The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-04-20
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.
IN the Stern Turrent of the Huge
Battleship MISSOURI.
TWENTY.NlNE MEN ARE KILLED
Twelve Inch Gun, One of the Einest
in the United States Navy,
Exploded After Three
Rounds.

battleship Missouri, Capt. Wm. S.
CowleS commanding, 20 men were
instantly killed and five injured, two
Of whom will die.
The Missouri was on the target
range with the Texas and Brooklyn
at practice about noon, Wednesday
when a charge Of powder in the y.
inch left hand gun exploded, ignited
from gases, and dropping below ignit-
ed four charges OF powder in the
handling room and all exploded, and
only one man Of the entire turret and
handling crew survives.
But for the prompt and efficient
work Of Capt. Cowles iu flooding the
handling room and magazine with
water, one Of the magazines would
have been exploded and the ship
would have been destroyed
Capt. Cowles, completely overcome
with the disaster, referred all news
paper men to Lieut.. Hammer, the
ordinance officer. The latterg gave out
q statement of the explosion and its
probable cause.
According to him, about noon after
ahe first pointer Of the after Pinch
piece had fred his string and the
second pointer had fred the third shot
Of his string the charge ignited. The
fourth shot was being loaded and from
all indications the first half Of the
charge had been rammed home and
the second section was being rammed
home, when the gasses from the shot
previously fred or portions OF the
cloth cover ignited the powder. The
breech was open and Gull thud gave
notice of something unusual. No
loud report was made, but flames were
seen to leap from every portion Of the
turret.
A few seconds later another explo-
sion somewhat more fierce occurred.
This was in the handling room below
where 1900 pounds Of powder, or four
charges, ready to be hoisted above,
had ignited. Fire quarters were sound
ed and every man Of the ship respond
ed and the magazine ard handling
rooms were flooded with water.
In less THAI five seconds after the
first explosion, two streams Of water
were being played into the rooms and
when volunteers were called for, every
man Of the snip responded, eager to
90 into the 5urrets and rescue the
crew.
Capt. Cowle IS gave his commands
and but for IS presence Of mind to-
gether with he officers Of the ship,
the Missouri 'ould'have gone down.
The second explosion occurred near
one of the NJ gaines and so hot was
the fire that the brasswork Of the
magazines WIS melted. Smoke and
the fumes Of The burned powder made
it almost inpossible to enter either
the turret or handling room, but
officers and men with hanserchiefS
over their faces made efforts TO rescue
the men inside.
Leading the rescuing party was
Capt. CowleS. The officers andeavored
to keep him from going below, as men
fell unconscious as they entered and
had to be pulled out by thei: comrades,
but unheedirg their advice the COM
manding officer rushed below follow
ed by Lieut.. Hammer, the ordinance
cfcer, and Lieut.. Cleland ard Davis.
Capt. CowleS caught up dying
blue Jacket in his arms and staggered
to the deck with him. The biuejackeJ
with two OILERS from the handling
room lad crswled partly from their
place Of dutE when they had been
overcome.
Before the fumes Of the burning
powder had left the turret, officers
and men were lifting out the dying
and dead men.
Three minutes after the explosion
all were on deck and the surgeons
from the Missouri, Texas and Brook
lyn were attending to these not dead.
The 25 men OF the turret were found
lying in heap. They had started for
the exit when the first explosion oc-
CURED and had just reached there
when the more terrible explosion IN
the handling room occurred, which
burned and strangled them to death.
Lieut.. Davidson: the officer IN
charge Of the turrer, had evidently
given some command to the men as
be was on top Of the heap Of men,
having fallen there after be had al
lowed them to pass him to get out OF
the turret.
The bodies were hardly recogniza-
able, the terrible and quick FIRE having
burned clothing from the bodies OF the
men and the flesh hung from them ID
shredS. The faces were mutllated oy
the smoke ant! flames. Only ole man
was breathing when the turret crew
was rescued and be died a moment
after be reached deck.
WHO THE OFFICERS WERE.
A dispatch from Washington says
both MidShipm Neumann and Ward
are understood to have been engaged
to be married. It is said that Mid
s,,,pman Neulnann was to be married
to the sister Of Midsbipman Ward.
The two midshipmen were classmates
and Intimate friends. At their re-
quest they were assigned to the sans
ship.
Lieut.. Wm. C. Davidson is Dative
of Indiana aad was appointed from
South Dakota. He was assigned lc
the Missouri when she went into com
mission and was serving as turret
officer. His wife, Mrs. Juliet L. DaVlc
sen, resides il Baltimore.
Lieut.. Ern st A. Weichart Uunlol
prade) was at ached to the Cleveland
~sssssd it is assumed at the navy depart
ment that he was aboard the MiSSour
at the time Of the disaster as an UNI
nire during target practice. Hi;
father J. F. Weichart, is resident D
Danbury, Co q.
Lieut.. Grie ley was son Of the late
Cr;1lo, uIo oNno m DIeN tE.t