The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1904-04-21
AWFUL DISASTER
ON A BATTLESH|P
THIRTY LIVES SNUFFED OUT In
POWDER EXPLOSION ON
THE MISSOURI.
FURTHER CALAMITY
l.. NARROWLY AvERTED
Presence of Mind Of Capt. Cowles
Alone Saves Entire Ship and Crew
from Observation-Disclosures oc-
ours Near Pensacola, Fla.

curs Near Pensacola, Fla.
Pensacola, Fla, April 15.-Later and
more accurate reports Of the catastro-
phe to the United States battleship Mis-
souri, while at target practice on Pen
sacola, Wednesday, give the total num-
Der Of dead as 80, of whom five were
ships officers. All but n man of the
aft turret, where the firing was IN
progress, persisted. @
List of the Dead.
Lieutenants, w. G. Davidson, j. v. z.
Gridley, E. A. Weikert; midshipmen, W.
E. T. Neumann and Thomas Ward, Jr.;
boatswain's mate, ]. K. Peterson; sea-
men, w. J. Bogard, o. N. Souder and E..
r. H. Alison; ordinary seamen, c. Rice,
G. j. Killen, J. Gedris, J. F. Kennedy,
81. P. Starr, j. C. Num-, G. H. M. Franks
and j. T. ]. Donnelly; landsmen,
H. S. C%herbarths, B. J.. Milligan and j.
M. Roach; electrician, T. F. Rowlands;
gunner's mate Second class, A. Smith;
chief gun captain, T.. E. Braun; ma
rine private, W.. L. Shipman; appren-
tees (second class), J. G. Hardy and P.
&. CASTER.
O. B. Moe, a second class apprentice,
was wounded.
Cause Of Disaster.
According to Lieut.. Hammers state
ment, the Missouri had fired three
shots with a precision which spoke
we'll for her equipment and the accuracy
of her gunners, and the fourth shot was
being loaded in the 12-inch left-hand
gun in the aft turret. The first section
Of the charge had been placed and tho
second was being rsmmed home when
the gases from the previous shot ig-
nited the powder. There was a dull de-
tonation and the entire turret was In
stantly enveleped in flames. A few Sec
ondslater a louder report from the hand
ling-room indicated that, the ignited
charge had dropped below, where, COM
ing in contact with four charges of pow
der, all exploded. The four charges haG
been conveyed to the handling-room.
ready to be hoisted above. It is esti-
mated that they aggregated 1900
pounds.
Expert turret officers Of the vessels in
port say that the explosion was the re-
suit Of a hlow-back, known as the wind
blowing tha flames back from the muzzls
OF the gun, and through the open breech,
thus igniting the powder charge being
hoisted.
Further Calamity Averted.
The danger of a spreading conflagra-
ton was imminent. If the flames had
swept to the powder magazine the Mis-,
souri, would undoubtedly have been de.
molished and the loss Of life would have
nearly equaled that on board the fatet
Petropavlovsk at Port Arthur. Such ,
calamity was averted by the prompt &C
ton and presence of mind of Capt
Cowles. Five quarters were instantl,
sounded and the magazines and hand
ling-rooms of the battleship were floodet
with water. Before the blaze was ex
tinguished Capt. Cowles led a rescuin,
party to the aft turret, where it wa
found that n man alone out of IS sur
vived. Cap. Cowles snatched up tn
wounded bluejacket and bore him to tn
deck.
Searaen Are Buried,
Impressive ceremonies were conduct
ed over the graves of the seamen Thurs
Gay afternoon at the national cemeter
at the navy yard. The Missouri move,
down the harbor in the morning to
point near the yard and at noon the 2
bodies we're brought ashore. At tw
: o'clock the funeral procession moved
the cemetery where hundreds of officer
and blue-jackets were present and tn
! remains were inferred. The bodies G
, the five dead officers are being hel
! here awaiting advices as to the burial o
shipment home.
Last to Receive Commission.
: The Missouri is the very latest q
l the big battleships to- go in commits
sion. The flag was hoisted on her /
> December last, at Norfolk, by Cap
Cowles, brother-in-law OF Presiden
Roosevelt. She collided with the I'LL
nois off Pensacola a +, few weeks az
and has had very little firing with he
big guns. In fact, the nine or te
rounds which had been fired from eac
big gun was in the course of of1cis
trials and she is now going through he
first regular target practice.
President Makes a Contribution.
Washington. April 15.-The presider
has contributed the sum of $100, and tn
secretary of the navy a like sum, as til
nucleus Of a fund for the relief of tn
dependent next Of kin of the enliste
men who lost their lives in the disas
ter on the Missouri. @
The president accompanied his chez
for 800 with the following letter to SCI
rotary Moody:
my Dear Secretary-May Il sen
I through you this contribution, to b
used for the dependent kinsfolk Of th
enlisted men who have just been kille
on board the Missouri? Under the cor
ditions Of modern warfare, in order Ell
ficiently to prepare for war, risk must b
| run, similar in kind though not in dc
gree, to the risk run in battle, and thes
men have died for their country as muc
as II the ship had been in action agains