The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-07-28
UNSAFE BOILER
On the American Gunboat Benz
nington Exploded Friday.
THIRTY-N DEAD.
Capt. Luclen Young, In Command, Was
Ashore at the Time. The Vessel Is
Almost n Complete Loss, and
1t Was Necessary to
Beach Her.

1t Was Necessary to
Beach Her.
Thirty.nine members Of the crew
OF the United States gunboat Benning-
ton were killed and nearly 100 sailors
were injured, some fatally, at 10 O'Clock
| Friday forenoon by boiler explosion
that disabled the vessel in San Diego
harbor, Cal. Fifteen sailors are MISS
ing There were more than $50 mon
aboard the war ship when The acci
dent occurred and many men were
hurled or forced to Jump into the sea
by the terrific explosion, which lifted
part Of the deck and compelled the
beschipg Of the ship.
Tnc Bennington at the time of the
accident was lying in the stream, just
off the Commercial wharf, at III street.
The war ship had received orders from
the navy department. at Washington
to sail Friday morning for Port Hart.
ford to meet the monitor Wyoming
and convey the monitor to Mare Is.
land navy yard San Francisco. Steam
was up and everything was in readi.
ness for the departure OF the Ben
nington, when the starboard forward
boiler exploded with a deafening roar.
The explosion was terrific People
standing on shore saw u hugo cloud OF
steam rise above the Bennington.
Columns Of water were forced high
into the air
A dozen or fifteen men we're blown
overheard by the force of the terrific
explosion. Capt. Wentworth, who
was looking at the Bennington when
the disaster occurred, says he saw hu.
man bodies hurled over hundred feet
upward! The air was cl0uded with
smoke, which enveloped the ship.
When the haze cleared away only a
few men could be seen on the decks,
while a number were Numbering in
the water. a boat was lowered from
the vess els side and most Of the men
In the water were picked up and taken
aboard.
Ga board the Bennington were pre-
sented terrible scenes. Tue force Of
the explosion had torn great hole in
the starboard side OF the ship and the
vessel S9as lreadYscornmencing to IL e.
A section Of the upper deck was car.
ried away from stem to stern. Blood
and wreckaQe were distributed over the
entire ship, the after cabin and tina.
part OF the ship adjacent to the ex,
ploded boiler resembling charnel
house.
The shock OF the explosion pnnetrat,
ed every section Of the ship, blood and
ashes hcirg found a. far as the stern
If the captains cabin Great damage
Was done in all parts Of the vessel. The
boiler wh'c1 eSpt1dcd IL is stated, was
regNrdel as VI, a!e. Com aander Y ung
stated tnat during recent return
from Honolulu the steam pressure was
Kept reGuo Il In that particular one.
At tho time OF the acoidcnU Com.
mander Ln"ien Young and Surgeon f.
E Peek were on shore, The two Of
| liccrs, As soon az th6y learned Of the
disaster, hurr cd 10 the watar 'front.'
Comma der Young, as soon as he
reached tha SHIP, gaze orders that the
ar tight Compartments he closed to
prevent tle sing shlp from sinking
and that the mag zines be II oded
to avert furt or explosions. He then
b a'hcd the snip at high tide.
The ferryboat RomOn1, Which was
crossing the bay ad the time Of the
accident, charged It's course and hur.
ried To tha aid or the stricken war
ship. The Government launch Gen
De Ru soy, and large number OF oJhcl
launches and water craft which were
about az the time, also rushed to the
assistance Of the Bennington.
BY tho time the Rlmona reached
tho bennington many or the sailors OF
the Bonni1gton, who had jnrnpcd into
the bay 10 cSctpo the Sc .lding steam
had been rescued by small craft. The
removal Of the wounded from tn.
ship was conducted iE perfect order
The crews Of the ID II hsey and the
Other boats aided In picking up tn,
wounded sailors and transferring then
to shore. The bodies OF many Of tn
men taken from the wrecked interio
OF the ship were mutilated almost be
yond recognition. The faces Of many
; were covered with blood and ashes
Some OF the bodies may never be iden
, tilted
, Temporary gu irtGrS ashore were ar
ranged for the wounded and sixt,
citizens volunteered and hurried fl
launches 10 the relief OF those on th
ship Some OF the volunteers Wer
unable to stand the sickenlng sigh
which met their gaze on the Benning
ton, AS fast as Uhe wounded G H.,
be removed they were hurried In am
balances, carriages, wagons and auto
, mobiles to hospitals. For long tim
, the hot steam prevented accsss to tn
I space between decks where most O
the dead bodies lay and 1T was no
until late Iii the afternoon that tin
, last were removed from the bole
, rooms. Several bodies were 50 tightl
wedged In by bulkhead that tn
!. woodwork had to be hewed away t
a free them.
When the explosion occurred TIL
engineer was inspecting the b0ile,s
l lie was not seriously injured. Onicer
e and mon VINO were able to assist il
n the rescue acted In q brave and co
o lectod manner. Pumps we're name
!, to keep the water from the uppe
}. compartments, the magazine wa
Hooded and men fought their wa
{ through the steam into tie darkcne
J, hold. Many slightly injured sailor
o remained In the ship and assisted
II resculng the more severely injured.
II Rcfused 10 Mix.
!, Fifteen white girls sewing matrcs
> es In Pittsburg went on strike b
q canso negro girl vas brought Iii