The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1898-10-27
ACCIDENT ON TORPEDO.B0AT
Seven Men Scalded to Death
on the Davis.
BOILER TUBE BLOWS OUT
All Died From Their Injuries-Trsgic
Result of the Trial Trip-No Fault Of
the Contractors.

Astoria, Or, Oct. 22.-The bursting
OF one or more steam tubes in the for
ward boiler of the torpedo-boat Davis
while on her official trial trip yesterday
fatally scalded seven firemen.
The dead are: Charles Namely, fire.
man, married; Paul Luithle, fireman,
unmarried; Harry Wood, married;
William Wood, foreman boiler shop,
married; James Ryan. married: Axel
johnson, married.; Albert Buehl. mar
ried.
The accident occurred at 11:40 A.
M. while the boat was westward bound.
off Tenas Illihee, near Cathlamet.
She had run one of the required two
hours al full speed. and was making
about 23h knots per hour, under
steam pressure of $50 pounds.
Seven firemen, under the direction
of William Wood, foreman of the boiler
shop Of the Wolff & Zwicker iron
works, were working manfully to
keep up the tremendous steam pressure
necessary to supply the flying engines.
without moments warming. some
thing inside the boiler gave way, and
u
smoke filled the cramped boiler-room
and overpowered the helpless workmen.
At the same time, the forward snfoke-
stack began to vomit forth flame and
muddy water, and those on deck saw
that something serious had happened
below. Harry Burrows, fireman who
was stationed at the tightly closed
hatch of the boiler-room, threw the
door open, and was thrown backward
on the deck by a rush of scalding steam
that scared his mustache and hair like
red-hot irons.
At the same instant, Joseph Porter,
a machinist, and J. f. Wolff, vice.
president Of the contracting firm, spranQ
down the ladder and into the seething
pit regardless of the fearful heat that
almost overcame them. Together they
lifted Foreman Wood to the hatch.
where a dozen pairs OF hands we're
waiting to receive him. And then.
one by one, six more horribly mutilated
men were taken from the death trap.
Several of the most severely injured
walked unaided to the after cabin,
where DR.. E. H. Thornton. the COM
paDy's physician, who accompanied the
boat, attended to them as rapidly as he
was able to do so. Few were able to
repress the Rroans that spoke of their
terrible suffering, but all bore them
selves with the fortitude that men in
time Of war call heroism. The appear
ance OF that grim procession, as 1t filed
along the narrow deck, is not to bs de-
scribed. 1t was a sight that no ore on
board will ever forget, and which none
would see again for any price that could
be paid.
Dr.. Thornton set about the work of
caring for the injured with cooi,ess and
judgment, which the strain OF long
afternoon did not abate. Naval Con-
structor Spear, Of the trial board. stood
by his side through it all, removing the
tattered clothing. ministering to the
suffering men, as best he could, bind
ing up their burns and washing the
black SCOT from their faces. Lieuten-
ant Commander +. J. Drake did like
splendid service, and, with such help
as the rest Of the crew could give, all
the sufferers were placed n cushions
in the after cabin and on deck, and the
worst of their pain allayed with hypo-
dermic injections Of morphine. But
they were past help. At $3.50 Namely
succumbed, followed by Luithle an hour
latear. Harry Wood expired just as
stretcher was laid TO take him to
more suitable resting place. The 9TH
ers died in the hospital here. where
81 L. 10 IN IT, lo
noon. The steamer Harvest Queen
towed the Davis from the scene of the
accident to Astoria.
The accident was unaocountable to
those on board. The contractors have
been careful and painstaking in the con-
struction of the boilers. this being q
branch of their work in which they
have always met with marked success.
They have conscientiously followed all
the rigid requirements laid down by
! the government. sufficient proof Of
which is the fact that the boilers have
been constantly under the inspection Of
officers of the navy detailed for that
pun pose. Before they were placed in
the torpedo-boats the boilers were SUBJ
jected to a water pressure Of $50 pounds
to the square inch, ITO pounds more
than that at which they were working
at the time Of the accident. The crew
volunteered for the service. They have
always been used with fairness and con-
sideration by their employers, and not
one of the men on board but disclaimed
the belief that their employers were in
any way responsible for the unfortunate
occurrence.