The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-02-16
STEAMER VENTURA THE SCENE
OF A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.
Pipes Blow Out During the New
Steamships Journey From Phila-
delphia to San Francisco.

~
men met horrible death on the steam
er Ventura during the voyage from
Philadelphia to this port. At 6:l5
o'clock on the evening of January 23d,
while the steamer was about 700 miles
north of Valparaiso, in latitude 30 deg.
So min. south, longitude 81 deg. AZ
min. west, a terrific roar startled every
body on board, and Immediately after
ward steam issued in dense volumes
from the engine-room. AS quickly as
was possible Chief Engineer Haynes
and others made their way below,
where they found the bodies of five
men who had been killed by the BURST
ing of the main steam pipe of the port
boilers. The victims were: George w.
Robb, Junior engineer, aged 26, a resi-
dent of Charleston, S. c.. William Far
rem, fireman, aged 80; native of Ire
land j. Desmond, fireman, aged 26;
Paul Beier, coal passer, aged 26, ma
tive of Germany; and Felix Glass, aged
19, stowaway from Philadelphia, who
was employed as a coal passer. No
cries We're heard Immediately following
the explosion, and judging from the
appearance of the five unfortunates, all
of them were almost instantly killed
by the heat and force of the steam. The
bodies presented a horrible sight
With becoming ceremony, directed by
buried at sea the day after the acci-
dent Four other men were badly
scalded at the time the steam pipe
burst, but have since recovered and
are now at work on the vessel. They
were: p. Mcconnell, A. Peterson, j.
Gauhan and j. Kelly.
Up to the time of the accident the
Ventura was making good time tow
ard this port, and under ordinary cir
r. OF a hox 10
record of the SonOma, a sister ship, on
the trip from Philadelphia. However,
the bursting of the steam pipe render
ed useless the four port boilers, and
only the starboard boilers were there
after used.
The Ventura arrived here only four
teen hours behind the Sonoma's time.
The trip was made in 38 days, 23 hours
and so minutes. Some rough weather
was experienced, particularly at the
beginning of the voyage. When two
days out from Philadelphia a gale
swept the seas entirely over the steam
er, carrying away part of the starb0ard
! railing, breaking the gangway and
staving in one of the boats
Captain Hayward reports the Ventu-
ra to be a fine sea vessel, the violent
| weather having afforded a very fair
| test of her qualities. The steamer went
direct to an anchorage in Mission bay
upon arrival. According to present
plans, the steamer will sail for Sydney
via Honolulu, Pago Pago and Auckland
! on February 18th. The Ventura is in
appearance exactly like the steamers
Sierra and Sonoma, and is the third
and last of the Oceanic Company's new
| steamers.
SAN FRANCISCO, February 9.-An
| investigation into the accident on the
! steamer Ventura bV which five rnar
lost their lives, will be commenced or
! Monday morning by the Inspectors OF
Hulls and Boilers. The investigation
according to Inspector Bulger, will be
limited in it's scope as the Government
officials can deal only with licensed of
ficers; but enough will be developed a
the inquiry to locate the blame for the
terrible mishap.
There Is no question as to the off
GERS of the ship being blameless in tht
| matter" said Inspector Bulger. "ThC
steamer is a brand new vessel, and tn,
blame for the accident must lie will
those who put in the steam pipe"
The officers of the Ventura will say
nothing about the matter for publica
tion until after the investigation Som,
of the officers have not been so reticen
when it comes to talking to theil
friends and so the water front has be
come informed in a general way o
what happened on that memorable
night at sea. 1t is claimed that thu
steam pipe was not reinforced" b!
this it is meant that the pipe SHOULD
have had steel bands about it at in
tervals of about eighteen inches. This
it is claimed, should have been done
and had it been done the pipe could no
have burst. That the pipe was not re
inforced it is further claimed, means
that poor job was turned out.