The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-07-22
Accident Happened While Vessel Was in
HarbOr at San DIEGO, Cal.
Bursting Boiler Scattered Fragments Of the Crew Over
the Bay Disaster Second in Fatalities to the
Destruction Of the Maine

EAN AHAAHHNs ISL sAaN - 1at -
tis nsasi ffisilifui disasters ia iiis pssos
hisiofy ~ a. Aaefipan nafY rtoefi.
ins t4s sinsius % ths Maine u Ia
ssaa hsfbog has gocsTri "a haH
pies1 hay ~ board Tie tHitei states
siinbusg nsi.aihstun. A. moment
pisss ne wsraig. iyihg 81 aarhoF snd
with bee onusrs snd rfsu gulrtiy si,
t.iifihg 20 thrif duties o. bpani. was
ths object u iuisfest 20 hundreds ~
people observing hsf On piers. plcasnrs
bats aai passiuE ferrybcstS q cloud
- steam snifrnif burt frum q point
just forward q he smekrstart. out ~
which the spectators were hguinfd 10
go bodies aud human fragments
hurled hish 10 tho air md scattered
over ihs surrounding water
Tho uuiburst VAS accompanied ~ n
ruar ne % thunder hnd a shock that
rocked vcssris near by. ~ 30 instant
ihc air vas hiiosi with shri,ks aud i.rl.
lows ~ pain from the wounded. which
could D. benri nshorc. aud with dying
fragments u human beings nnd pieces
- the ships supersiruciuf-. The next
mnfnrut blec,ilng sailors we're nghting
crippled. In the water against death Ia
oify q lcss sudden form than that from
which thrf had escaped. while row.
b-'ats. sailhonis. launches aud tugs
were hclng driven O. tie rosrue a. fast
~ arms. wind and steam could carry
them
4 fcrryboai which was passing near
by turned aud FASTENED O. render A..
slsiancc. her own deck crowded with
frightened men and women who saw
the havoc that had been wrought In a
twinkllnr.
\ most horrible sight met those who
approached In the water men with
blnckened faces were struggling. hand.
icappcd 10y injuries. Others on deck
were covered with blood and crime,
some dead. some wounded frightfully.
Others were working 10 rescue com.
rndes who were yet below. The small.
or boats turped their attention 10 those
In the water. taking them TO the
wharfs ms fast as few had been taken
aboard the small craft At the wharfs
preparations were speD lily made for
taking care OF the injured in what by
this time was seen to he n disaster OF
awful proportions. Ambulanccs were
telephoned for, every express wagon
and driver who could be reached by
telephone was summoned. physicians
We're notified and hospitals informed.
Within half an hour from the time OF
the explosion carriages. buggles, auto
mobiles and street ears were bearing
burdens Of victims toward the hospl-
tails. The sight which met the eyes OF
along fhe street was one
never TO be forgotten. Wagons with
a dozen wounded men were not rare.
one had eight sitting or Keeling against
the sides, holding In their laps the
heads OF comrades near to death. all
of them with faces black with smoke
and CRIME and many clothed In moth
ing but trousers. Some Of those whose A
bodies were bare, not injured In vital
parts, but suffering the agonies Of
torn flesh sat up with lacerated bodies
exposed to the wind One, whose arm
was twisted and whose face and
breast were covered with blood, looked
at his own hanging flesh and dropping
blood and muttered only: "My God!
My God"
A corps of men with blackened
bodies were hurried through the streets
to places where blood could be stanch-
ed, gaping wounds stitched or more
heroic treatment given.
A more than awful sight awaited |
those who fastened to the Ill fated |
ship, from which steam continued to |
pour in great clouds. Everywhere was |
blood, and in all directions were bodies. |
The after cabin was smeared with |
blood. and the walls, ceiling and floor |
splotched with red. In the depths be-
ow, from which heat and steam rolled |
IN volumes too great TO face, came the
yroans and walls of the dying and
The shrieks of the wounded.
Tugs and launches soon were headed