Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-07-27
THE BENNINGTON HEROES.

States last Sunday was San Diego.
Cal, where, in one long trench were
laid away forty-seven blackened bod
les, the mortal remains of members
of the crew of the gunboat Benning-
ton, which exploded in San Diego
harbor Thursday Throughout the
beautiful western city doctors and
nurses watched by the cots on which
lay scores of wounded men, COM
rades in the crew Of the Inflated ship,
some of whom are destined to lie with
their brothers in the rock bound
trench in the military cemetery over
looking San Diego. Out in the harbor
were more bodies, not yet recovered
by the searchers who have been
watching the surface of the bay since
the explosion, and in the hold of the
Bennington, lying on the beach dis
abled, were still other corpses, in
sight but in positions where the work
ers could not reach them.
The whole nation joins in grief over
the catastrophe of the Bennington.
The sympathy of all is extended to
the relatives and friends of those men
who gave up their lives. The ques-
lion of responsibility is naturally one
of the first to arise While an ex-
haustive investigation will no doubt
be made in the proper way, there is
little likelihood that the matter will
ever be definitely settled. The rec
ords of the department at Washington
make out good case on the surface
for the navy officials. 1t is stated
that the gunboat's boilers had been
recently repaired and that there was
no reason to anticipate the disaster.
1t Is also stated that the boilers and
engines Of all American men-of-war
are inspected every three months
II the facts are as reported the re.
sponsibility must be shifted from the
navy department to the individuals
who are intrusted with the execution
of It's orders. 1t is evident that a
grave fault was committed some
where.
thought that comes from out the
gloom Of the catastrophe. While ii
seems hard tina SO many good men
and true, trained to fight and die in
the cause of their country, should
be taken in a time of profound peace
the blow is softened by the thought
of the courage and heroism Of the
officers and men of the Bennington
The dispatches mentioned in detail
the bravery of the wounded and even
dying men their unselfish devotion
to their comrades and their efforts
often at the cost of their own lives
to save the lives of the Others Mer
whose bodies we're bleeding from
many a cut and cash and others who
were suffering from pains indescrib
able. from scalds worked side by side
unmindful Of their own discomfort, te
save the lives of less fortunate fel
lows who were victims of the explo
sion. In life and in death they were
true to the best traditions of the
American navy.
War is not necessary to prove the
mettle of a hero. Although such trag
edies as the one of Thursday have
been rare in the history of this coun
try, they have never been accompa
MED with the least display of COW
ardice. A few months ago, when al
killing thirty-one men, some of thu
victims spent their last strength tt
save the ship from destruction. Whel
the Maine was blown up in Havan,
harbor and two hundred and fit.
brave men we're carried to thei
deaths, the whole world rang will
praise of the quiet and self-containet
Anthony, who, in the face Of death 1t
self, calmly saluted and reported t,
his superior, Sir, beg to report tina
the ship is sinking"
The bravery of the men of tn,
American navy, in peace as in war
has never been found wanting. TIL
memory of the deeds of those brav
men Of the Bennington is a heritag
than which none nobler could hav
been left to their sorrowinC kins
men and to the nation at large. LIE
the sad story of the Bennington b.
written in the pages Of United State
history, to be guiding hand to FL
ture generations, a beacon light show
Ign the youth of tomorrow an example
set by the youth of today.
DAN LAMONT