Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-04-16
DEATH ON MISSOURI
PROMPT ACTION OF CAPTAIN
coWLEs SAVED BkTTLEsHiP
FROM DESTRUCTION.
Latest Big Warship to Go Into Com
mission is Scene Of Terrible Disaster
Worst Catastrophe Since Maine
Disaster.

Pensacola Fla, April IL The ex-
plosion of two thousand pounds OF
powder in the aft turret OF the United
States battlesip Missouri during tar
get practice yesterday resulted IN the
death of twenty-nine men killed and
five injured, two fatally.
About noon a charge of powder III
the 12-inch9left-hand gun, ignited from
gases, exploded and dropping below
ignited four charges Of powder in the
handling room and all exploded. Only
one of the entire turret and handling
crew survives.
But for the prompt action of Captain
Cowles in flooding the handling room
and magazine with water one OF the
magazines would probably have ex-
ploded and the ship been destroyed.
Explosion Follows Explosion.
Until an official examination has
been made it will be impossible to de-
fine the exact cause of the accident.
Briefly, the facts are these: The Mis-
souri, was on the target range with the
Texas and Brooklyn about noon. The
entire crew was at gun stations. Three
shots had been fired by the twelve
inch gun from the after turret The
gun was being loaded for fourth
shot. Suddenly those outside the tur-
ret heard dull thud.
| A second later another muft1ed ex-
plosion more distant than the first re-
verberated through the charge handl-
ing room. Before the echo OF the sec
ond explosion had died away the Of
ticers and gun crews in the turret and
the men in the handling room were
dead, with the exception of one man.
At Fire Stations.
In less than five seconds after the
| first explosion every man on the ship
was at his fire station. The most per,
! feet discipline prevailed, although 1t
twas most apparent from the smoke
that belched from the turret and
handling rooms that calamity OF ap
palling proportions had occurred.
Flood Handling Room.
i CAPTAIN Cowles' first order was tc
| food the handling room and magazine
chamber. Had this not been done up
on the instant it is believed that II
the next few seconds fate similar
to that which overlook the Maine IL
Havana harbor would have overtake1
| the Missouri.
Captain Cowles, completely overcome
: by the disaster, referred all newspape
, men to Liutenant Hammer, the ord
, nance officer. The latter gave out |
statement of the explosion and it
, probable cause.
Ordnance Officer Explains.
According to him about noon tn
l second pointer hau fired the third sho
= of his string. The fourth shot was be
ing loaded. and from all indication
the first half of the charge had bee
E rammed home, when gases from tn
: shot previously fired, or portions of tn
|. cloth cover, ignited the powder. TIL
: breech was open and dull thud CAV
I notice of something unusual. No lou
$ report was made, but flames wer
y seen to leap from every portion of tn
turret.
: A few seconds later another explt
: sion, somewhat more fierce, occurred
e This was in the handling room below
= where 1000 pounds of powder, or for
$ charges ready to be hoisted above, ha
g ignited. Fire quarters were sounde
and every man of the ship Responder
: and the magazine and handling room
II were flooded with water.
Captain CoWles Leads Rescue.
n Leading the rescuing party was Ca
u tain Cowles. Officers endeavored
e keep him from going below and tt
II men fell unconscious as they entere
~ and had to be pulled out by their cor
4 rades, but unheeding their advic
I II =