The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-20

New York and Commodore Kennon,
chief of the navy bureau
On firing the gun murderous blast
succeeded-the whole ship shook and
reeled, and a dense cloud of smoke
enveloped the entire group on the fore
castle; but when this blew away, an
awful and heartrending scene pre-
sented itself to the view of the hushed
and agonized spectators. The gun had
burst at a point three or four feet from
the breech, and scattered death and
destruction all around.
The lower part OF the gun, from the
trunnions to the breech, was blown off.
Secretary Upshur was badly cut over
the eye and in his legs, and expired in
a very few minutes. Mr.. Gilmer of
Virginia-under whose official direction,
as secretary of the navy, the power of
this great gun was tested-was likewise
mortally wounded, and soon breathed
his last. Mr.. Maxey had his arms and
one of his legs cut off. Mr.. Gardiner OF
New York-the future father-in-law of
President Tyler-and Commodore Ken
non died in about half an hour.
About dozen sailors were badly
wounded; one was dead. and behind
him. Colonel Benton. Judge Phelps and
Mr.. Strickland, as if dead, were extend
ed on the deck. Mr.. Tyson of Philadel-
phia, near by, was unhurt, although a
piece of the gun had passed through
his hat about two inches from his skull
President Tyler escaped by a close
margin, he having been called back
from where he stood just a moment
before.
Commodore Stockton, knocked down
and somewhat injured. all the hair of
his head and face burned off, rose at
once to his feet mounted the wooden
carriage, and surveyed the scene.
Shrieks of woe were heard from every
quarter-death and desolation, blood
and mangled remains were all around.
Mayor SeatOn of Washington had
nearly as narrow an escape as did the
president. He had started TO accom-
but was delayed by a difficulty in find
ing his cloak and hat. j
The funeral procession a few days af-
forwards was one of the most sad and
imposing ever seen in Washington. 1t
was led by Generals Scott and Jones,
with a splendid military escort. Among
the distinguished pail bearers were
Messrs. Archer. Morgan. Bolton. Tot
ten, Worth, Gibson, Aulick, Shubrick,
Crane, Towson. Kennedy, Hunt, Bar
nard, Fish and Kendall. All depart
ments of the government legislative
executive, judicial, military and naval.
were largely represented in the vast
and magnificent procession; and min
ute guns and telling bells added their
voices to the general requiem.
Colonel Thomas Hart Benton, author
Of My Thirty Years in the Senate"
the father-in-law of General Fremont.
and one of the most noted men of the
Did regime, gives an interesting account
Of his own experience at the time of
the explosion. Among others things he
says:
Lieutenant Hunt caused the gun to
be worked, to show the ease and pre-
cision with which her direction could
be changed, and then pointed down the
river to make the fire, himself and the
sunners standing near the breech on
the right. 1 opened my mouth wide to
receive the conclusion in the inside as
well as on the outside, so as to lessen
the force of the external shock l saw
the hammer pulled back. heard a tap,
saw flash. felt a blast in the face,
and knew that my hat was gone, and
that was the last that 1 knew of the
world or of myself for a time, of which
could give no account.
The first that l knew of myself or
Of anything afterward was of rising up
at the breach of the gun, seeing the
gun itself split open; two seamen, the
blood oozing from their ears and nos
trils, rising and reeling near me, and
Commodore Stockton, hat gone and
face blackened, standing bolt upright,
staring fixedly upon the shattered gun.
had heard no noise, nc more than the
dead. l only knew that gun had burst
from seeing its fragments l had gone
through the experience of a sudden
death. as if from lightning, which ex-
tinguishes knowledge and sensation,
and takes one out of the world with
out though or feeling. l think l know
what it is to die without knowing it,
and that such a death is nothing to him
that reViVeS''