard Engine Explodcs. ,~ffg.
HIEL, Feb. ia terrible accident
occurred on board the German ironclad
Ramenburg Friday morning near stoll-
ergrund, three miles from the Duelk
lighthouse, at the entrance to the. Kio.
bay. The big vessel for some time past
has been in Keller Fohrd, one of TIE
best Ravens in Europe and the cA:cf
war harhor of Germany, undergoing
various experiments. Friday was se-
lected for forced dranght trial.
TO get the ironclad in frst-c!aas con
d;tion for the test forty artiEcers we're
sent aboard from the imperial dock
yard. While elovcn OF these srt.fcera
were IN TIE engine room q tremendous
explosion look place The main steam
pipe Of the stvrboard engire had burst.
Far above the noise Of thu cscaein2
steam we-o heard the heartrendiaS
criss Of the injured end dying.
Paric temporarily spread a,nong tho
crew, but after moments hesitstioil
every effort vas put forth 70 rescuc
the unfortunate men ii the engine
room. II was then found that OF TIE
eleven artiiceIs all out one had been
killed. Tie man who escaped owed
hia preservation from the fate OF his
comrades 70 tho fact that al the mo-
mant Of the explosion he was standing
on q ladder near tho topof the room.
His companions were all on the floor
OF the rCoul
when The steam had cleared away,
and The panic had srbsidcd, il'rtncr
acarch was made among the crew for
Ire dead ard injured. 1t was then dis
covered that thirty-nine raan III Ill had
Lcen killed and nino injured. This list
includes .he ten dead crtifcers. Thirty
seven OF the men were killed instantly.
Two CT the wounded died short while
after receiving their injuries.
Six steamers were promptly dis
patched from Hiol TO the scene Of tho
disaster They carried number OF
physicians nnd surgeons ard % large
Quantity Of medical supplies. The
guar6sIip Pelican, with Prince Henry.
OF Prussia, on board, also put OF in
stently &c The Rrandenlrrg' aid. Tho
dead a1d wounded were carried from
the Dlantlenburg TO thc steamers and
conveyed 10 kicl. Ike injured were
ta.5en to the hospital. It is believed
that they VIII recover.
The details o; the accident arc very
hard TO oht;;n. 1T is said that rs soon
as the explosion occurred all hands
were summoned on deck and the pumps
were rirged II was not then known
what The accident amounted to, and
fears were entertained that the Brand
enpurg ,ras in danger Of sinking.
All Ga7 long the most intense excite
1ao-r has prevailed at Eiel Most Of
the dead and injured lived here or in
the reighDorhocd, andjaany Of them
were men Of family. The wharves
y:ere crowded from the time the steam
crs left for the scene Of the explosion
NATL they returned with the victims
AS the dead and v'oundod wore borne
tcnderly from the vessel to the shore
the air resourded with the cries Of thu
bc.eaved, while those who had not
lost anv friends Or relatives uncovered
their heads
A strict inquiry viii be made into tho
cause of tie disaster.
E.:el is rot unused to such scenes OF
suffering and death. III August, 1898,
al accident similar in its dreadful fea-
lures to the present calamity took
place while The German vessel Baden
was engaged in gun practice at Fried
rchsort near Kiel Il she'll by some
unexplaned cause, exploded prema-
turoly, killing tSo istenants and
seven men.
Prince Henry. OF Prussia, together
with Admiral Schroeder a1Jd other
l,irh officials, was on board the Baden
at the time, watching tho experiments.