The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-04
TWELVE MEN ARE MISSING
A Score of Other Persons Re-
 ceive Bad Injuries.
Property to the Value of $200, 900 Destroyed-The Ship Broken In- to by the Force of the
 Explosion.

San Francisco, Dec. 3.-While the steamer Progresso was lying at the wharf of the Fulton Iron Warks at Harbor View this morning, an exHosion occurred and as a result twelve men are missing, a score more injured and property to the value of $7o0.oOO was destroyed.
 The missing-First Assistant Engineer Sparks; Joseph Rex, Charles Glenn. Howard Dove. James Cavall, Dan Gal lagher, Joseph Mcguire, F. Nelson, c. c. McGregor; Jack Strand; Harry Small; Jack Ashton.
 First Assistant Engineer Spraks, Joseph Rex, Charles Glenn and Howard Dove of the crew of the Progresso, shipped only this morning. Joseph Rex is a son of Mate Rex of the ship w. P. Babcock. Charles Gleen is a brother of Second Officer Glenn of the transport Sheridan. James Cavall was an electrician and Gall Iagher. Mcguire. Nelson and McGregor were all shipbutlders. Jack Strand was employed as fireman and Harry Small, a boy, was working as a rivet beater. His home Is at Vallejo. Asheton was flre- man on the Progresso and Dove was seaman.
 The list of seriously injured includes: Henry Conama; Robert Gibson. A. Kane, R. DucoIl. George McNeemy: J. Morgan, T. McGill, Willie Van Jaerset, Peter Hansen.
 Many Men at Work. The disaster occurred while forty me- chancis of the iron works and twenty employees of the ship were on board.
 Below the decks the mechanics were busy completing the work of changing the vessel from a coal burning carrier to an oil burning carrier, when suddenly one of the oil tanks blew up. Men were hurled against the steel wall and sheet of flame came sweeping into their faces. On the upper deck men were hurled Into the air or thrown into the water Three sailors engaged in washing paint outside the pilot house disappeared as the cloud of black smoke came up from the ship and were seen no more.
 Following the explosion the ship sagged in the center, showing that she had broken in two.
 In the office of the iron works, twenty feet away, every window was shattered and flying glass cut the faces and hands of many of the officials and clerks AS they rushed into the open. survivors who were able to help themselves. were leaping from the ship.
 A great crowd of mechanics came run ming out of the works. Soon these men set to work with will to rescue men from the burning vessel A SlISdih Oh burning oil. running from the tanks spread out until the ship lay on waves of fire
 Wharf Set on Fire.
 The flames crept under the wharf and soon the timbers were blazing, adding to the difficulty of the work of rescue.
 The ship was built of steel The fire was nearly all below deck. There were fourteen oil tanks containing about 400 barrels of oil in all and despite the efforts of the fire department, this continued to burn fiercely hours after the explosion.
 Numerous minor explosions occurred at short intervals. but the injury and loss of life was due to the first one.
 The lost to the Fulton Company by the wrecking of the building and the burn ing of the wharf will exceed $2OooO. It is estimated that the Progrcsso was worth about $175.0OO. The explosion shook all the buildings at Harbor View and the shock was felt mile away. Windows were broken several blocks from the scene.
 James W Spiers, Jr.. general manager of the Fulton Iron Works Is positive that the explosion was due to the oil and not to the bursting of the boiler. His theory is that gas generated in one of the oil tanks.