Connecticut western news., 1902-05-01
EXPLOSION ON FULTON
Submarine Boats Cruise Has
 Unexpected Ending.
FIVE HURT, BUT NONE FATALLY.

Son of General MacArthur One of
 the victims-Accident Attributed to
 Gas Generated by vessers Storage
 Battery.
 Lewes. Del, April 30-While the Holland submarine torpedo boat Full ington, was rounding the Delaware Breakwater a severe explosion occur red on board, injuring five of her pas sengers and crew painfully and so damagin the craft that she will have to be lowed back to New Suffolk, N. r., for repairs.
 Those most seriously injured are Lieutenant Arthur MacArthur, U. g. N, son of Major General MacArthur, U. s. A., badly cut about the head, but not incapacitated for duty; Lieutenant Oscar Kohen of the Austrian navy. making the voyage on the Fulton as guest and in the interest of his govern ment, severely bruised and scratched by flying splinters; Harry Moore, as- sistant engineer of the Fulton, injured about the head ands overcome by the O. of Brooklyn, assistant engineer of the Fulton, blown across the vessel and nose split and body bruised, and Charles Bechtol, gunner of the Fulton. severely cut and bruised about the body by flying debris, who escaped to the outer deck with difficulty and there became unconscious.
 All the injured men were taken to the United States marine hospital here, where their wounds were dressed. All except Bechtol were able to return to duty during the day. The gunner was the most severely hurt, and it was fear ed at first that he had sustained fracture of the skull. More careful examination showed that his worst wounds were only scalp deep, and he can probably leave the hospital today. Was Seeking . storm Port. After clearing Sandy Hook the sub marine craft had made a successful run down the coast, part of the way submerged. Indications of heavy weather caused her and her conveys, the yacht Mindora and the tug Storm King, to put into the Delaware Break water until the threatening southeaster had blown away.
 Only about ten minutes before the accident the crew had shifted watches. Assistant Engineer Miner had been re- lieved by Engineer John Saunders and had thrown himself down to sleep by the engines. He had barely dropped into slumber when the shock lifted him like a feather and hurled him against the opposite bulwarks.
 There were nine men inside the craft at the time. Lieutenant c. P. Nelson, D. s. N, was making his way out through the coming tower hatch to the upper deck when the explosion al- most blew him into the water.
 Lieutenant MacArthur and Gunner Bechtol were eating luncheon below, Bechtol had just cracked the shell of | boiled egg when the shock hurled | him in a heap ten feet away. Lieuten- | ant Macarthur, who was seated adi- rectly opposite the gunner. was raised top of the craft. and he suffered se- were cut on the left side of the scalp. On the upper deck were Captain Frank T. Cable. First Mate H. Fl. Nor rell and Charles Hugh. They were engaged in steering the boat by means of her external steering gear, which is used in surface work. The injured men all came pouring through the mar row hatch one after another. Bechtol had to be assisted, and after escaping he fell unconscious on the deck. Lieu | oNh nd him from going overheard from the slippery, rounded sides of the Fulton. Engineers Plucky Feat. l They had made their exit none too soon, for in an instant the interior of 1 the craft was filled with the stifiing | fumes of gasoline. The machinery was running yet, and it had to be stopped. John Saunders, the engineer, proved equal to that emergency.
 He wrapped a wet towel about his face and head, and then, defying the deadly fumes, he quickly let himself down through the hatch, groped his
 way to the gasoline engine and pulled the lever that stopped the revolutions 1 of the propeller shaft.
 Captain Cable, on the outer deck. had immediately signaled his conveys for help. But the captain of the tug l Storm King had heard the explosion and lost no time in running alongside.
 He got out line, which Bergh made | fast to the submarine craft.
 In a trice restoratives had been nd
 ministered to the injured men, and
 their wounds were being dressed. Soor
 the steam launch Palacea came up ant
 offered her assistance. The wounded
 men were transferred to her, and witl
 them she steamed rapidly to the ma
 rine hospital, where all were we'll cared
 for.
 1t was supposed at first that one oi
 the Fulton's storage tanks in which sh,
 carries large quantities of gasoline fo
 fuel had exploded. Captain Cable anC
 his engineers later in the day expressed
 the opinion that the cause of the acci
 dent was the explosion of gas general
 ed by the storage battery. After the ex
 plosion the Fulton was lowed to tn
 government pier, near the hospital. Though the explosion was violent
 the injuries to the boat are not of a SC
 rious character. Some of her woodworl
 was badly splintered, but she Is no
 thought to have been weakened struC
 turally. 1t will require several days t
 put her electric battery In serviceabl
 condition, and the proposed trip to Nor
 folk and Washington will probabl
 have to be abandoned for the present.
 New Voice In Georgia.
 Swainsboro has poet who Is writing | aome of the most uniuue love lyrics 1T