The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-04-22
TERRIBLE I 3. { ACCIDENT.
In the Stern Turrent of the Huge
Battleship Missouri.
TwENTY-N1NE MEN ARE KILLED
Twelve Inoh Gun, One OF the Finest
In the United States Navy,
Exploded After Three
Rounds.


Of powder In the after 12-inch turrent
and in the handling room of the
battleship Missouri, Capt. Wm. S.
Cowles commanding, 20 men were
instantly killed and five injured, two
of whom will die.
The Missouri WAS on the target
range with the Texas and Brooklyn
at practice about noon, Wednesday
when a charge Of powder In the 12
inch left hand gun exploded, ignited
from gases, and dropping below ignit-
ed four charges of powder in the
handling room anc all exploded, and
only one man Of the entire turret and
handling crew survives.
But for the prompt and efficient
work OF Capt. Cowles in flooding the
handling room ands magazine with
water one Of the magazines would
have been exploded and the ship
would have been de troye6.
Capt. Cowles, on.pletely overcome
with The disaster, referred all news
paper men to Lieut.. Hammer, the
ordinance officer. The lattergave out
6 statement of the explosion and its
probable cause.
According TO him, about noon after
the first pointer of the after 12-inch
piece had fired his string and the
second pointer had fired the third shot
or his string the charge ignited. The
fourth shot was being loaded and from
all indications the first half or the
charge. had been rammed home and
: -ea1 second section was being rammed
home, when the gases from the shot
previously fired or portions of the
cloth cover iRnited 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 1900 pounds Of powder, or four
charges, ready to be hoisted above,
had ignited. Fire quarters were sound
ed and every man Of the ship respond
ed 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 into the rooms and
{ wh hen volunteers were CALI len-ss,,.,n-u "
man of the ship responded, eager to
go ini0 the turrets and rescue the
crew.
Capt. Cowles gave his commands
and but for his presence of mind to-
gether with 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 orasswork of the
magazines was melted. Smoke and
the fumes Of the burned powder made
1t almost impossible to enter either
the turret or handling room, but
officers and men with hankerchicfs
over their faces made efforts to rescue
the men inside.
Leading the rcscuing party was
Capt. Cowles. The officers endeavored
to keep him from going below, as men
fell unconscious as they entered and
- had to be pulled out by their comrades,
bHtHl unheeding their advice the com
mandfpg officer rus ned below follow
ed by Lieut.. Hammer, the ordinance
OlUCer, dHu LiCuu. Niclduu duu LAWS.
Capt. c 1les caught up a dying
blue Jacket in his ms and staggered
to the deck with hlIn. The bluejacket
with two others from the handling
room had crawled partly from their
place OF duty when they had been
overcome.
Before she fumes OF the burning
powder haE left tie turret, officers
and men were liftag out the dying
and dead men;
Three minutes ter the explosion
all were on deck md the surgeons
from the Missouri, Texas and Brook
lyn we're attending to those not dead.
The 25 men OF ,th, turrct we're found
lying In heap. 1Tl ey had started for
the exit when THE 'irst explosion oc-
Cured and mad jlst reached there
when the more tie rible explosion In
the handling room occurred, which
burned and stran,.lad "a them to death.
Lieut.. Davidson the officer in
charge Of the turnt, had evidently
given some command to the men a.
he was on top OF the heap Of men
having fallen there after he had al
lowed them to pass him to get out Of
the turret.
The bodies were hardly recogniza
able, the terrible ani qlhrk fire having
burned clothing frol1 t,,s1 bodies Of the
men and the flesh hurg from them il
shreds. The faces we're mutilatcd by
the smoke and flames. Only one NAL
was breathing when tncrturret crew
was rescued and he died a moment
after he reached deck.
WHO THE OFFICERS WE'RE
A dispatch from Washington say:
both MidShipmen Neumann and Ware
are understood to have,Jcen engaged
to be married. 1t is said that Mid
shipman Neumann was to be married
to the sister OF ,Mdshipman Ward
The two mldshipm, N were classnata
and intimate friends. AT their re
quest they we're assigned to the sam
ship.
Lieut.. VIM. G. Davidson Is a nativ
OF Indiana and was appointed from
South Dakota. He was ASST gned T.
the Missouri when she went into com
mission and was serving as a turre
officer. His wife, Mrs. Juliet l.. David
son, resides Ia Baltimore.
Lieut.. Ernest A. Wcicilart Ounlo
grade) was attached to the Cleveland
and 1t is assumed at the navy depart
4 L.. 4 l.kN t,rfN -