Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-04-19


Twenty-nine men were killed and five
Injured Wednesday by dual powder
explosion on the battleship Missouri.
commanded by Captain William s.
Cowles, brother-in-law of President
Roosc-clt. But for the prompt flooding
of the magazine the Yessel would have
been blown up and sunk with its crew Of
over 500 men.
The first explosion was of a charge
of 400 pounds of powder being used to
discharge one of the twelve-inch guns
in the after turret The second expio-
sion was of 1000 pounds of powder in
the handling room below the breech of
rae gun.
The heat of the second explosion was
SO intense that it melted the brass rail-
ings alongside the magazine. and but for
the flooding of the fiery pit with water
almost Instantly must have set off the
magazine itself.
Disaster Due to Disobedience.
The disaster is similar to though much
more severe than that which took place
some time ago on the battleship Massa-
chusetts. Apparently it was caused by
disobedience of instructions issued by
the navy department for the loading of
the guns Immediately after the Massa-
chusetts affair was cleared up. Captain
Cowles, however, has not consented to be
interviewed on this point.
In this connection it is recalled that
Captain Cowles barely escaped being
court martialed recently because of a
collision between the Missouri and the
battleship Illinois The Missouri ram
med and injured the Illinois, but Captain
Cowles eXplaiEcc1 that he was not re-
sponsible, because the steering gear of
his vessel was out of order.
Gives Details of Explosions.
The Missouri was on the target range
off Pensacola, Fla, with the Texas and
Brooklyn at practice about noon, when
charge of powder in the twelve-inch
left-hand gun ignited from gases. explod-
ed. and, dropping below. ignited four
charges of powder in the handling room
and caused them TO explode Only one
man of the entire turret and handling
crew survives.
Lieut.. Hammer, the ordnance officer,
gave out statement of the explosion
and its probable cause. According to
him about noon after the first pointer
of the after twclve-inch piece had fired
his string and the second pointer had
fred the third shot of his string the
charge ignited
Explodes While Men Are Loading.
The fourth shot was being loaded and
from all indications the first haif 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 tho
powder.
The breech was open and a dull roar
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 ex-
plosion, more fierce. occurred. This was
in the handling room below, where 1000
pounds of powder, or four charges ready
to be hoisted above, had ignited.
Flood Ship to Quench Flames.
Fire quarters were sounded and every
man of the ship responded and the mag
azine and handling rooms were flooded
with water.
In less than FIVE seconds after the frsc
explosion two streams of water were be
ing 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. Captain
Cowles gave commands, and but for the
presence OF mind of 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.
Twenty-Five Dead in Heap.
Before the fumes of the burning pow
der 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 Brooklyn were at
tending to those not dead.
The twenty-five men of the turret were
found lying in a heap. They had started
for the exit when the first explosion oc-
curre and had just reached there when
the more terrible explosion in the hand
ling room occurred which burned and
strangled them 20 death.