The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-07-22

rived many sailors Of the Bennington
who had jumped into the bay to es-
cape the steam, had been rescued
and removal of the wounded was
being conducted in perfect order AT
the time Of the accident Commander
Peck were on shore. The two Off
GERS, as soon as they learned Of the
disaster, hurried to the water front,
where Young Immediately took
charge. On board the Bennington
were presented terrible scenes. The
force of the explosion tore a great
hole in the starboard side of the ship.
A section Of the upper deck was car
ried away from stem to stern. Blood
and wreckage was distributed over the
vicinity OF the ship adjacent to
the exploded boiler resembling 4
charnel house Over 1t all hung a
great cloud Of white smoke which
drifted slowly toward the Coronado
shore.
The remaining members of the
crew rushed into the darkened hold TO
search for their comrades, In the
worst danger, and when IL was feared
the ship would sink, before she could
be beaehed, the young officers and
men stuck manfully to their posts.
Lieut. Yales,. executive officer in
charge OF the Bennington at the time
Of the disaster. was in the aft cabin.
He rushed out, to be met by blind
| ing, scalding cloud of steam as 1t
swept the vessel He found about
/ thirty of the crew on the foredeck all
badly wounded Only twelve men
were able to respond to his call to
man the boats.
The bodies of many of the men ta
ken from the wrecked interiOg Of the
ship We're mutilated almost beyond
recognition. The faces Of many were
covered with blood and ashes.
| Commander Young Immediately
gave orders that the airtight eompart
ments be closed to prevent the list
ing ship sinking and that the maya
zines be flooded to avert further ex-
! plosions.
Sickening Sights.
4 Temporary quarters were arranged
for the wounded and sixty citizens
volunteered and hurried in launches to
the relief of those on the i'll fated ship
Some OF the volunteers were unable
to stand the sickening sight which
met their gaze on the Bennington
AS fast as the wounded coald be re
moved they were hurried to the hos
pitals. For long time steam prevent
ed access to the ship between decks
4 where most of the dead bodies lay
and 1t was nor until late Afternoon
that the last We're removed from thu
boiler rooms. Severol bodies were sc
tightly wedged in by a bulkhead tha
the woodwork had to be hewn ava,
to free them. Most Of the bodie
yet unidentified had been mangled al
most beyond hope of recognition. TIL,
boiler which exploded, it is said, wa
regarded as unsafe,
How the News Spread.
News OF the explosion spread owe
the city like wildfire. The scene 0
. hurrying ambulances, hacks, carriage
Of every description which had bee
summoned, added to the excitement
. Every physician who could be reache
by telephone was called to the waite
. front and In a few minutes nearly
4 dozen physicians were on the seen
|. land attended the wounded.
4 A dozen or fifteen OF the ere,
/. were blown overheard by the fore
d OF the terrific explosion. Capital
|. Wentworth who was looking at tn
Bennington when the disaster occur
O ed, says he saw human bodies hurle
d over hundred feet upward. The al
If was black with smoke which envelol
Il ed the ship. When II cleared ava
only few men could be seen on III
Il decks, while number we're flounde
d ing in the water. A boat was lowe
q ed from the vessels side and most I
d them were picked up and taken Q
IS board The shock of the explosic
% penetrated every section Of the shi
blood and ashes being found as II
as the stern OF the captains cabl
r. Portions OF the upper deck were ca