Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-08-24
BENNINGTON REPORT
lindings Of the Court Of Inquiry
Which Investigated Explosion.
RESULTED FROM CLOSING OF A VALVE
Conneosion Detween the Steam
Gauge and Boiler Was Closed Dy
| MEistalks and Pressure Could
Not be AscePtaine6.


Not Ne AscePtained.
q -
washington, Aug. s9.-6ecretary
Eonaparte Monday received, and q
soon as he himself had read. made
public the findings Of the court Of In
Nulry which investigated the explosion
~ the gunboat Bennington at San
diego, Cal. on July 81. The findings
'uere Q complete SURPRISE for they at
Aoace Get ct rest the stories that had
circulated 70 the effect that the Ben
Inlngton's boiler and perhaps those OF
iOther naval vessels Of the same age.
Were Detective Az o matter OF fact
me court found the explosion resulted
IRON the closing Of valve which con-
inected the exploded boiler With Its
steam gauge 90 that the pressure on
lGho boiler may have been several hum
.Ared pounds to the square inch when
the accident occurred,
while praise was accorded To the Of
@cerS and ship's company for their
conduct during the narrowing scenes
following the accident, the officers and
men who were responsible, in the
opinion Of the court, are pointed out
and courtmartial proceedings sug-
aasted In the case Of the only one Of
them surviving, Ensign Charles T..
Wade
The court consisted Of Commodore
Stevenson, retired, and Capt F. J..
Moore and Capt. Thomas s. Phelps.
The findings recites the arrival Of the
Bennington at San Diego and says:
~The ship was in an excellent state
Oe discipline and In good and efficient
condition with the exception Of her
boilers which were in fair condition
annd efficient, considering their age,
4about IA years) and the use to which
they had been subjected"
Continuing, the court says.
About $3.50 on July 81, after both
rAcilers had been filled and the fur
'naces started It was observed that the
steam gauge on boiler b showed
sabout Ave pounds Of steam pressure,
and at this time oiler Frank Decour-
ieani, acting as water tender. directed
d N. Holland, fireman, second class.
% close the air cock on boiler b; that
Che said Holland climbed up and
closed a valve and almost Immediately
Che steam gauge on boiler b failed
20 register any pressure: that this
was apparently not noticed by either
me water tender or the fireman and
no attention appears to have been
pAid to the fact that the steam gauge
failed to register, but they kept on
working its fires and firing heavily;
lehat when the steam gauge on boiler
"a showed 1856 pounds there was no
pressure showing on the steam gauge
q boiler b."
The finding goes on to state that
about 10:S0 o'clock q small leak was
found in boiler b. A request had
been sent to the bollermalser to come
@nd attend to the leak when the OF.
plosion occurred, All that happened
after the explosion ls described at
considerable length. The court says:
mo one seems to have noticed any
escape Of steam from the safety
valves Of any Of the boilers and no one
can state that any Of the safety
valves blew OF at any time that morn.
Eng; that we can find no record Of the
safety valve Of boiler b having been
orerhauled since July, 1904, nor any
positive evidence Of It having been
done, though orders had ben given for
this to be done In March, 1905.
The opipion Of the court in part
follows:
"The court Il Of the opinion that
the explosion was caused By excessive
pressure in boiler b which came
about frst. BY shutting the valve con.
necting the boiler with the steam
gauge. instead Of the valve on the air
cock alone a. was Intended, 90 that
ne steam gauge failed to show; third,
b the failure Of the sentinel and safe
" valves to lift at the pressure foi
which they were set and the pressure
Increased until II was beyond the
strength Of the boiler which gave way
Il it, weakest part. Afterwards found
20 BE- the corrugated hue Of number
= the lowest or middle furnace which
ooiiap.ed