Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-22
GUNB0AT BENNINGTON BLOWN
UP AT SAN DIEGO
VESSEL IS A TOTAL WRECK
Scenes Of Horror Following the Dis
aster Are Beyond Description.
Moreues and Hospitals Full
Of Dead and Dying

bands OF brave workers were forced to
abandon their sickening task and come
above decks by the inflow of water that
filled the engine and boiler rooms.
Every available pump was set to work
to lower the water. The offer of Mayor
Sehon to lend aid was accepted to the
extent of a fire engine, which was
loaded upon lighter and run alongside
the Bennington, where 1t is to be used
to pump out the vessels engine rooms
The rescuers faced terrible spectacle
beneath the main deck in the forward
part of the vessel Here the crew quar-
ters are located and here, too, the
greatest loss Of life occurred. Many cS
the crew were in quarters, some swing
ing comfortably in their hammocks
Dead and injured were taken out Of
this section to the number of almost
two score-just how many no one took
the time to count.
With remarkable promptness the vic
Tins were conveyed ashore in launches
and turned over to the waiting am
balances. only about a dozen men
were killed outright by the force of the
explosion, and three lost their lives from
flying debris. One of the latter was
almost beheaded by some heavy object.
Fifty-four were taken directly to the
Agnew sanitarium, eleven of whom
were subsequently removed to st.
Joseph's sanitarium. Eleven were con-
veyed to the old military barracks only
a few blocks from the landing place,
where they were attended by DR..
Kneedler, the army surgeon, and al
corps of assistants.
AT Agnew sanitarium were gathered
scores of physicians and an army of
nurses, volunteers as well as profess
sionals.
Crowds View Gruesome Scene
The spectacle at the landing place
was a most gruesome and trying one.
AS boat after boat discharged it's cargo
of dead, dying or suffering seamen,
the throngs gathered at a respectful
distance stood in silent awe of the
sights of death and heroic and patient
suffering. Men there were whose
bodies were almost stripped by the ter
rife force of scalding steam, whose
flesh was swollen and whitened from
the awful blast that swept UP from
the bursting boiler and whose feat
ures were in many instances almost
obliterated. There were brave men
among the injured-braver than the
ordinary run of men-for few were the
cries of suffering that escaped them.
Bravest of all was poor Ensign
Perry. He was brought ashore in the
launch Mckinley, terribly burned about
the face and upper part of the
body. AS he was tenderly assisted
upon the wharf he said to those near
him: Never mind, boys; I'm all
right. / can help myself"
He was removed to Agnew sanitari-
um, where he died at 8 o'clock in the
afternoon. His body lies at the john
son & Connell morgue, in room apart
from the other dead.
Just before noon Commander Young
ordered a rollcall on board the Ben
nington. 1t showed 81 men present,
leaving 1856 unaccounted for These
include the dead, injured and miss
ing. Commander Young believes some
OF the missing men were drowned and
that their bodies will be found in the
bay.
Bodies Visible in Wreck
When all the victims had been re-
moved from the Bennington, at least all
that could be reached, the officers set
about to explore the boiler rooms.
When the Associated Press representa-
tive went aboard the Bennington att
half past o'clock this evening Lieur.
Yates, who was in command, was
directing the work of searching theI
lower part of the vessel. He declined 10
make any sort Of statements, but from
a warrant officer and several seamen
it was learned that at least seven bodies
were visible from point above the
bulkhead and efforts were being made
to reach them. Owing to the disar-
rangement Of the electrical plant, work
was carried on with difficulty.
An examination of the Bennington
above decks did not disclose any great
damage. The vessel was covered with
a, gray colored mud which smeared
everything. even the sides of the ves-
sell There were broken gangways and
displaced machinery of minor char
aeter. but no serious damage to the
main deck was visible. 1t was ex
plained by those on board that the
wreckage was all below, but just how
serious this is will be fully determined
only after a thorough examination.
This cannot be made until the water
has been pumped out and the vessel
rishted. Commander Young declined
to make any official statement for pub
lieation. He said, however, to a re-
porter this afternoon that he believed
the disaster was caused by the explo-
sion of boiler d in the port side and
that boiler B, while not exploding, had
been damaged, allowing the steam 10