Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-09-19
EXPLOSION ON OLYMPIA
Terrible Accident in the Norfolk Navy
Yard.
TWO KILLED AND SEVERAL INJURED.
The Master alarms of the Cruiser Missing
Sailors Had Been Stealing Alcohol From
Barrel Standing Near the Cruiser in the
Drydock-An Officer Orders That the
Barrel Be Placed on Board.

Norfolk, Va. (SpeciaD.-Thc explo-
sion of barrel OF alcohol on the ST.
perstructure OF the cruiser Olympia. i'll
drydock at the Norfolk Navy Yard,
killed two men, severely injured sew
eral others and set fire to the ship.
The master-at arms of the vessel is
missing.
The damage by fire was confined to
the deck OF the vessel and embraced
only the canvas awnings and their fix
lures. The decks, however, were slight
ly injured.
Immediately after the explosion fire
quarters were sounded and the crew,
navy yard fire department and a de-
tachment of marines under Captain
Boots soon put out the flames.
The explosion, according to reports
from eyewitnesses followed the theft OF
barrel of grain alcohol, containing
So gallons, by party of sailors. This
barrel, it is said, was taken from one
of the storehouses of the yard and re-
moved to the dock, near the Olympia.
There it was opened. Shipkeeper DAILY,
on board the Olympia, detected the
odor of the spirits and summoned the
ships master-at-arms. A search led
to the discovery of the barrel, which
was taken aboard the Olympia and
placed on the hurricane deck. With
the exception of a small quantity which
had been consumed, it was intact. Cor
poral Yerkes and the unknown sailor
went to the barrel, and one OF them
struck match. An explosion instant
ly occurred and both men we're envel-
oped in the flaming liquid. They per-
ishel before hand could be raised to
save them. The ship at once caught
fire and the blaze for while was stub
born, but was finally extinguished In
the excitement the sailors concerned in
the affair escaped the parties sent out
to arrest them. The ships company
was assembled and the master-at-arms
failed to respond to his name. 1t is
not known what became of him. One
report has it that he was not on the
ship at the time of the explosion.
No one was admitted to the navy
yard, and all accounts of the explosion
and attendant circumstances were Sc
sured from outside sources. The I'M ur-
ed are said to number from four to
seven.
Immediately succeeding the explo-
sion the widest excitement prevailed in
the navy yard. Rumors that the Olym-
pia had been blown up and the dry
dock destroyed foated about Ports
mouth. Public anxiety was increased
by the immediate closing of the gates
and the sounding OF the general alarm.
1t is said the men who were killed and
injured were blown many feet and the
bodies of the dead mangled terribly
by impact with the ratings and fixtures
of the dock. A board OF inquiry will
be appointed by Admiral Coghlan
commanding the Caribbean Sea Squad
ron, of which the Olympia is flagship.
to determine the cause OF the accident
The Olympia was damaged during
the recent naval maneuvers off the
Maine coast. During terrific storm
she encountered on her way down the
coast to the navy yard here for repairs
it was at one time feared by her Off
GERS she would sink.