Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-14

rapmed home. when explosion occurred.
killing every officer and man in the turret
and all but three in the handling room
Commanding officer has informed relatives
Names of dead follow: Lieut. w. Z. David
son, Lieut.. Gunior grade) +. A. Weichert'
Lieutenant of Marines j. V. p Grldley;
Midshipmen w. L. T. Neumann ana
Thomas Ward, jr;: boatswains mate, 1lrst
class. J. *. Peterson; seamen, w. I. Bo-
gard O. ~ Sender. f. r. II. Alison: ordl-
nary seamen, c. Rice, c. j. killen, j. Geo
ris j. F. Kennedy. c. II. Never, X u
Tobin J. w Cole, ]. p. Starr. j. {. Num-
and c. H. NJ Franks: landsmen. II. S.
Cherbarths. b. ]. Mulli@an and J. NJ
Reach; coxswain. ]. BloXopolous; cleo
trican, second class. T. f. RoWlands;
gunner's mate. second class. A. Smith; chief
gun captain, r. ]. Braun: private marine,
w. l.. Shpman apprentices. second Glass;
j. c. Hardy and p r. Oastler. The two
men who cannot live are j.. 7 J. Donelly,
ordinary seaman, and o. Il moo, appreh-
ticc. second class tSgned) BARKER.
The receipt of this message caused con-
sternation at the department. Secretary
Moody conveyed ii 10 the President at the
White House and officers and clerks at the
department were soon engaged in making
out dispatches to the relatives and friends
of the officers who were killed so that they
might not have to receive their first news
from the morning newspapers Nearly all
the dead officers were in the flash of early
youth
Ship Saved by Capt. Cowles.
A Pensacola Fla, dispatch sent last Light
gives the following account OF the explosion:
BY the explosion of 1900 pounds of powder
in the after Pinch turret and the handling
room of the battle ship Missouri. Capt VIII
liam S. Cowles commanding. twenty-nine
men were instantly killed ard five injured.
two of whom will die.
The Missouri was on the target range.
with the Texas and Brooklyn, at practice
about noon. when charge of powder in
the l2-inch left-hand gun exploded, lgnlted
from gases. and, dropping below. ignited
four charges of powder In the handling
room. and all exploded. Only one man OF
the entire turret and handling crew sur
wives.
But for the prompt and efficient work of
Capt. CUwles In flooding the handling room
and magazine with water. one of the mag
aZines would have exploded and the ship
would have been destroyed. Capt. Cowles,
completely overcome with the disaster, re-
ferred all newspaper men 10 Lieut.. Ham
mer the ordnance officer. who gave out a
statement OF the explosion and It's probable
cause.
Lieut.. Hammers Account.
According to Lieut. Hammer. about noon.
after the first pointer OF the after Pinch
piece had fred his string and the second
pointer had fired the third shot of his string.
the charge ignited The fourth shot was
ftrst half of the charge had been rammed
home and the second section was being
rammed home, when gases from the shot
previously fired. or portions of the cloth
cover, ignited the powder. The breech was
open and a duh thud gave notice of some
thing unusual. No loud report was made,
but flames were seen 10 leap from every por-
ton OF the turret A few seconds later
another explosion. somewhat more fierce.
occurred. This was in the handling room
below. where leo pounds OF powder. or
four charges ready to be hoisted above,
had ignited.
Fire quarters We're sounded. and every
man of the ship responded. and the maya
zine and handling rooms were flooded with
water. In less than five seconds after the
first explosion two streams of water were
being played In the rooms, and when vol
unteers were called for every man of the
ship responded. eager to go into the tur-
rets and rescue the crew. Capt. CowleS
gave his commands. and but for his pres
ence of mind together with the officers of
the ship. the Missouri would have gone
down.
The second explosion occurred near one
of the magazines. and so hot was the fire
that the brass work of the magazines was
melted. Smoke and the fumes of the
burned powder made 1t almost impossible
to enter either the turret or handling room.
but officers and men, with handkerchief
over their faces, made efforts to rescue the
men inside.
Rescuers Led by Capt. Cowles.
Leading the rescuing party was Capt
Cowles. The officers endeavored to keep