The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-23
vessel. Undetermined number Of men men
5still missing.
Cause Of EXPLOSION. If

ltVG6Spl.{4 lluuClVl y
sgtill missing.
Cause Of Explosion.
58& little or no progress In the Work OF
ton to-day. The water Ind risen sun w
\ higher IN the holds, and II was imnossi-
Sb le 10 reach the bodies known TO be
hidden beneath the decks It IS he
Fl lleyed at least fifteen bodies VIII be
y found in the vessel a fire tug with a
powerful pump will be used to empty
the hold OF water and give the workers
an opportunity to reach The dead.
~ Commander Young to-day requested
Chief OF Police Thomas to arrest all
members Of the Bennington's crew VINO
may be ashore without passes. II, TINS
wuy. COMMANDER Young hopes 10 arrive
at a correct estimate OF the missing, as
we'll as to prevent descrtlons.
Commander Young expressed the opin-
Ion that there was IL weak spot In one
Of the boilers, but said there had peeh
no visible defects so far as he knew.
The men who were. injured tell dll-
ferent story. They say that 1t has been
4 the talk Of the ship for at least SIX
months that the boilers wore defective;
many of them had feared for long
Z time that Just such an accident would
happen. One Of them said that a year
ago last February, while the ship was
at Mugdnlcnn Bay, the engineer Of the
cr,,scd was sent for to inspect the boilers,
and he reported that they were III sond
4 condition. While the vessel was in San
Francisco last year the talk of defective
boilers again arose. but no steps were
taken to remedy them.
The upper deck amidshp presents
mass of wreckagc. The smokestacks
have blown out of place, and the SUPER
structure is bent and twisted in all sorts
of shapes. The plates on the side are
1 buls'ng out. and leaks in q number of
places are letting In tho water.
John Turpin. a colored man Of the
crew. who was on board the Maine when
she was blown up In Havana, was on
board 2the Bennington. and again os-
capped injury. He rendered valuable mid
rescuing the dead and wounded.
Thrilling Stories Of Heroisn.
Out OF the confusion that followed
the disaster and the work of rescue
come thrilling stories Of heroism and
self-sacrifice. The bravery of the crew
was commented on by all who had OPP
portunities to witness the scenes. Men
who were badly injured and scalded,
worked to rescue those who were worse
off than themselves. and all the special
instances of fcroism Of the disaster
probably will never be fully written
The self sacrificing efforts On the part
Of the physicians and scores of nurses
were also commented on with praise for
all. Every one who could be mace use
full at the hospitals was put TO work,
and those who could not We're asked TO
return and relieve those who were ac-
cepted.
Fireman f. G. Hopp makes the first
statement as to the cause OF the accl-
dent. he says that shortly before me
exnlos;on one Of the boilers was found
IN he leaking badly, and the boilermaker
was sent for to repair the damage. Re
fore the latter came the explosion oc-
Cured. Hopp saw men all about MN
lil,ed outright and he himself was stun
ned for moment.
The dead will be given a military burial
Sunday afternoon at the military reserva-
ton at Point Iona. Services Will be heid
at o'clock on the Point and launches
will convey across the bay the living OIL
GERS and men able to attend
Scenes in Hospital.
scenes at the hospitals to-day were
irving TO those unused to them. At AZ
rev Sanitarum thirty-seven men lay
swathed in bandages. many of them nav
ing their features covered with masks
Of medicated cotton, with only openings
for the mouth and nosrils. Nearly all
suffered severely about the hands and
neck.
Not more than three men were In any
one room, and the arrangements for
caring for them were complete In every
detail There were nurses and to spare.
Every one of the poor fellows had at his
bedside trained nurse. who anticipated
every movement, and did everything to
assuase pain.
Many physicians, volunteers from among
capable practitioners, were dressing the
fprrihlp I'M lrtnS and In other Shnw-
ing their sclf-sacrificinG efforts for the
brave boys of the Bennington.
Or. NJ. II. Foster. himself almost an
invalid, on leave from his post at the
marine hospital on Puget Sound, came
bravcly to the front yesterday and took
entire charge OF the injured. When
seen to-day ut Agnew Hospital. he was
lying upon couch and smlingly con-
fessed that he was "all in. Although
suffering from q long Eerod of nervous
prostraton. Dr. Fosters services In tho
terrible ordeal that followed yesterdays
disaster have been invaluable.
Conspicuous among those at Agnew's
to-day was tao venerable Spanish priest.
Father uielch: of st. Joscph's Parish,
who went from cot to cot speaking words
of comfort and cheer to the suffering
sailors.
DR.. Gochnaucr. In charge of Agnew
Santarium IL one OF the heroes OF the
disaster. Hc 1t was who looked after
every detail OF caring for the Injured
during the hours Immediately following