Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-23

practitioners were dressing the terrible in
iuries and. In other ways showing their
self-sacrihcng efforts for the brave boys
of the Bennington.
DR.. NJ H. Foster, himself almost an in
valid on leave from his post at the Marine
hospital on Puget Sound, came bravely to
the front yesterday and took entire charge
Of the injured. When seen today at Agnew
hospital he was lying upon a couch and
smilingly confessed that he was "all in"
Although suffering from a long period of
nervous prosteration, DR.. Fosters services
In the terrible ordeal which followed yes
terday's disaster have been invaluable.
McCalIa VIII Investigate.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 22--Rear Admiral
McCalla, commandant Of the navy yard at
Mare island, upon hearing OF the blowing
up of the Bennington's boilers, dispatched
the tug Fortune from Port Hartford to San
Diego to assist in the recovery Of the bodies
30 far he has received no explanation Of
the cause Of the accident, but Captain
Drake has instructions to investigate the
AFFAIR and report upon what he can ascer-
tain regarding the cause.
II Surgeon Smith considers II advisable
the wounded men will be brought here by
special train and the naval hospital is
ing to the latest advices from San Diego
the official list of casualties shows forty
one dead. nine of the victime being as yet
unidentified. The list OF wounded numbers
fifty-hve, sixteen of whom, including one
unidentified man, are in serious condition.
The only officers included in the list OF
victims Of the disaster are Ensign N. X.
Perry, who died from the effects OF
his wounds; Ensign Leo Sahm, right
hand was scalded The latter's injuries
were dressed by the ships surgeons and he
did not go to the hospital.
The city of San Diego loaded a fire engine
upon a lighter and ran it alongside the
Bennington where It lies beached, and 1t
is now being used to pump out the vessels
engine room. AS the vessel now lies
beached It has a heavy cant to starboard,
and at least fifteen feet Of water in its
hold
The number of men reported missing at
last reports is estimated at from twenty-one
to twenty-five and 1t is feared that when the
worst is known the list of dead will be
! largely increased.
A roll call ordered by Commander Young
on board the Bennington some hours after
the explosion showed sixty-one men pres
| ent, leaving 1856 unaccounted for. These
included the dead. injured and missing.
Commander Young believes that some OF,
the missing men were drowned. and that
their bodies will be found in the bay.
President Expresses Regret.
OYSTER BAY, July 22.-Presdent Roose-
welt was greatly shocked at the news Of
the disaster to the gunboat Bennington In
the harbor OF San Diego. Beyond express
| ing profound regret he chose, however,
to reserve expression on the matter until
he should have received complete details.
Commander Young Reports.
WASHINGTON. July 22-The details of
the explosion on the United States gum
boat Bennington at San Diego. as ascer-
talned by Commander Lucien Young we're
received at the Navy department at u;lb
| o'clock tonight in a long telegram from
the commander. 1t appears from the tele-
gram that small leak had been discov-
cred In boiler and the boilermaker was
on his, way to repair It and was passing
through the engine room when the explo-
sion occurred. The dispatch follows:
SAN DIEGO, Cal, July 22-Secretary OF
stevedorss and ia6oTers from shore and
to recover dead still under wreckage and
boilers; l believe principal leak Is at bot
tom below pipe and leak under rudder head.
Ship at high tide is filled with water two
, feet above main deck on lower side. An
| other engine was employed last night to
pump out water, but was unsuccessful. 1
am now. rigging big centrifugal pump.
Hope will be able to pump out water.
am OF the opinion that the cause OF
the accident, as far as l can ascertain.
was small leak In boiler b. BoilermAker
was on his way to repair It, and was pass
ing through engine room when accident
occurred Boiler b was forced to stern
through It's bulkhead and came in contact
with boiler D. which was also forced
! through ITS bulkhead and both boilers ex-
ploded with two close explosions.
| There was no noise, only a thick thud
which tlled the ship from stem to stern full
OF sealding steam, SCOT and ashes, even
| 50 much so that main deck was unin-
habitable, and those that were not blown
| overheard jumped overheard for air, and
In my opinion many OF these were drowned,
for / still have seventeen missing that
| cannot be accounted for.
LUCIEN YOUNG. Commander.