Evening journal., 1896-05-20
NEAR THE P0WDt,.
es In the Coal BunlEers CT
he Battleship Indiana.
WORK SAVES A DISASTER.

sightseers Patted the Indiana's Big
Jack Tars Fought Fire and Emp.
the Powder Magazine = Splendid
pltne Shown.
DKIYN, May 20. - While pretty
and smartly dressed men idled
he decks Of the battleship Indiana
rudy patted her mighty guns some
i nen whom Uncle Samuel has hired
ting purposes were busy removing
from the magazine with precision
.)idity.
Q was fire in a coalbunker, and the
was near the magazine. But the
3 women and the idling men who
isitors didn't know what all the
n / meant until it was over They
( t it was part of the show. The
en- who watched said, splendid
Z" and the women, "Oh, isn't 1t
d they learned afterward what pos
ss had been astir beneath their feet.
concluded that Lieutenant Com
Swift was worthy Of his sword.
Indiana lies in the coal dock of the
yn navy yard. where the East river
|lllabout channel meet. The trouble
a reserve bunker, which, in addi
holding a few tons of coal, acts as
ction for the boilers. 1t is quite
be steam, and it was that, the off,
elieye, which caused the coal to
ire.
hch bunker there is an electric fire
which reports promptly when there
iger, telling its exact location.
signals sOmetimes.g give false alarms.
4 this occasion the crew went through
Z drill in earnest. 1t was the first
nee the Indiana has been in COM
|n.
alarm was sounded and the matter
ported to Lieutenant Commander
the executive officer, in a twin.
There was no noise or excitement.
sitors won't on examining the guns.
executive hurried below, went at
) the bunker from which the alarm
hnd found it hot. He guessed that
pal had been ignited by spontaneous
sion. There are steam pipes con-
|g with every compartment In a
or two the steam was turned into
Particular bunker and whatever fire
lere was speedily extinguished.
Orders For steam Given.
order for steam had been followed
liately by one to pass up ammuni-
"a purely precautionary measure 60
safety in case the fro should prove
formidable than was expected.
] after man, as many as could work
ut crowding, darted into the mag
and out as the steam was forced
he threatening coal bunker. The
ely movements of the visitors on the
above contrasted strangely with the
below.
Indiana's men were working just
y are expected to work when she Is
ion. They were as cool as the claret
in the lieutenant commander cab
owe, much cooler than the neglige
Who had come to SEQ them and their
ng gear.
ras their first actual experience out
I practice, and their discipline was
{. Their officers watched them with
thinking, no doubt, that one day it
be necessary to do the trick again
the batteries were roaring and the
ringing under the enemy's fire,
,n the bunker was cold, the coal was
cd and the powder carried back to
aga2ine.
deck the trim officers and men on
lad paced to and fro without SEEM
notice tho unusual activity, though
NEW the cause we'll enough. Some
IN were telling the visitors about the
fighting machine and what would
n in case of war. They didn't say
would happen II the magazine were
! then. whom the crew-the Indi-
complement is 450-had been at
srs for an hour and it was all over, a
summer girl said to the embryo
gut AT her side;
lere seems 10 be something unusual
on. What arc all those men running
d for
I he, pulling at little mustache,
er with fine noncAalance.
b, thore was n little bit Of a fire be-
near the magazine, / be-
Jolly, don't you thinkg"
lieutenant commander spoke enthu.
,ally Of tho conduct Of the men, say
icy had stood their first test admira-
! now the men and women who pat
@ guns arc thinking.