The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-07-25

80 mem aboard the warship when the
accident occurred and many men
we're hurled or forced to jump into the
sea by the terrific explosion, which
lifted part Of the deck and compelled
the Bleaching of the ship.
The warship had received orders
from the navy department at Washing
ton to sail Tor Port Hartford to meet
the monitor Wyoming and convoy the
monitor to Mare Island navy yard. San
francisco.
Steam was up and everything was In
readiness for the departure OF the Ben
nington. when the starboard boiler eX-
ploded with a deafening roar. The eX-
plosion was terrific. People standing
on shore saw a huge cloud OF steam
rise above the Bennington. Columns
9f water were forced high into the
air. A dozen or IS men were blown
overheard by the force Of the terrific
explosion Captain Wentworth, who
was looking at the Bennington when
the disaster occurred. says he saw
human bodies hurled over 100 feet up
ward. The air was clouded with smoke.
which enveloped the ship. When tho
haze cleared away only a few men
could be seen on the decks. while a
number were loundering in the water
1f~rraraI ha rraegglfe
side and most of the men in the water
were picked up and taken on board.
Terrible Scenes On Ship.
On board the Bennington were pre-
scented terrible scenes. The force of
the explosion had torn a great hole
in the starbOard side Of the ship and
the vessel was already commencing
to list. a section of the upper deck
was carried away from stem to stern
Blood and wreckage was distributed
over the entire ship the after cabin
and that part Of the ship adjacent to
the exploded boiler resembling a char
mel house.
The shock Of the explosion pene-
trated every section OF the ship. blood
and ashes being found as far as the
stern of the capt1in's cabin. Great
damage was done in all parts of the
vessel.
The boiler which exploded. it is said
was regarded as unsafe Commander
Young stated that during a recent re-
turn from Honolulu the steam pres
sure was kept reduced In that par
ticular one
At the time Of the accident Com
mander Lucien Young and Surgeon +.
+. Peck were on shore. The two Off
GERS. as soon as they learned of the
disaster, hurried 10 the water front.
Commander Young. as soon as he
reached the ship, gave orders that the
alright compartments be closed to
prevent the listing ship from sinking.
and that the magazine be flooded TO
avert further explosions. He then
beached the ship at high tide.
The ferryboat Ramona. which was
crossing the bay at the time Of the &C
cident. changed its course and hurried
to the aid OF the stricken warship. The
government launch General De Russey
and a large number OF other launches
and water craft which were near the
scene at the time also rushed to the
assistance of the Bennington
Jumped Overheard to Escape Steam.
BY the time the Ramona reached the
Bennington many of the sailors Of the
Remington who had jumped into the
bay to escape the scalding steam had
been rescued by small craft The re-
moval of the wounded from the ship
was conducted in perfect order. The
crews of the De Russey and the other
boats aided in picking up the wounded
sailors and transferring them to the
shore.
The news of the explosion spread
over the citr Ike wildfire. At first re-
ports were that half the crew had been
killed. The scene of hurryng ambu-
lances and carriages of every descrip-
ton which had been summoned added
10 the excitement. Every physician
who could he reached by telephone
was called to the water front Within
short time score OF physicians
were attending the wounded.
Most Of the dead and injured were
taken ashore, where the undertakers
and physicians were assembled.
Bodies Terribly Mutilated.
The bodies of many of the men taken
from the wrecked interior of the ship
were mutilated almost beyond recogni-
ton. The faces of many were covered
with blood and ashes. Some bodies
may never be identified.
Temporary quarters ashore were ar
ranged for the wounded, and 60 citizens
volunteered and hurried in launches to
the relief of those on the ship. Some
OF the volunteers were unable to stand
the sickening sight which met their
gaze on the Bennington. AS fast as the
wounded could be removed they were
hurried in ambulances, carriages. wag-
ons and automobiles to hospitals. For
a long time the hot steam prevented
access to the space between decks,
where most Of the dead bodies lay, and
1t was not until late in the afternoon
that the last were removed from the
boiler rooms. Several bodies were so
tightly wedged in by a bulkhead that
the woodwork had TO be hewed away
TO free them.
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