New-York tribune., 1905-08-22
ENSIGN c. 7. WADE BLAMED
BENNINGTON EXPLOSION.
Covrt-M Martial Suggested = Boilers
Not Defectiuc-Wrong ValUe Closed

- -cceived and made public the proceedings
cnsinrs of the court of inquiry which in
,,as The explosion on the gunboat Ben
s.o, at san Diego. Cal on July n. The
.,~s at once set az rest the stories which
,,,,lated TO the effect that the Benr;ngton's
,o~s and perhaps those of other naval vessels
-, sane age were defective AS a matter
- the court found that the explosion re-
- from the closing OF a valve which con-
So, rho exploded boiler with it's steam gauge
rat the pressure on that boiler may have
=, several hundred pounds TO the square !nch
ter the accident occurred.
vrbue praise was accorded to the officers and
.hirs company for their conduct during the
torrov-ng scenes following the accident, the Of
e,s- and the men who were responsible. in the
o,inion Of the court are pointed out. and court
martial proceedings suggested in the case OF the
orlv one OF them surviving. Ensign Charles 7.
Wade
The court consisted OF Commodore Stevenson,
retired. and Captains z. J. Moore and Thomas
s. Phelps The finding recites the arrival OF
the Remington at San Diego and says:
The ship was in an excellent state OF disci-
pline and in e good and efficient condition. with
lie exception OF her boilers, which were in fair
condition and eficient considering their age
(about fourteen years. and the use TO which
they had been subjected
Continuing, the court says:
About $40. on July p. after both boilers had
heen filled and the furnaces started, II was op,
served that the steam gauge on boiler b slo|eu
about five pounds Of steam pressure ana q. Us
time the oiier Frank De Courtanl, acuhs ds
vater tender directed D. y. Holland, hremah'
second class 10 close the air cock on ooller d
that the said Holland climbed up ana CIoseu a
valve and almost Immediately the steam gauge
on boiler failed TO register any pressure nc I
this was apparently not nouceo Ds elcIeI ttinr ion
rna
appears 10 have been paid 10 the fact that the
steam gauge failed 10 register, but they Kept on
Working the fires and firing heavily; that When
the steam gauge on boiler showed 100 POUNDS
there was no pressure showing on the steam
gauge Of hoiler B.
The finding then goes on 10 state that about
1890 O'Clock small leak was found in boiler 3.
A reouest had been sent TO the boilermakar to
come and attend 10 the leak, when the expl sion
occurred All that happened after the ekplo-
sion is described at considerable length. The
court says:
No one seems TO have noticed any escape of
steam from the safety valves OF any OF the Doll
ers and no one can srate that any of the safety
valves blew off at any time that morning. lhat
we can find no record Of the saIetv & NaNe eooa ~
boiler 3 having been overhauled since July ISV4'
,7r anv positive evidence Of il having been done.
though orders had been given for this 10 De ooLe
AZ March 1905: that there is no record OF the
ssr+irel valves having been overhauled since
Julv 1905; that the safety valves were SET a.
AZ
mort orders were given 10 carry the steam
pressure al from l30 10 lS5 pounds, not 70 - ea-
ceed the latter but the sstety waves 49, ~ ,,oI
changed. that this order haa oeeh SiSais ,.s; ,he
6eTeraod: mat the hand gear for hfting ,Is
ssfetv valves was not in WORKING oroeI' 60 49,
-Tsre Is no record direct evidence Ilat IN, t!e
-. al,-es mad been tested in accordance F|llh
,be navy regulations. that the dlsclplhe
10 have been excellent ana evefyttras oas aTd
co,,iS he done by the surviving oncers an"
oreT- vas done in cool and courageous man
80 no one thinking Of himself, put OF what no
t,,, ~ his shin: that volunteer aid OF every
pys,S came from shore ana the injured were
Trorortlv removed 10 the regular ana lnpro,
Ls ,SSsr;,aIs where ali was done that mortal
n,,ld 40 70 alleviate their sufferings ana ala
sn their recovery while the dead were takeL'
70 the various undertaking estao m ~ lIilet.o, s
S,.bers they we're prepared for burial; that aIter
e examination Of the collapsed furnace nue.
1~5 frorn rbvsical tests that We have had mace,
Tbe material Of this furnace hue was OF goou
quality: that the ship was found 10 De LllIils
and settling when tug was obtained, an ana , I,1e
ebin Has ropred into shoal water until she
grounded that subsequently the sea waves
were closed. the ship pumped out and retu@Fhed @
70 her anchorage; that the snip Is pIac. y
uninjured. except in and about the engine ana
boiler rooms
The opinion OF the court follows:
The court is Of the opinion that the explosion - 2I
was caused by excessive pressure IN ooHeI %, %,
which came about first by shutting the valve
conrecti9g the boiler with the steam gauge Ia
stead Of the valve on the alrcock alohe' ds WaS
srter5ed so that the steam gauge did not in
6Irste the pressure in the boiler; secoha py uil-
usual and heavy firing in the ooller 20 eeI ny
pressure which the gauge falled 70 snow I mr.,
Nv the failure Of the sentinel ana ssIety waves
.c 1ifr al Tie pressure for which they We're SCI;
tnd the pressure increased without rehe1 li IILI
Il was beyond the strength OF liie % ; poi.; go
gave way in its weakest part, afterWaTd Iouna no
20 be the corrugated flue OF No = the lowest VI
middle furnace. which collapsed
The court is also OF the opinion thaI -. y.
tscTard fireman second class. United states
Savy who was the fireman on duty hrlns ooIier tid
p AZ and before the time OF tne eAPio9IN-' go
~ .-is-ale shut of the steam waive con e'4iie
bofer B with its steam gauge lhsteau ~ nc e,,aa %
cock as directed. thus preventing u.e i, .oiIe,.
fro-n recording the steam pressure on lls Doiil JILL
-. rrarl, 6e Courtan oiler, acIIg Mdiei
,cr5er T-rited States Navy, on watch' III cnaI se
a his boiler from about y:l1 a M. ~ u.,e' - ;
time Of the explosion, olo IAN 49, - and did
,bis s-earn gauge not recoruihs' anu "a
,-.f--,,a ,,,,ebsng the fires on this boher' anu
st.-fher when leaks developer IIoIl e Iotcb
r,ress,lre did fail 10 relieve inns pIeS,a. 7 p
sbo1ld have been done AZ oiloS' - c+a+es
T---.so,- cnief nlachinist's mate. lnlteo SIaSe -
Ns,rv On watch. in charge or lhe etrS ~ hle
rocros did fail TO inspect poheI %, - aid
charge while steam vas peihs i@I1 ed
.eT - ,s,,eA this steam gauge 10 De coii,N -
a. - bo5ler The said D. y. Holland, III
rsn second class, United states cr - md 7,
~ co.-r.sDs oiler United states NdNs' go -
2 Ferguson chief machli-ls5s ss I'D therefore,
STATE %avv gre all now dead. anu, anu eeafnst
go 80 - ,nroceedings can be taken against
then. ~ 10. f,r-
A. oo,,-, is Of the further opinion that mat 10 -
tber r,oreedings should be haA III ti,e %. IN
l'ns,ev charles T Wade. L. 5 NJ VINO " -
-. - 80 engineering department OF ths ts
l'ritea states ship Bennington al tae III. .,
,he evri,.eie,r and since October Y, I'e19' "a
fhis mar be- the said Ensign tnaries l. - a. >
L s X did fail in his own person ,S.6 20 T. az
Ire ssfa.t ,-alye on boiler was oEerhaaleo al
The rroner tirrc and kept in good |ofkils C1
der buf did accept the verbal statement q ms