The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-04-27
EXPLOSION ON MISSOURI
Five Officers and Over a Score of Sea-
men Killed on U. S. BattIeship.
A TWELVE-INCH GUN BURSTS

Tragedy Occurred or Pensacola. Fla.
While the Grow Were at Target Prisc-
tice - Gun Was Being Loaded When
the Wind Blew the Hot Gases Against
a Second Charge.
Pensacola, Fla. BY the explosion Of
2000 pounds of powder in the after
tweive-inch turret and tine handling
room of the battleship Missouri. Cap
tain William S. Cowles. brother-in ia "
OF President Roosevelt. commanding.
twenty-nine men were instantly killed
and FIVE injured. Five Of the dead
were officers of the battlesnip.
The Missouri was on the target range
with the Texas and Brooklyn 1t prac-
tice when a charge of powder in the
twelve-inch port gun ignited from
gases. exploded. and, dropping below
ignited four charges Of powder in the
handling room, all Of which also ex-
ploded.
Only one man 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 would have been
destroyed.
According to report after the first
pointer of the after twelveinch 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 indica tions the first half
OF the charge had been. 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 dull thud 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 an
other explosion. somewhat 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.
In less than FIVE seconds after the
first explosion two streams of water
were being played into the rooms. and
when volunteers were called for every
man Of the ship 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 Mis-
souri, would probably have gone down.
The second explosion occurred near
one of the magazines. and so hot was
the fire that the brasSwork Of the mag
azines was melted.
Smoke and the fumes of the burned
powder made it almost impossible to
enter either the turret OF handling
:oom, but officers and men. with band
6erchiefs over their faces. made efforts
to rescue the men inside.
The twenty-five men Of the turret
were found lying in heap. They had
started for the exit when the first eX-
,losion occurred and had Just reached
here when the more terrible explosion
n the handling room occurred which
Ourned and strangled them to death.
The bodies were hardly recognizable.
the fash of fire having burned clothing
from the bodies of the men. while their
1esh hung from them in shreds. Tha
faces were mutlated by the danes
only. Only one man was breathing
when the turret crew was rescued ana
he died a moment after he reached the
1eck. The dead are:
w. G. Davidson. lieutenant. in charge
If the twelve-inch turret: E. A. WEIGH
art. ensign, of the cruiser Cleveland.
gun umpire; w z. 7. Neumann. mid
shipman; J. P. V. Gridley. lieutenant.
United States Marine Corps; Thomas
Ward. Jr., lieutenant: J. X. Peterson,
division officer: w BOugard. boats
Wain's mate, second class: j. Bloxapu-
Ian. ordinary seaman; Charles Rice.
,oxswain: J. c. Hardy. seaman: X. J.
Kivlin. apprentice. second class; }.
Gadris, seaman; n. Scherbauth. ordi-
nary seaman: J. +. Rolands. ordinary
seaman; II. B. Franks, electrician, Sec
ond class; J. =. Starr, coXSwain; }. y.
Num-. ordinary seaman; n. Solder. sea-
man: c. E. Meyer, seaman: P. r. Cast
Ter, ordinary seaman; R. H. Allison.
apprentice. second class; r. G. Tobin,
ordinary seaman: J. J. MulliSan. ordi-
nary seaman; J. ". Cole. landSman:
A. Smith. ordnance sergeant: w. ).
Shipman. gunner's mate. first class: J.
P. !. Brown. private marine; J. f.
Kennedy, chief gunners mate: J. NJ.
Roach. ordinary seaman.