The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-04
Disastrous Explosion on the Steamer
PrOgresO at the Fulton Iron Works,
Near San Francisco.
OIL TANKS WERE ON BOARD
ONE EXPLODED AND OTHERS IMME-
DIATELY CAUGHT FIRE.
Missing Men Probably Blown Into the
Water and DrOwned-Other
Fatal Explosions.

SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. s--while the
steamer Progreso was lying at the wharf
of the Fulton iron works at Harbor View
this morning an explosion occurred and as
a result eleven men are missing, a score
more injured and property to the value of
100000 was destroyed The missing:
SPARKS, first assistant engineer.
JOSEPH REX.
CHARLES GLENN.
HOWARD DOVE.
JAMES CAVATT.
DANIEL GALLAGHER.
JOSEPH MAGUIRE.
F. NELSON.
c. c. MGREGOR.
JACK STRAND.
HARRY SMALL.
JACK ASHTON.
First Assistant Engineer Sparks. Joseph
Rex, Charles Glenn and Howard Dove, of
the crew Of the Progreso, shipped only
this morning. Joseph Rex is a son Of Mate
Rex cf the ship w. p. Babcock Charles
Glenn is a brother of Second Officer Glenn,
of the transport Sheridan. James Cavatt
was an electrician, and Gallagher, Ma
guire Nelson and McGregor were all ship
builders Jack Strand was employed as a
fireman. Ashton was a fireman on the
Progreso and Dove was seaman.
The list of seriously injured includes:
Henry Connama, aged eighteen, arm ampu-
tated; Robert Bibson, both legs broken;
A. Kane, fractured leg and foot; r. Bucoll.
fractured left wrist; George McNeemy,
severe burns: j. Morgan. injured about
arms and legs; T. McGill, severely burned;
Willie Van Laerset, confusion of hip; Peter
Hansen, facture of right leg.
The disaster occurred while forty me-
chanics of the iron works and twenty en-
ployes of the ship were on board. Below
the decks the mechanics were busy complet-
ing the work of changing the vessel from
a coal-burning coal carrier TO an oil-burn-
ing oil carrier, when suddenly one of the
oil tanks blew up. Men were hurled against
the steel wall and a 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 en-
gaged 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 out into the open, survivors
who were able TO help themselves, were
leaping from the ship. A great crowd of
mechanics came running out of the works
AS soon as the panic had subsided these
men set TO work with will to rescue men
from the burning vessel. A stream of
burning oil. running from the tanks spread
out until the ship lay waves of fire
The flames crept under the wharf and soon
the timbers were blazing. adding to the
difficulty of the work of rescue
AS 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 for hours after the explosion
Numerous minor explosions occurred at
short intervals. but all the injury and loss
Of life was due TO the first one
The loss to the Fulton Company by the
wrecking Of the building and the burning