The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-16
sGASKET GAVE WAY:
STEAM RUSHED in
Officer Terribly Scalded in Eff
fort to Rescue Others Two
Of the Men Were Already
Dead When Found.
Committee to In
vestigate. H
tRy AssooIated Press. =, \

icy Associated Press ~ sl8S
Pf1LADEI4PFIA,D Deo. 15.-Caught Ii Z
trap and helpless to save themselves.
three mon lost their lives ana four 9TH
ers. including Lieutenant William c. Cols
were terribly scalded to-day by rush of
steam and boiling water in the. ire-rooan
of the batueship Massachusetts, lying at
the League Island Navy Yard. The dead
arc: i.
EDWARD BuB. married, boiler malxeal
and civilian, s5 is8 .ss4SS .sist
ANDREW HAMILTON, m arred, boiler.
maker and civilian. .ss5s 81
CHAs R1TDL, boiler-maker's helper ana
civilian. 5 III
acknowledgements William G. Cole. L u
8. n. assistant chief engin eerF OF the,
Massachusetts. scalded about tile head ana
body. Taken to the naval hospital WE
liam Anderson. ships boler-maker I, bad.
~ scald ded,4 taken to the naval shospital;s =
James Wilson, boile makers helper and
civilian employe. scalded, taken to the
Methodist Hospital: j os. A. Duran. boiler.
makers helper and civilian, scalded, taken
to st. Agnes Hospital.
with the exception OF Lieutenant Colo
Al the killed and injured resided in PHIL
adephia. %
Heroic Attempt at Rescue.
Lieutenant Cole received his Injuries
in q heroic effort to rescue the otl1ors.
The accident was caused by the giving
way Of q gasket or rubber washer on&a
boiler on the starboard side OF the ship MI
Tho Massachusetts, has been at the navy
yard for some time S,lndergo going extensIyes
{rsg tv,ny ,to,. y,
machinery. Although Captain Edw. D.
Tanssig and his Implement Of officers
and men rare aboard the ship the Massa "
ttchusetts Is virtually In Charge aof3 the au-
$thorities Of the navy va rd. Tho boiler
gon which the accident occurred had ro-s
Gently been cleaned and Y thoroughly test
ed, and the boller-nakers We're to- day
at work on another boiler. 5S
Gasket Gave Way.
& Without warning the gasket between
the boiler plate and boiler head gaveswayS,
and a. terrific rush Of \ steam and hot &
water occurred. The doors Of the fire..
room were closed at the time the sacciss
dent occurred and the only avenue Of ea. ..sl
cape was a safety ladd ONLY on man y
Bramlet. a ships fireman. thought of this {
ladder and he escaped without scar.
Few on e&upper decks knew .wha + ttliad
happened until the steam came rushing
up from the seething pit below. ,rht. work
of rescue was prompt and to this PROMPT
ness those who escaped d eath, owe their !
thanks. The. hrst to- enter the fire sllola@ Il
was Lieutenant Cole. Without esitattnES
at becoming scalded by the hot wa ter
and steam. he entered quickly ana dragged y
the men from the place to. the q q door wi ere
they were taken in charge by others Bu3
and Hamilton were dead when found ana
Ritzel died a few minutes after beinEs
taken on deck. M Y: 81 5s 4. ~ n 3tss
whether the gasket; was defective or
whether It had been carelessly put In place Il
for the official committee Of fn-S
to determine. It is said thes:
boiler had been thoroughly overnaule g.
and tested under tremendous spl'ass,lrot Of
steam. At the time Of the acci dent tnN ss 81
steam pressure was only ufflcients to run
the ships heating plant. The accident sl
will cause little or no delayil prepatilnl sss
The battleship for sea.