Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-08-22
VALVE WAS DISCONNECTED
Fircmcn Went Ahead Trying to Make
Tho Gauge Regster-safcty and Sen.
tinel Valves Also Disarraneed-En.
sign Wade Charged With Neglect of
Dutics-othcrs Responsible Killed



Secretary Bonapartc today made pub.
lie the proceedings Of the court of in
quiry which investigated the cXplo-
sion on the gunbCat bennington at
San Diego. California.
The testimony sets ut rest the stor-
les that have been circulated to the eff
feet that the lICnnington's boilers and
perhaps those of other naval vessels
Of the same age were defective. AS
matter OF fact the court found that
The explosion resulted from the closing
nj valve which connected The en-
plodcd boiler with It's steam gauge SO
that the pressure of that boiler may
have been several hundred pounds to
the square inch when the accident uc-
cured
While praise was accorded to the
! officers and ships company for their
conduct during The narrowing scenes
following the accident, the officers and
men who were responsible. in the
opinion of the court arc pointed out
and courtnlartial proceedings suggest
.sdl;u.the case of only one Of them
surviving, Ensign Charles T.. Wade.
Finding of the Court.
The finding Of the cour. says in
part:
About 500 on July 2Ist, after both
boilers had been filed and the fur
naces started il was observed that
the steam gauge Oh boiler % showed
about five pounds of steam pressure,
and at :his time Oler Frank DcCour-
tani, acting as water tender, directed
ID. n. Holland. fireman, sccond-class.
To close the air cock OH boiler 3D.,
that the said Holland climbed IN and
closed valve and almost Immediately
the steam gauge on boiler b. failed
TO register any pressure; that this
was apparently moi noticed by either
water tender o. the fireman and no
attention appears to have hccn paid
to the fact that the steam gauge fail
cd To register, but they kept on work
ing the fires ana firing heavily; that
when the steam gauge CT boiler a.
showed one hundred and thirty-fvc
pounds there was no pressure showing
OF the steam gauge on boiler p"
The finding then goes on to state
that about 1890 O'Clock small leak
was found in boiler - request had
been sent 10 the boilcrmakcr to come
ami attend To :hc leak when the cx
plosion occurred.
How Accident Came About.
The opinion CT the court follows:
INC court is of the opinion that the
explosion was caused by excessive
steam pressure il boiler IL which
came about, first, by shutting the valve
connecting the boiler with the strnm
gauge, instead of Tic valve on the
cock as 1t WAS intended. so that the
steam gnugc did not Indicate the pres.
sure in the boiler: second, by unusual
ana heavy firing in The boiler TO get
UP Il pressure which the gauge failed
:" "ilo" 'hiru, by the failure of the
sentinel and safety valves to lift Il
The pressure for which they were sci
and the pressure increased without re.
lief until it was beyond the strength
or the boiler, which gave way in It's
weakest part, afterwards found To- lie
The corrugated lluc of number ., tho
lowest or middle furnace. which col.
lapSed
Holland Responsible.
The court is also of the opinion
That ID. n. Holland. fireman, second
class. who was the fireman on duty
iiring boiler b. and before the time Of
explosion. did by mistake, shut off tho
steam valve connecting boiler II with
us steam gauge, instead of the cock
as directed, thus preventing The gauge
rom recording the steam pressure in
It's boiler; that Frank De Courtani
dilcr, acting water tender. on watch
IN charge of ID boiler from about 9:15
n. m. until the time of the explosion