The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-16
4 Squirt OF DEATH
IN THE FIRE ROOM
A Washer Gives Way on
the Massachusetts.
THREE DIE In AGONY
Four Others are Injured by the Gush
of Steam and Scalding Water.
They Owe Their Lives to
the Heroism of Lieu
tenant Cole.
,By the Associated Press

Philadelphia, Pa. Dec. 15.-Caught
in a ira and helpless to save them
selves. three men lost their lives and
four others including Lieutenant
William c. Cole. were terribly scald-
ed today by rush of steam and boil
ing water in the fire room of the
battleship Massachusetts, lying at
the League Island navy yard.
The dead are:
Edward Bub. married, boilermaker
and civilian.
Andrew Hamilton. married, boil
er-maker and civilian.
Charles Ritter, boiler makers help
er and civilian.
Injured: Lieutenant William c.
Cole. L. S. N, Assistant Chief En-
gineer, Of Massachusetts, scalded
about head and body. Taken to the
naval hospital.
William Anderson, ships boiler
maker; badly scalded. Taken to the
naval hospital.
James Wilson, boiler-maker's
ed taken TO Methodist hospital
Joseph a. Dennis, boiler maker S
apprentice and civilian; scalded and
taken to ST Agnes Hospital
With the exception of Lieutenant
Cole. all the killed and injured re-
sided in Philadelphhia.
Lieutenant Cole received his in
juries in a heroic effort to rescue the
others.
The accident was caused by the
giving way of a. gasket or rubber
washer on q boiler on the starboard
side of the ship.
The Disaster and RESCUE.
The Massachusetts has been at the
navy ward for some time undergoing
extensive repairs. particularly to the
boilers and machinery. Although
Captain Edward ID. Taussig and his
complement of officers AMI men are
aboard the shin. the Massachusetts
is virtually in charge &C the authoI1-
ties of the navy yard. The boilel on
which the accident occurred had re-
Gently been cleaned and thoroughly
tested, ana he boiler makers We're
today at work on another boiler,
Without warning tie gaSket between
the boiler plate ana the boiler-head
gave way and a terrific rush of steam
and hot water occurred.
The doors of the fire room were
closed at the time the accident oc-
erred and the only avenue OF es-
cae was a safety ladder. Only one
man, Bramlet, ships fireman
thought of the ladder ana he es-
capped without a scar. Few on the
upper decks knew what had nap
pened unit! the steam came rushing
UP from the seething pit below.
The work of rescue was prompt
and 60 this promDtneSs those who es-
capped death owe their thanks. The
first TO enter the lire-hole, was Lieu
tenant Cole. Without hesitating a
becoming scGided by the not water
and steam. he entered quickly and
dragged the men from the place to
the door, where they Wre taken in
charge bv others. Bub ana Hanil-
ton were dead when found and Rit-
Eel died a few minutes after being
taken on deck.
Whether the gasket was defective
or whether it had been carelessiy put
in place remains for the official court
of inquiry to determine. The boiler
had been thoroughly Overhauled anc
tested und4r = TREMENDOUS pressure
Of steam. At the time Of the acct
dent the steam pressure was only
sufficient TO run the shiD's heating
plant.
The accident will cause little or no
delay in preparing the battleshlp fol
seq.