Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-04-20
PROMPT ACTION
Saves VESSEL
MARROW ESCAPE OF THE BAT
TLEsHIP MISSOURI FROM
DESTRUCTION.
HEROIC ACTION OF
CHIEF GUNNER'S MATE
Prevents Big Magazine from Explod-
ing at the Risk of His Own Life
The Captain Prevents Bleaching
of the Vessel,

Pensacola, Fla, April 16.-That the
newest battleship OF the navy, the Mis-
souri,, had narrow escape from being
blown to pieces by the explosion of
magazine and also being beached, came
TO light Thursday. Capt William S.
CoWles prevented the latter when the
vessel was within $50 yards of the
beach by giving orders that the ships
course be changed. Chief Gunner's
Mate Monson saved the ship and lives
OF over 600 men by jumping into the
open magazine and closing the door
behind him. 1t is stated, though not
by officers of the Missouri, that when
the officers heard the explosion in the
turret and saw the fire tapping
through the top they realized the hot
magazine would next explode, and
headed the ship for the beach, intend
ing to beach her if possible before the
explosion. Capt. Cowles quickly
stopped the plan and put the ship back
to sea.
Act of a Hero.
When the first explosion occurred in
the turret the men in the handling
room knew in an instant what had &C.
Cured. The big magazine door was
open and standing against it were four
charges of powder Without a mo-
ments hesitation Gunner's Mate Mon
son showed these aside and jumping
into the magazine pulled the door
shut after him. The magazine was
totally flooded with water and when
the men opened the door they found
Monson barely alive, the water having
reached to his neck. The damage to
the battleship is much greater than
was stated at first. In addition to the
large amount of ammunition ruined by
The magazine being flooded, which will
amount to thousands of dollars, the
after turret is badly injured, the top
being burned away and all brasswork
melted inside. The hoist is a charred
mass and the mechanism of the guns
is completely ruined The estimated
damage caused by the explosion will
reach $4,000.
Court of Inquiry Reconvenes.
HC NOult VI lIQull W lulO
the cause Of the explosion reconvened
on the battleship Friday after an ad-
journment Thursday to attend the fu-
neral services. Admiral Couglan, of the
caribbean squadron. is president of the
court and the members of the
court have been selected as far as
as possible from vessels of other squad
rOns. It is not expected, however, by
those who are familiar with the cir
2umstances that the court will recon-
mend any proceedings in the case, mas
much as those who are presumed to be
at fault were the turret officers, and
they were killed by the explosion. The
bodies of the victims are being sent
away as fast as their relatives make
the requests, and it is expected that
day will be disinterred. There were no
developments Friday except bringing to
light the disappearance of w. Boughard.
seaman, who was in the turret. Two
seamen who were on the after deck say
they saw mans body blown through
the hole in the top of the turret and
into the gulf. In the excitement OF the
moment they made no effort to recover
the body, but rushed to fire quarters
when they were sounded. The real cause
Of the explosion probably never will be
known and only theories as to the cause
can be accepted by the naval officials, as
none of the turret crew survived.