The Tupelo journal., 1905-07-28

[ Ilkti% aJft d4lA CsluSAVO4c4 u S&FE Lid
assistance possible. BY ths~t.nse the
Ramona had arrived many sailors Of
tbs bennington who had jumped into
the bay to escape the scaling steam,
had been rescued, and the rem oval Of
the wounded, wh.cn already had been
commenced, was being conducted in
perfect order, The crews of the Santa
Fe, De Rusxey AID McK.n'sy and the
other boats prssert lent yeoman aid
IN picking Up the wounded sailors and
transferring them to the shore.
Commander Young Was AxhG-e.
At the time of the accident Com
mander Lucien Young and Surgeon f.
Il. Peck were on shore. The two OFF,
GERS, as soon as they learned of the dis
aster, hurried to the water front,
where Commander Young took charge.
On board the Bennington were pre-
sented terrible scenes. The force Of the
explosion had torn a great hole in the
starboard side of the ship and the yes
sci was already commencing to list. A
section OF the upper deck was carried
away from stem to stern. Blood and
wreckage was distributed over the en-
tire ship, the after cabin and this vicin-.
ity of the ship adjacent to the explod-
ed boiler resembling a charnel house.
Over it all hung a great cloud of white
smoke which drifted slowly toward the
Coronado shore.
The news OF the explosion spread
over the city like wildfre. At first
some of the reports were that over half
the crew had been killed. This was
later modified, the rumor having it
that the dead would at least reach rs.
Aid For the Injured.
The scene of hurrying ambulances,
hacks, carriages of every description
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 doz-
en- were on the scene and attending the
wounded.
A dozen or fifteen men were blown
overheard by the force of the terrific
explosion. Capt. Wentworth, who was
looking at the Bennington when the
disaster occurred, says he saw human
bodies hurled over a hundred feet up
ward. The air was black with smoke
which enveloped the ship. When It
cleared away only a few men could be
seen on the decks, while a number were
flounderiSg in the water. A boat was
lowered from the vessels side and most
of them were picked up and taken on
board.
Mutilated Beyond Recognition.
The bodies of many of the men from
the wrecked interior of the ship were
mutilated almost beyond recognition.
Commander Young, as soon as he
reached the ship, gave orders that the
air tight compartments be closed to
prevent the listing ship sinking and
that the magazines be flooded to avert
further explosions. Temporary quar-
ters ashore were arranged for the
wounded, and many citizens volun-
teered and hurried in launches to the
relief of those on the Inflated ship.
Some of the volunteers were unable TO
stand the sickening sight which met
their gaze on the Bennington. AS fast
as the wounded could be removed they
were hurried in ambulances, carriages,
wagons and automobiles to the hos
pitfalls.
Was Inspecting the Boilers.
When the explosion occurred, Engin-
eer Nelson was inspecting the boilers
as a preliminary to the vessels leaving
port. He was not seriously injured.
officers and men who were able to as
sist in rescue acted in a brave and col
lected manner. Pumps were manned
to keep the water from the upper COM
partments, the magazine flooded, and
men fought their way through the
steam into the darkened hold to search
for the their comrades. In the worst
danger, and when it was feared the
ship would sink before she could be
beached the young officers and men
stuck m~anfully to their posts.
The ships inner works are a tangled
mass of machinery and she probably
will have to be dismantled in order to
examine her injuries.
Casualties OmciaIly Reported.
Washington, July 22.-The " de-
partment has received a dispatch from
Commander Young saying that Lieut..
Perry and 33 men are dead; 70
wounded and 81 missing and that
many are expected to die before morn
ing. He adds that there were 131
casualties altogether.
Not since the Inflated battleship
Maine was blown up in Havana har-
Dor has the department been obliged to
record a disaster to mi of the AmerI-
men-of-war so fearful as that OF Fiji
day. Engineer officers do not recall
when a boiler has exploded aboard a
warship of the United States. Mlshaps
have occurred il the boilercom, but
with slight loss of life or injuries, but
they were u~nprepared to hear OF an ex-
plosion of such magnitude.
1t was learned at the headquarters OF
the marine corps that no marines were
aboard the Bennington. Gen. Elliott,
commandant of the corps, hurried over
to the navy department upon learning
Of the explosion and eagerly sought
the details.
Prominent PrOhibitiOnist Dead.
Ann Arbor, Mich, July 22.-Judge
Noah w. Cheever, of this city, a prom
inent prohibtionist, died at his home
from apoplexy. He was IS.
The visible Cotton supply.
New Orleans, July 22.-Secretary
uortor,r ctatnmnnf Of The worlds YiSi-