Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1903-04-15
DEADLY EXPLOSION.
Iwelye-!nch Gun Bursts With Fatal
Results.
INVESTIGATION BOARD APPOINTED.
Tho Damage to the Vessel of Such a
Character as TO Nccessitnte Putting
Her Out of Commission.

Washington. Special.-The cipher
dispatch received by the Navy Depart
ment. regarding the explosion on the
Iowa. off Pensacola was on Friday de-
clpnored. 1t was from Admiral Hig-
ginson and said: "Iowa's breach-load-
Ing l2-inch gun burst in front OF
trunnions, three killed. four wounded. =
Then followed the names given in pre-.
vious dispatch. The Department. ex!
poets fuller particulars. Another dis
patch was received as follows: "Pur-
cell. landsman. Krile. seaman. r. r.
Berry ordinary seaman, killed in Iowa.
VIII be buried at navy yard at Pensa- :
cola"
Ee"ause OF the meagre details Of the
explosion which Admiral Hgginson's
dispatch contained, officials at the
Navy Department can only speculate as
to lis cause. An investigation hoard
has already been appointed.
hear Admiral O'Neill. chief OF the
bureau OF ordnance. has already issued
orders for the transportation to New
YORK % new 12-inch gun which is
nc" a the Washington navy yard. and
II W'l be placed on the Iowa when that
vessel comes to New York for repairs
AcmirGl O'Ncill said:
The gun which burst was designcd
IN >9J and manufactured at the naval
gu" factory. January /. 1905. The gun
ha" been fired l25 times. Yesterdays
accident is the frs; that has ever hap
paHed to any of the large cali5re guns
o- Jhe navy. except in the case OF the
I"-.nch sun on the Kearsage. the norc
81 which was injured by premature
explosion of a shell two years ago. A
hAl"3 tube was inserted in that gun
ahI 1t Is in use at the proving grounds
no reason can yet be assigned fo- the
accident. AS yet | do not know what
knd o. powder was used or details n
10 the location of the shell. While The
"lI.dcai may have been due to the pre-
nature explosion OF the shell in the
pEIe' Such contingency is unlikely, as
9H'iis nave on several occasions broken
MP IN bores CT guns without anv other
ln'Hfy than the defaciag Of the bore. So
i@i tnn bureau is advised. all the
IOWA Finch shells are fitted with
"'''H overs, with view 10 preventing
i'oSSloie prematuros explosion due To
10 action Of the powder gasscs."
re bureau of navigation has sent
iei2&Tams of sympathy to the families
me men killed and wounded In tho
PNliosipn Acting Secretary Darling
nv 'Ae Following dispatch of sym
pa'ny 10 Rear Admiral Higginson
,ommandcr OF the North Atlantic fleet
az PENSACOLA:
Please convey 10 the officers and
men Of the fleet sincere sympathy OF
me department in the less of their
comrades by the unfortunate accident
oo board the Iowa.
tsignod( DARLING"
although it had been intended that
the iowa should be repaired at the New
ofk yard. the damage done by the ex
'"SloH VIII probably make it necessary
l" put the vessel out Of commission.
ire damage to the battleship low,
cansed by the premature explosion OF
Il shell in the forward port Pinch gun
has developed to be more serious than
was thought when tho first examina-
tCl vas made and as a consequence
thc Dig snip has been ordered to the
New YORK navy yard to go out OF com
MISSION. She steamed down 10 the
PENSACOLA navy yard. where she is fiji
uNG out with supplies and coal prepa
I"'oty 10 sailing soon as possible for
the North. 1t is known that three
uecks including the upper deck in the
forward part OF the ship. will have To
pc entirely removed and rebuilt. 1t is
feared that the steel supports under the
lZ-lnch port turret are sprung to such
an extent that they will have to be re-
oved, though this cannot yet be stat
ed positively. The gun itself is a hone
less wreck. Although the gun which
uHrst went into numorless pieces
the eAd OF the gun is as smooth as if it
had just boon turned out of ship. and
eXcepJ that il is about II feet shorter
thaA the starboard gun. it is hardly
noticeable tha: an explosion occurred.
according 20 the record Of The exploded
san, It was good for at least another
year or scrvice. and reports that tae
gun had been condemned are without
foundation.