The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-25
BOILERS ON GUNBOAT BENNINGTON
EXPLODE WITH TERRIBLE EFFECT

were uiuLiidto0 ALMOST DeyOQQ TecOSuI- |
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 sixty cit
liens volunteered and hurried in
launches to the relief of those on the
ship. Some of the volunteers were un-
able to stand the sickening sight wnics
met their gaze on the Bennington. As
| fast as the wounded could be removed
they were hurried in ambulances, car
| riages, wagons and automobiles to nos
| pitfalls. For a long time the hot steam
prevented access to the space between
decks where most of the dead bodies
lay, and it was not until late in the
afternoon that the last were remove
from the boiler rooms. Several bodies
were so tightly wedged in by a bulk
head that the woodwork had TO DC
hewed away to free them.
When the explosion occurred the en-
, gineer was inspecting he boilers. re
was not seriously injured. Officers and
men who were able to assist in the
rescue acted in a brave and collected
manner. Pumps were manned to keep
the water from the upper compaft-
ments, the magazine was hooded anu
men fought their way through TIM;
steam into the darkened hole. Many
slightly injured sailors remained IN the
ship and assisted in rescuing the most
severely injured.
The ships inner works are a tangIed
J mass of machinery and the vessel proc
ablv will have to be dismantled to re-
pair the injuries, if indeed, the war
ship is not a tolal loss. Lieutenant
Yates. executive officer in charge OF the
Bennington at the time Of the disaster
was in the aft cabin. He rushed o1t,
, to be met by a binding, scaldlng ciou1
of steam after it swept the VeSS7i.
Speaking of the occurrence ne saluc L
must nave renamed seated IN my cndil
. several seconds alter it occurred anu
4 did not know what had happened. L
then rushed out and the steam, wen
at the extreme aft part OF the snip
e vas 90 dense that | could not get a
It breath of air until | assembled the rail-
"As | ran forward l passed one OF
orr hovs crawling along. There was no
Ii time to attend to individual cases a.
o there was SO many. About 30 OF tn
@ hovs were on the fore deck, l called
J., for men to man the boats, and only q
dozen men, including officers Responded
y at that moment. All Of the rest were
injured blinded, or had been throw
n overheard
= A. Aenew hospital tonight are many
-. Injured. suffering in almost every III,
u stance from scalded bodles. >e'eLal
r ore expected to died before the nlSh'
is over III. nm
VI bo,,nca members of the crew are
J. Working under terrible difficulties to
-. rcach the boiler room and coal Dullh-
~ ers. where it is believed a dozen oooies
e are living wedged in the WrcckaSe VI
re submerged in the water wnlcn n liE
tn that mart of the vessel. h death lis
Ill NAV omount to fifty.
sd Washington, D. c. July 21.-The bu
III reau Of Navigation after checking vi
I'll the of the dead ana Wouhue'
7h as given in Commander Youngs tele
a grams prepared and gave out the 1oi
-, lowing list:
Dead-Ensign Newman *. Perry
er Glenn Rrowlee. Amel Bensel
ireman. second class; o Leo Burns
e a~nprentice seaman; VIM. Isaac CHERRY
OF coal passer; Robert Bentley Carr, ap
in prentice eaman Emil Brech, Ord1nar
he ama Frederick John Cess, Goa
nasser: Clyde Hanbloom, coal passei
r. Bart Arthur Hughes, ordinary seaman
cd los. Hilscher, fireman, hrst CLASS
he Andrew Kamerer, fireman, secoh
at class: Charles Joseph kuntZ, coz
ID nasser: Jos. NewcOmbe, DoatsWalh
Sc. mate second class; Warren Niles Pa1
at rish. coal passer; Michael Georg
nd Ouinn, oiler: Claude Emerson Rusi
ing. Goa passer; VIM. Warren Wrlsh
sc coal passer.
Seriously injured-Harry Fay saui
id, | ders. apprentice canaan WIN. MaI.i
Ter Fickweiler, seaman Jos. t1unt, one
re- Josiah Ezell, ship COOK, fourth GAS
ire Edward Brewster Ferguson, cnleI Ih'
lar chinist mate; Richard Ansley Hous
onnrentice canaan Albert Hem
SSrboerep ordinary seaman; Edwl
F.. Burton Robinson, ordinary seand'
ars Geo Rrazer Toiller, chief gunner
ter mate. Frederick VIM. Brown, a
let mate. first class; James McNanne
thc fireman. first class; G. Schultz, co
hi nassnr: Preston Carpenter, orulha'
canaan. Geo. Thos. Clark. chleI III
chinist mate: Matthew Garfield ChaI
hers VIM. Sidney Shackle'
led hospital steward. :,
gable was sent by the Navy d
zoe partment to Honolulu tonlsnt reoues
ing the commandment OF the Ia =,
s there to inform Mrs. Ferry %" u
" Death of her nuSodLd W;
zip. message also was sent TO MRS. VI
De tor Blue at the same place: adslsl'
her her that her husband nao iei' AK "-
ere before the explosion
the ITO, of rho
bod killed in the Bennington, Glenn Bro"
'ore lee is from Texas, his father W.
Rrawnlee ives at Havenna, lex
Ia Josiah E. ZeIl who was wounded q
40 relatives at Lott, Texas. William 5
tied ney ohachiel.e' r.. fa+ha,. Edwa
;n ~Shacklette living at Della Plane '
,aa Resides the above the following me
LIN hers of the Bennington's crew Ia
..,a relatives in the south:
eou Edward Roers. ordinary seam;