The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1905-07-26
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION
ON GUNBOAT BENNINGTON
WHOSEBOILE LERS EXPLODE
INSAN DIEGOHARBOR.

In Air-Many Bodies Are
Wedged in Wreckage |
Other News.
San Diego, CAL, July 21.-Bro.
ken and blackened, with her flag
flying at half-mast, her hold filled
with Is feet Of water, the United
States ship Bennington lies beached
on the shores of San Diego harbor.
Thirty-nine of her crew lie dead at
city marques, the fate of dozen
more is as yet undetermined, and
three score are stretched upon beds
of pain in various hospitals. This
is the result of the explosion which
wrecked the trim little naval craft
and wrought such terrible havoc
among the crew at half-past 10 O..
clock this morning.
Twenty.one dead bodies lie rang
ed with gruesome precision at Davis
& Anderson's morgue. The st;g
forms were outlined in Immaculate
winding sheets, the terrible results
of scalding steam upon the faces
fully hidden beneath the folds.
Thirteen victims were stretched up
on improvised biers at johnson &
Connell's morgue, while five others
were to be seen at Woolman &
Bradley's. At the two latter places
the work of the explosion was ter
ribly in evidence. The face of eve
ry victim is SCARED and scalded, in
mary cases almost beyond recogni-
tion.
At Aguew's hospital tonight are
many injured, suffering, in almost
every instance from scalded bodies.
Several are expected to succumb to
their injuries before the night is
over.
On board the Bennington the un,
harmed members of the crew are
working under great difficulties to
reach the boiler room and coal
bunkera, where, 1t Is believed, doz-
en- bodies sre lying wedged in the
wreckage or submerged in the water
which fills that part of the vessel.
The cause of the explosion has
not yet been determined. There Is
much talk among the crew, espe.
icially the irresponsible members, OF
weakened and leaking boilers, but
until thorough inspection Of the
wrecked boilers can be made. nc
Ed+fnite official statement is obtain.
able. -
The Bennington at the time ot
the accident was lying in the stream
just off the Commercial wharf al
the foo Of H street. The warshiE
had received orders from the navy
department. at Washington to sal
! this morning for Port Hartford
where she was to meet the monito
Wyoming and convey the vessel tx
Mare Island navy.yard. Steam
was up and everything was in read
mess for sailing, when suddenl,
and without any warning ,whateve
the starboard forward boiler -ex
ploded with a deafeniDg roar. Th
lexplosion was, terrific. Peopl
standing on the shore saw hug
cloud of white steam rise above tn
Bennington. Columns of waite
were hurled into the air and for
distance of nearly twice the heigh
of the spars Of the vessel.
It was Immediately apparent tha
an awful disaster of some kind ha
1 happened. The rryboat Ramon
was coming across the bay at th
I time of the accident. Captain Bert
elsen, of the Ramona, immediatel
7 gave orders to change the course {
the boat and, instead of continufn
his trip to the San Diego side of th
bay, hurried to the aid of the strick
en- warship. The tug Santa Fl
the launch Mckinley, the govern
ment launch General DeRusse
and large number of .othe
launches and water craft whic
were near the scene at the time a!s
- rushed to the assistance of the Ber
nington and endeavored to lend e.
cry assistance possible.
By the time the Ramona had q
rived, many Of the sailors of tt
Bennington, who had jumped I'M
the bay to escape the scalding steal
had been rescued, and the rsmovi
of the wounded : which had alread
been commenced, was being col
Quoted in perfect order.
On board the Bennington wel
presented terrible scenes. The for,
of the explosion had torn a gre'
hole in the starboard side of tt
ship and the vessel was alread
lcomnfencing to list. A section