The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-22

ton which had been summoned added to the excitement. Every physician who could be reached by telephone was called to the water front. Within a comparatively short time nearly a dozen physicians were on the scene and attending the wounded.
 dozen or fifteen were blown over board by the force of the terrific ex- plosion. Captain Wentworth. who was looking at the Bennington when the disaster occurred. says he saw human bodies hurled over hundred feet up- ward. The air was black with the smoke which enveloped the ship When 1t cleared away only few men could be seen on the decks. while number were foundering In the water. A boat was lowered from the vessels side and most of them were picked tin and taken on board. The shock of the explosion penetrated every section of the ship, blood and ashes being found as far as the stern of the captains cabin. Portions of the upper deck were carried away and great damage was done in all sections.
 Most of the dead were taken ashore where the undertakers and physicians were assembled. the former to take charge of the dead and the latter to minister to the needs of the living. The bodies of many of the men taken tHe WTtChGQ oI tHS were mutilated almost beyond recog- milton. The faces of many were cov- cred with blood and ashes. Comman- der Young, as soon as he reached the ship. gave orders that the alright compar rtments be closed to prevent the listing ship sinking and that the mag azines be flooded to avoid further ex- plosions. Temporary quarters ashore were arranged for the wounded and si vt UO1nnfaerad hurriad in launches to the relief of those on the ill-fated ship.
 Some of the volunteers were unable to stand the sickening sight w<lch met their gaze on the Bennington. As fast as the wounded could be removed they were hurried in ambulances, car riages, wagons and automobiles to the hospitals.
 Removing Bodies.
 For a long time the hot steam pre- vented access to the space between decks, where most of the dead bodies lay, and 1t was not until late in the afternoon that the last were removed from the boiler rooms. Several bod les were so tightly wedged in by q bulkhead that the woodwork had to be hewn away to free them. Most of the bodies yet unidentified have been mangled beyond hope of recogni- tion. ..# The boiler which exploded. 1t Is said, was regarded as unsafe Commander Young stated that during a recent re- turn from Honolulu the steam pres- sure was kept reduced in that partic- ular one. When the explosion occurred the en- | gineer was inspecting rne boilers as | a preliminary to the vessels leaving l port and he was not serIously injured. Officers and men who were able to assist in the rescue acted In brave manner Pumps were used to keep the water from the upper compartments. the magazine was flooded and men | fought their way through the steam into the darkened hold to search for their comrades Tn the worst danger. | and when 1t was feared the ship would sink before she could be beached, the young officers and men stuck manfully | to their posts.
 Albert H. Ryan of this city who was rowing near the ship at the time of the accident plunged into the water and was rescued by several sailors. | The ships inner works are tangled mass of machinery and she probably will have to be dismantled in order to examine her injuries.
 l Lieutenant Yates, executive officer in charge of the Bennington at the time of the disaster, was .n the aft cabin. He rushed out to be met by a blinding, scalding cloud of steam as 1t swept the vessel. Speaking of the occur renee he said: T remained seated in my chair several seconds after 1t oc- cured and did not know what had happened I then rushed out and the steam. even at the extreme part of the shin. was so dense that l could not get a breath of aIr untII I ascended the rail"
 So TerribIy Many.
 | "As ran forward I passed one of
 our hovs crawling along on his stom- l ach There was no time to attend to
 individual cases-there were so many
 anJ they seemed almost like an indis- tjnct memory to me. About thirty of
 the boys were on the foredeck. all bad ly wounded. l called for men to man
 the boats. and only about twelve. in
 cInding oflcers. responded All of the
 rest were injured or had been driven
 over inc side by the scaldlng steam. | Although I did not anticipate l great deal of danger from the nature | of the explosion. I immediately had all | the compartments closed and the for l ward magazines flooded.
 | Afterwards ths after magazine was
 also flooded to assure safety. The boat