The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-22
BENNINGTON DEAD
WILL NUMBER 90
Continued from First Page.
where Commander Young Immediately
took charge

took charge.
On board the Bennington were pre-.
sented terrible things. The force Of
the explosion had blown great hole in
the starboard side Of the ship and the
vessel sea+i was ALREADY commencing to list.
ried away from stem to stern. Debris
and wreckage were distributed over the
entire ship, the forward cabin and deck
in the vicinity of the boiler resembled
a charnel house. Over it all hung the
cloud OF white smoke, which drifted
slowly toward the Coronado shore.
The news OF the explosion spread rap
IDLY. Al first some of theareports were
that more than half the crew had been
killed. This was later modified, the
rumor having it that the dead would
at least reach seventy-fve.
A dozen or fifteen persons were blown
overheard by the force Of the explosion.
Captain Wentworth said he saw human
bodies hurled more than fifteen feet
| upwards.
The air was black with smoke that
enveloped the ship. When it cleared
away, only few men could be seen on
the ship, while many were floundering
IN the water. A boat was lowered from
the. vessel s side and most of them were
picked up. '
Part Of Deck Carried Away.
The shock Of the explosion penetrated
a considerable distance, parts Of the
boilers being. found at the after part
OF the captain 8 cabin, while portions
of the after deck were carried away.
| Most Of the dead and injured were
taken ashore, where the undertakers
and physicians were summoned, the for
mer taking charge of the dead and the
latter mln1sterlng to the needs of the
living. ...,-,.7 -. - :
The bodies of the mon killed in the
interior of the ship were mutilated al
most beyond recognition. The faces of
many were covered with blood and
gashes aI.
Commander Young, as soon as he
reached the ship, gave orders that the
avoid further listing and sinking of
the ship, and that. the magazines be
flooded in order to avert further ex-
plosions .--...s.-..
Shore Quarters for Wounded.
Temporary quarters ashore were ar.
ranged for the wounded and sixty cit
liens volunteered and hurried in
launches to the relief Of those on the
Inflated ship. Some of the rescuers
sight that met their gaze on the Ben:
nington.
AS fast as could be the wounded
were hurried in ambulances, automo.
biles, carriages, ETC., to the hospitals.
1t was not until late in the after.
noon that the last Of the bodies was
removed from the boiler room. Some
of the bodies were tightly wedged in
by a bulkhead. The woodwork had tc
the bodies yet unidentified have been
mangled almost beyond hope Of recog
milton. :" :.
Officers and men who escaped being
injured acted in brave and cool man
ner. The pumps were manned, the mag.
azines were flooded and the men CROPPED
theiruway thru the smoke into the hold
to search for their comrades. At the
time Of greatest danger, when it was
thought the ship would sink, the young
Officers and rIpea stack TOO their posts
manfully. esS4 slt ID betFsg;5e ~ sa .... -
The ship = inner works are tangled
mass Of machineryecand she will prob
ably have: to be dismantled IN order to
examine her injuries. j'I I.,s H.. =.
! Wreckage All Below Decks.
An examination of the Bennington
above deck did not disclose any. great
damage. The vessel was covered with
a gray coating, the color of ashes The
escaping steam carried a gray colored
mud which smeared everything, even
the sides of the vessel. There were
broken gangways and displaced ma
chinery of minor character, but no seri
GUS damage to the main deck was visi
BILE.
1t was explained by those on board
that the wreckage was all below, but
! just how serious this is will be fully
determined only after thoro examina
tion can be made. This cannot be MADE
until the water has been pumped and
the vessel righted.. Commander Young
declined to make any official statement
for publication. He said, however, that
he believed the disaster was caused by
the explosion Of boiler "D' on the
not exploding, had been damaged. al
lowing the steam to escape and added
to the horrors Of the catastrophe.
Dispute Over Boiler.