The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-22
BENNINGTON BLAME ON WADE.
NAVAL COURT SAYS ENSIGN'SNEG-
LECT CAUSED DISASTER.
Tailed to SEQ That steam Gage Was SHUT
on. and Had Not Oyerhauicd SAFETY
valves a. Ordered Court Martial Is
necemn snded--Three Dead Blamed.

on, and Had NOT Overnauicd barely
valves a Ordered Court Martial Is
neccm,ne nded--Three Dead Blamed.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2l.-The proceedings
Of the court OF inquiry which investigated
the accident on the gunboat Bennington,
in the harbor at San Diego, Cal, on the
morning OF July 81, which resulted In the
death OF nearly sixty men and the injury
Of half hundred have reached the Navy
Department.
Ensign Charles T. Wade, chief engineer
officer OF the gunboat, Is charged with neg
lcct Of duty, and the court recommends
that he be courtmartialed.
Three enlisted men, members OF the
working force in the fire room Of the Ben
nineton, all OF whom were killed. are held
PARTIALLY to blame for the disaster by neg
ject OF duty. These men were D. N. Hol-
land fireman, second class Frank Detour-
tani oiler (acting water tender at the time
of the explosion, and E. b. reurguson,
chief machinist's mate.
The explosion on the Bennington was
caused according to the written opinion OF
the court, by excessive steam pressure IN
boiler b. which was the first to explode.
That explosion forced boiler B aft upon
boiler D, which in turn exploded. The
connections OF all four boilers Of the vessel
we're broken, and the scalding steam, carry
ing with it water, ashes and fire, went with
terrific force all over the ship.
THE closing Of the valve connecting
boiler with it's steam gage, instead OF
the shutting off Of the aircock alone as was
intended, rendered the steam gage use
less. not pound Of steam being recorded.
Even this was not noticed by the fire room
workers.
THE pressure on the boiler went rapidly
higher and higher under heavy firing in
the furnaces, and the boiler sucoumbed
to the strain in its weakest place, afterward
found to be a corrugated flue Of the lowest
or middle furnace. This collapsed with the
terrible result which marks the Bennington
disaster az the worst accident ever known
to the American navy. Holland, it ia shown,
shut of tho wrong valve. Courtani and Fer
guson failed to observe the gage as 1t was
their duty to do
Ensign Wade is held culpable because
he failed to see that the sentinel and safety
valves on boiler B were n good working
order.
So far as the court could learn through
its investigation there was nothing to show
that the safety valves blew of at any time
during the morning Of the accident. 1t was
shown, too, that there was no record of the
safety valve of boiler B having been over
hauled since July, 1904, although orders
were given to do this in March last; but
there L. no record to show that the orders
we're carried out.
II was shown that Ensign Wade accepted
enc state ment Of subordinates that the
eafety valves were in good condition and
cot according to the pressure which was
being put on the boilers. Furthermore 1t
was shown that the safety valves were
set to blow of at las pounds pressure, al
though several weeks before the accident
orders had been given not to carry more
than $50 or 1856 pounds Of steam. The safety
valves were not changed, although this
order was clearly understood. 1t was shown
also that tho handgear for working the
safety valve was not in working order.
The proceedings Of the court indicate
that there was great negligence in the
engine room Of the Bennington. Notwith-
standing the fact that the steam gage on
boiler showed no pressure, the firing was
pushed heavily. D. N. Holland, second
class fireman, was firing boiler B at the
time Of the explosion, as well as before.
He is held to blame for shutting of, by
mistake, the valve connecting boiler
and the steam gage, instead Of shutting
OF the aircock as directed by Frank
Courtani the acting watertender. Courtani
told Holland to shut of the aircock, and
Holland Immediately climbed up and closed
valve. The steam gage Immediately failed
to show pressure. No one observed that
the gage was not working, and the firing
went on.
The opinion Of the court in part is as
follows:
The court is Of the opinion that the
explosion was caused by excessive steam
pressure in boiler B, which came about,
first, by shutting the valve con-
Meeting tho boiler with the steam
gage, instead Of the valves on the air
cock alone as was intended, 80 that the
steam gage did not indicate the pressure
in the boiler; second, by unusual and heavy
firing in the boiler to get up pressure
which the gage failed to show; third, by
the failure OF the sentinel and safety valves
to lift at the pressure for which they were
set. and the pressure increased without
relief until 1t was beyond the strength of
the boiler. which gave way in it's weakest
part, afterward found to be the corrugated
fiue Of No. 2, the lowest or middle furnace,
which collapsed.
The court is Of the further opinion that
further proceedings should be had in the
case Of Ensign Charles T. Wade. United
States Navy who was In charge Of the engi-
neering department of the United States
ship Bennington at the time Of the
explosion and since Oct. 20, 1904, in this,
that he, the said Ensign Charles T. Wade.
United States Navy. did fail in his own
person to see that the safety valve on boiler
h was overhauled at the proper time and
kept in good working order. but did accept
the verbal statement Of his subordinate or
subordinates that 1t had been overhauled in
March, 1905.
And further. that he. the said Ensign
Charles T. Wade. United States Navy,
DID fail to keep the sentinel valves on the
boilers in good working order.
-, And further. that he, the said Ensign
Charles 7. Wade, u. s. Navy, did fail to
cause the safety and sentinel valves on all
The boilers to be tested In accordance with
Article 1900, paragraph IL, U. 8. Navy
regulations, 1905, in all of which he, the said
Ensign Charles T. Wade, U. s. Navy. in
charge Of the engineering department OF
me L. 8. s. Bennington, was negligent in
the Performance Of hia duty and tho court