Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-23
BENNINGTON DISASTER
Latest List of the Dead and
Wounded.
SIX TY HAVE DIED
AND FIFTY ARE SERIOUSLY IN
JURED.
Sad Scenes at the Hospitals-Doctors
Praise tho People Of
San Diego.

Last nights summary OF casuai-
ties due to a boiler explosion Fri
day aboard the gunboat Bennington
in San Diego bay gives a total of
fifty-six dead and ffty-four severely
injured; total, no.
A number of men are still miss
ing. Some of these may be dead,
and probably dozen of the injured
will die of their wounds.
1t will require court of inquiry
to develop the truth about the con-
dition of the boilers, there being a
great variance of opinion over it.
Some of the crew are insistent that
the boilers were defective.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
CORONADO. Cal. July 22.-Commander
Young persists In declaring that the boil
ers OF the Bennington were all right and
the surviving machinists from the ship
support him. They declare that they were
all inspected at Honolulu not more than
three weeks ago anu Wcic pAoAouhS~N 80
GOOD order, capable of carrying DDS pounds
of steam while the pressure at the time
of the explosion was not more than l3o
pounds Several firemen and other sur
yivors tell a different story. however. and
insist that two of the boilers have been
leaking for some time. and that all OF
them were In bad condition. Fireman
Hops says that leak was discovered
in boiler "B'' a few moments before the
explosion occurred and that a man was
on his way to call the boilermaker to re-
pair it, Two or three other firemen. OIL
ers and coal passers corroborate Hops.
A water tender declares that the de-
fects in the boilers were frequently dis
cussed during the voyage from Honolulu
II the poor fellows who are In the hos
pitals and several OF those who are to
be buried tomorrow afternoon could tell
their stories light might be thrown upon
the causes Of the calamity.
A Court Of Inquiry.
court of inquiry will undoubtedly de-
velop the truth. Commander Young's ad-
mission that he ordered the pressure re-
duced to preserve his boilers and save
coal seems to be OF supreme significance
Young and all of his officers are still in a
dazed condition They do not seem to
realize the extent OF the calamity. The
ship has been crowded with visitors since
a few moments after the explosion, and
they have done little but repeat their
stories and describe their sensations over
and over again. Lieutenant Yates. who
was In charge of the ship at the time OF
the explosion, showed presence OF mind
and acted promptly. big hole was
blown out OF the side and several plates
were started. II help had not come prompt
ly the Bennington would be at the bottom
OF the bay. She now lies in the mud be-
tween two piers half full of water. The
attempt made last night TO pump her our
with a fire engine failure, which in
dicates larger leaks than were at firsr
supposed.
She fills faster than the pumps can take
out There is a mysterious leak in the
after compartment near the stern post.
That compartment under the captains
cabin is flooded and the leak is difficult
TO explain. although the captain admits
that there has been some trouble there be-
fore. He thinks that the plates may have
been started by the shock OF the ex-
plosion. II is evident that the hull well
as the boilers was in bad condition.
Everything is in confusion on board.
IuNIliS has btcil OOilt NOWdiu tlcdHIlk up
the wreck. Every effort has been directed
toward the recovery OF the ten or twelve
bodies which are supposed to be in the
fire room and bunkers
Survivors In Hysterical Condition.
The sixty-fve survivors who are able to
be about are wandering around the decks
still in a hysterical condition. anxious to
do sonnet hing but of little use because the
room is so limited that only three four
men can go below at one time. There was
only a guard on board last night. The
surviving members OF the crew were given
creditable quarters in the military barracks
not far from the docks which were vacated
by the garrison not long ago. The scalded
are at sanitariums. hospitals and private
residences and are being cared for with
every caution. Every physician in town,
the army surgeons. the marine hospital
surgeons. the quarantine officer, the house
physician of the Coronado Hotel which
by the way Is managed by Morgan Ross
formerly OF Washington, d. c., and thirty
officials are doing everything In their power
for the living. the wounded and the dead
Captain Ernest d. Scott. commander of
Fort ROsecrans: Quartermaster Rolfe Dr.
Kneedler. the postal surgeon in charge
and the other officers have taken charge
Of the arrangements for the funerals. which
will occur tomorrow The bodies of sew
eTal OF the dead have been delivered 70
relatives and friends living in this vicinity.
The others will be buried Sunday after
noon in the military cemetery at Point
Lomas.
The cause OF the explosion is unknown
and there are no theories The after end
OF the port main boiler blew out and four
Men lie dead under IT. There was no other
explosion. The magazines are all intact
The boilers were tested a few days ago at
20 pounds. During the cruise to Homo
lulu an average OF 160 pounds OF steam was
used During the return Capt. Young or
dered the pressure reduced. not because he
was afraid Of weakness of the boilers, he
says. but because he was in no hurry and
wanted to preserve them much as posi-
BILE. The average pressure for the last ten
days of sailing was only 100 pounds. Halt
an hour before the explosion the steam