Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-23
TELLS OF BRAVE WORK
SCENES FOLLOWING EXPLOSION
ON THE MISSOURI.
Capt. Cow1es Described the Total Dis
regard of Danger Displayed in
Rescuing the Inperiled.

| Captain w. s. Cowles commander Of the
battle ship Missouri, in his report on the
| explosion which occurred in the after turret
on his ship, tells of acts of heroism on the
part of officers and men, and of the total
disregard of danger displayed in the work
| of saving the ship and rescuing the i'm
| periled. He says:
"At II o'clock a. M, April 10, off Pensacola,
| Fla, while at record practice on range No.
| 3, and after the fifth shot, from the left
gun, after turret had fired / heard an ex-
plosion, looked aft and saw great flame
bursting from the after turret.. Sounding
| fire and collision quarters, / directed Lieu
tenant Commander F. K. Hill, to
take her into shoal water He after
ward anchored her in five and one-half
fathoms. The other ships on the range fol-
| lowed us ard offered every assistance and
were ready to save lives as they probably
expected us to blow us.
Turret Impossible to Enter.
IT believed the ship to be in imminent
danger and went quickly to the fire. found
the turret Impossible to enter; streams of
water were already directed in it. All en-
frances were barred with the dead and dy-
ing Two on top of turret, one calling for
help, and everyone trying to reach him.
Gleason, who offered to send wireless for
me to the admiral, and l went below, reach
ed the berth and splinter deck and found
Lieutenant Commander j. M. Orchard di-
recting streams of water below into the
upper and thence overlooking into the lower
handling room, in addition to those direct
ed below from the turret by Lieutenant w.
R. White. Met Gunner Cox, who said,
Magazines all flooded, fire not yet under
control Then Lieutenant c. Davis. coming
up the ladder said: There is a man at the
foot of the ladder who is alive and help
less L went down and felt about, found
]. T. ]. Donnelly, ordinary seaman, and
brought him up, being assisted by Chief
Machinist G. Crofton, man on the sick
list. who had thrown away a crutch. Mr..
Davis mentions this man especially
afterward returned and pulled out three
more whom I could not recognize and
finally ordered up Mdship1nan A. G. Caffee.
who heroically persisted in remaining in the
lower handling room up 10 his neck In
water and much overcome by the fumes.
He had to be led out. He afterward re-
sumed his place on deck and assisted the
navigator in very poor condition. Ihese
three Lieutenant Davis. Midshipman Caffee
and Chief Machinist Crofton came under
my immediate observation.
Lieut.. Scott First in the Turret.
Lieut.. William P Scott was first in the
turret, followed by Lieut.. r. Earle Lieu
tenant Marshall and Paymaster Dyer re-
manning on top to help get out wounded
who came from the turret. Lieutenants
Crank and Castleman gave us water from
below at once Chief Engineer Bieg was at
the engines and Lieutenant Castleman In
the fire ROOM All the midshiDmen were
busy Every one was somewhat afrected
by the fumes. Lieutenant Commander Or
chard and Lieutenant Davis especially.
Mr. Cox was uD and down everywhere
looking out for possible flames where smoke
still continued after the fire was under
control as the fire to be under control at
such point must be out. Father Gleeson
was everywhere, assisting every one. En-
sign Hammer, spotter and volunteer, hard
at work. DIR. Uric and his corps all look
ing after the wounded and dying. Lieuten-
him all night Surgeon Uric fell down the
hold and hurt himself badly. and no one
was the wiser until all was over. Midship-
man Barnette. Midshipman Bagley and
Midshipman Rodgers were all busy at their
posts. Every one, officers and men, were
cool and collected, and every one helped in
diligently
1t is shown by the report that Master-at-
Arms Elliott died while going to the rescue
of others, and that Ship LITTER Burgess and
Electrician Leary were injured while doing
rescue work. Those who escaped from the
handling room and were still living at the
McDade, ordinary seaman; r. Starr, sea-
man; F. C. Schaub, apprentice, and w.
S. Wells, landsman. The names of the
heroic dead are given in two classes-those
who died at their posts of duty in the tur-
ret. nineteen being named, and those who
died al their posts in the handling room,
twelve being named.