Mexico weekly ledger., 1904-04-21
TWO HUNDRED POUNDS OF POW.
DER ExPLoDEs ON BAT
TLEsHIP MISSOURI.
NAVY DEPARTMENT IS APPALLED,.
Explosion Occurs in the Twelve-Inct
Turrent and Handling Room Of
the Great Battleship-Crew's
Bravery Saves the Ship
From Destruction.

| fENshCOLAi FLA, April l3 = ne
most serious accident that has Uccur-
red in the American Navy since the
blowing up of the Maine In Havana
Harbor in 1898, happened today on
the magnificent battleship Missouri
while she was engaged in target prac-
tice at a range about fifteen miles dis
tant from the naval station here.
BY the explosion Of 1000 pounds Of
powder in the after l2-inch tarret, and
the handing room Of the battlshlp,
Captain William S. Cowles command
ing, 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
practice about noon, when charge OF
powder in the l2-inch left-hand gun,
ignited from gases, exploded and,
dropping below, ignited four charges
OF powder In the handling room, and
all exlpoded.
Only one man of the entire turret
and handling crew survives.
But for the prompt and efficient ac-
tion of Captain Cowles In flooding the
handling room and magazine with
water, one of the magazines would
have been destroyed.
AS soon, 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, when gases from the
shot just fired, or portions of the cloth
cover, ignited the powder. The
breech was open and 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 another explo-
sion, 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.
Fire quarters were sounded and
every man of the ship 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 on the rooms, and when vol
unteers were called for every man on
the ship responded, eager to go into
the turrets and rescue the crew,
OFFICERS PRESENCE OF MIND SAVED
SHIP FROM GOING DOWN
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 maya
zines was melted. Smoke and the
fumes Of the burned powder made it
almost impossible to enter either the
turret or the handling room, but OFF,
GERS and men, with handkerchlefs
over their faces, made efforts to res
cue the men inside.
Leading the rescuing party was
Captain Cowles. The officers endeav-
ored to keep him from going below,
as men fell unconscious as they enter
ed and had TO be pulled out by their
Comrades, but, unheeding their advice,
the commanding officer rushed below,
followed by Lieutenant Hammer, the
Ordnance Officer, and Lieutenant
Clelland David.
HEROIC WORK OF RESCUE BY CAP
TAIN AND BLUE JACKETS.
Captain Cowles caught up dying
bluejacket 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 overcome