The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-12-21
ENyELOPED IN STEAM
Men Scalded on United States Battle.
ship Massachusetts.
THREE DEAD and FOUR INJURED.
Lieut.. W. {. Cole. Assistant Chief Engineer,
Terribly ScaIded-WbiIe Men Are Working
In the Fireroom o Gasket on the Boiler
Gives Way and Only One Man Escapes From
the Seethlng PIT.

Philadelphia, Pa, (SpcciaD Caught
in a trap and helpless to save themselves
three men lost their lives and four others,
including Lieut.. William c. Cole, were
terribly scalded by rush OF steam and
boiling water in the fireroom of the bat
,Ieship Massachusetts, lying at the
League Island Navy Yard. The dead
are:
Edward Bub, married, a boilcrmaler
and Civilian.
Andrew Hamilton, married, a boiler
maker and civilian
Charles Ritzel, boilermakcr's helper
and civilian.
Injured:
Lieut.. William c. Cole, L. S. ~. as.
sistant chief engineer OF the Massachu-
sctts, scalded about the head aud body !:
taken TO the Naval Hospital.
William Anderson, ships bolicrmaket.
badly scalded taken to The Naval Hos.
pital.
James Wilson, boilcrnaker's helper
and civilian employc, scalded; taken to
Methodist Hospital.
Joseph a. Duran, boilcrnakcr's help
er and civilian, scaldcd taken to St.
Agnes Hospital
with the exception OF Lieutenant Cole.
all the killed and injured resided in
Philadelphia.
Lieutenant Cole receive his injuries
IN a heroic effort 10 rescue the others.
The accident was caused by the Civ
ing way OF gaskct or rubber washer on
boiler onthe starboard side OF the ship.
The Massachusetts has been at the
navy yard for sometime undergoing cx-
tensire, repairs, particularly to the boil
crS and machinery. Although Capt. Ed
ward ID. Taussig and his complement of
officers and men are aboard the ship,
the Massachusetts is virtually in charge
OF the authorities of the navy yard.
The boiler on which the accident oc-
CURED had recently been cleaned and
thoroughly tested, and the boilcrmakers
were at work on another boiler.
Without warning the gasket between
the boiler plate and the boiler head gave
way, and terrific rush of steam and
hot water occurred. The doors of the
frcroom were closed at the time the ac-
cident occurred, and the only avenue
OF escape was safety ladder. Only
one man, Bramlet, a ships fireman.
thought of the ladder, and he escaped
without scar.
Few on the upper decks knew what
had happened until the steam came
rushing up from the seething pit below
The work Of rescue was prompt, and to
this promptness those who escaped death
owe their thanks. The first to enter the
fire hole was Lieutenant Cole. Withou,
hesitation at becoming scalded by the
hot water and steam, he entered quick
ly and dragged the men from the place
to the door, where they were taken in
charge by others Bub and Hamilton
were dead when found, and Ritzcl died
lew minutes after being taken OH deck.
Whether the gasket was defective or
whether it had been carelessly put in
place remains for the official court of
inquiry to determine 1t is said the
boiler had been thoroughly overhauled
and tested under tremendous pressure
of steam. At the time OF the accident
the. steam pressure was only sufficient
to run the ships heating plant.
The accident will cause little or no
delay in preparing the battleship for
sea