The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-07-28
7HE BENNINGTON DISASTER
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL GIVES THE FOLLOWING AC.
COUNT OF THE TERRIBLE EXPLOSION, ITS EFFECT
AND THE SCENES THAT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED
SOME REMARKABLE STATEMENTS ARE MADE AS
TO THE UPWARD FORCE OF THE PENT UP FORCES.


SAN DIEGO July 21-Thry nne dead bodies lying at
morgues piers deck ruined vessel of the United
States navy lying painfully injured in sanaruns
and hospitals and fifteen sailors missing and probably have found
death in the OF the habor result the explosion OF boil
board the United States gunboat Bennington at 1910 o'clock
The Bennington time accident lying in the
just off the Commercial wharf at the foot OF H. street The wash
had received orders from the Navy Department Washington to sail
this morning Port Hartford where she the njuel
Wyoming convoy that vessel Mare Island Navy Yard
Steam and everything readiness for sailing when sudden
N without any warning whatever the arboard forward boiler
The explosion was terrific one People standing the
huge cloud of white rise above teh Bennington Columns o
hurled into the air for distance OF nearly twice the height
of the spars Of the vessel.
1t was Immediately apparent awful disaster had occurred
bay the time of the accident Captain Bertesen Of the Ramona i'm
mee gave orders change the OF the boat and instead OF
stricken warshp The tug Santa e which tied the
Commercial wharf, the launch Mckinley the Government launch
Russey large OF other launches and
craft which the the time also rushed to the aid OF
the warhp many of the sailors of
steam had Been rescued and the removal Of the wounded
ready commenced being conducted perfect order The
of the Santa Fe De Ruy Mckinley and the other boats
present gave yeomen picking up the wounded sailors and
At The time Of the accident Commander Lucn Young Surgeon
E. Bennington shore The two officers
they disaster hurried to the water front where
Commander Young Immediately took charge
On board the bennington was presented terrible scene me o
OF the explosion had hole the starboard side OF the ship
the vessel already commencing list section OF the upper
deck carried from stem to stern BLOOD and Wrecge Gov
entire ship the after cabin and the vicinity OF the ship ada
exploded boiler resembling CharnehOuse Over all
hung the great cloud OF white smoke which dnted slowly toward the
Coronado shore.
The news OF the explosion spread city like wdhre Hur
rng ambuances hacks carriages OF every Description Which mad
added the excitement Every physician who could
be telephone called the front Within
paratve short time nearly dozen physicians were on the scene and
tending the wounded.
blown overheard by he force
the terrific explosion Captain Wentworth looking the
Bennington from occurred says
human bodies hurled hundred feet upward The air black
with smoke which developed ship When only
few could be the decks while number were founder
ing the boat lowered from the vessels side and
of them picked up and taken on board.
The of the explosion penetrated every section the ship
blood and being found the captains cabin
Portions of the upper deck were carried away and great damage was
done in all sections
All the available power launches fastened to the wreck while
the rowboats along the bay brought into Most OF the
dead injured taken ashore where the underakers and py
clans assembled the former take charge the dead and the
latter to minister to the needs Of the living
The bodies of the taken from the wrecked interior
the ship mutaed almost beyond recognition The faces
many covered with blood and ashes
Commander Young he the ship gave orders that
the alright compartments be closed to keep the listing ship from sink
ing and that the magazines be flooded further explosions.
citizens volunteers hurried in launches the relief OF those the i'll
ated ship Some of the volunteers unable stand the sckenn
sight which their gaze the Bennington and strong grew
faint AS fast the wounded could be removed they hurried
ambuances carriages and automobiles to the hospitals For
long time the hot prevented the space between decks
where most OF the dead bodies lay and not until late the
tenoon that they removed from the boiler Several bodies
tightly wedged by bukhead that the woodwork had be
hewed away to free them Most OF the bodies unidentified
mangled, almost beyond hope OF recognition
The boiler which exploded said regarded
ander Young stated that during the recent return from Honolulu
the steam pressure kept reduced in that particular boiler When
the explosion occurred Engineer Nelson inspecting the boilers
preliminary TO the VeSses leaving port lie was not seriously injured
Officers and men who able assist in the acted in
brave and collected Pumps manned keep the
from the upper compartments the magazine flooded and
fought their through the steam into the darkened hold search
for their comrades In the danger and when feared the
ship would sink before she could be heached the young officers AMI
men stuck manfuly to their posts
Albert H. Ryan of this city who rowing ship
time the accident plunged into the and rescued sailors
The ships inner works tangled of machinery and