The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-07-25
rHp AFrERNooN REPORT.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 2l.-The main
starboard boiler of the Bennington,
forward of the smokestack, is the one
which exploded. The explosion was
witnessed by hundreds of people on
shore and from the piers, also by many
In pleasure craft and ferryboats.
Bodies and fragments of bodies were
hurled high in the air amid the frag-
ments of the vessel Launches and
ferryboats picked up the bodies of the
dead and dying in the water, and saved
many of the wounded. They were con-
yeyed from the wharf to San Diego
hospitals in wagons.
Lieutenant Perry is one OF the
wounded He is burned beyond hope
OF recovery.
Commander Lucien Young was on
shore at the time Of the explosion. he
was soon on board and ordered the
watertight compartments closed, to
prevent the damaged vessel from sink
ing. She has been beached.
LIEUT.. BLUE NOT ON BOARD.
An injected line into the Bulletins
Associated Press dispatch, announcing
the Bennington disaster, caused many
To believe that Lieutenant Victor Blue
had been among the victims. 1t ap-
pears. however, that the popular ofhcer
was not on board. nor even in san
Diego at the time On Thursday p. m.
at three, Mrs. Blue, who had been lett
here when her husband sailed away In
the Bennington, received the following
cablegram at the Royal Hawaiian Ho-
tel:
"Los Angeles, July 90.
SNARE Island Hospital. Convalescent
No danger. Come"
This was signed by her husband. Aid
ed by friends here, Mrs. Blue hurriedly
packed and caught the transport War
rem, sailing for San Francisco at p.
m. Her little boy, and the child 5
nurse. were left behind. OF course,
Mrs. Blue had heard nothing of the
Bennington disaster when she left, for
the very good reason That 1t had not
occurred. Lieutenant Blue has been
subject heretofore to severe attack of
appendicitis, and Mrs Blue left town
under the impression that 1t was the
old complaint that had attacked him.
and that he had been taken to Mare
Island to be cared for. The incident
covers a remarkable coincidence.
1t was known here that on the ar
rival of the Bennington at San Diego,
Lieut.. Blue was under orders to leave
the vessel Immediately and proceed to
Mare Island to undergo examination 1t
is said, for promotion. The vessel
was to remain a week at San Diego
Blue was to rejoin the gunboat there
and the vessel was then to proceed To
Costa Rica and Panama.
\ BENNINGToN's VISIT HERE.
The Bennington left Honolulu at
o'clock Sunday morning, June 8, pro-
ceeding thence to Kalaupapa, Molokai
with Acting Governor Atkinson, Land
Commissioners Pratt and others aboard
, Governor Atkinson inspected the site
Of the new Federal leprosarium. Th'
gunboat brought the officials back tC
Honolulu late Sunday afternoon, send
ing them ashore in launch, and be
fore dark the warship was under wa!
again for San Diego. She was to max
e trip in about nine d. IS The Ben
1ington arrived there Wednesday morn
Ing. July 10.
II Is said by those who are In tn
know that the starboard boiler of tn
guboat was leaking while the yes
was In Honolulu and that for thi
reason she did not leave here Sunda
morning. July .. until two hours aftC
the time scheduled for her departur
The Lieut.. Perry referred to as hay