Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-04-21
STORY Of DISASTER
IN TuRRET
Of The MISSOURI


Pensacola. Fla. April 13.-By the ex-
plosion of 1000 pounds of powder in the
after 12-inch turret and the handling
room Of the battleship Missouri, Cap
tain William S. Cowles, commanding,
twenty-nine men were instantly killed
and five injured, of whom two will die.
The Missouri was on the target range
with the Texas and Brooklyn at prac-
tice about noon when charge of pow
der in the 12-inch left-hand gun ig-
nited from gases. exploded and, drop
ping below. ignited four charges of
powder in the handling room. all ex-
ploded. Only one man of the whole
turret and handling crews survived.
But for the prompt and efficient action
OF Captain Cowles In flooding the hand
ling room and magazine with water,
one of the magazines would have eX-
ploded and the ship would have been
destroyed.
Captain Cowles, completely overcome
by the disaster. referred all newspa-
permen to Lieutenant Hammer. the
ordnance officer. The latter gave out
statement Of the explosion and its
piop"piN W
hbout noon, after the first pointer Of
the after l2-inch piece had fired his
string and the second pointer had fired
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 be-
ing rammed home. when gases from
the shot previously fired or portions Of
the cloth cover ignited the powder.
The breech was open and dull thud
gave notice of something unusual. No
other report was made, but flames
seemed to leap from every portion Of
the turret. A few seconds later, an
other explosion, somewhat more fierce.
occurred. This was In the handling
room, where 1000 pounds Of powder or
four charges, ready to be hoisted above,
had ignited.
Fire quarters were sounded and every
man Of the crew responded and the
magazine 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
NhSh Noiuhtttio WSIC III, cNtIy
man responded, eager to go into the
turrets and rescue the crew. Captain
Cowles gave his commands, and but
for his presence Of mind and that 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
magazine 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 handkerchiefs over their
faces, made efforts to rescue the men
inside.
Leading the rescuing party was Cap
tain Cowles. The officers endeavored
to keep him from going below, as men
fell unconscious as they entered and
had to be pulled out by their comrades,
but. unheeding their advice. the COM
handing officer rushed below, followed
by Lieutenant Hammer, the ordance
officer, and Lieutenant Clelland David.
Captain Cowles caught up a dying
blue Jacket In his arms and staggered
to the deck with him. The blue jacket,
with two others from the handling
room, had crawled partly from their
place of duty when they had been over
come. Before the fumes OF the burn
Ing powder had left the turret. officers
and men were laying out the dead and
dying men. Three minutes after the
explosion all were on deck. and the
surgeons from the Missouri, Texas and
Brooklyn were attending to those not
dead.
The twenty-five men Of the turret
were found lying in heap. They had
started for the exit when the first ex-
plosion occurred and had just reached
there when the more terrible explosion
in the handling room occurred. which
burned and strangled them to DEATH
lieutenant Davidson the officer In
charge of the .turret, evidently had
given some command to the men, as he
was on top OF the. heap OF men. having
fallen there after he had allowed them
to pass him to get out Of the turret.
! The bodies We're hardly recognizable
the terrible add oquick fire having
! burned the clothing from the bodies