The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-22
BENNINGTON BLAME. ON WADE.
NAVAL COURT SAYSENSIGN'S NEG
LECT CAUSED DISASTER.

NAVAL COURT sAYSENSIGN'S Neg
LECT CAUSED DISASTER.
Failed 70 See That steam Gage Was smut
or and Had Not Overhauled safety
Valves % Ordered 10
Recomm ended-Three Dead Blamed.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2i.-The proceenmes
Of the court Of inquiry which investigated
the accident on the gunhoat Bennington,
in the harbor at San Diego. Cal. on the
morning OF July 81, which resulted In the
death OF nearly sixty men and the injury
Of half hundred have reached the Navy
Department.
Ensign Charles r. Wade, chief engineer
officer Of the gunboat. is charged with neg
ect Of duty. and the court recommends
that he be conrt-martialed.
Three enlisted men, members OF the
working force in the fire room Of the Ben
ninaton all Of whom we're killed, are held
partially to blame for the disaster by neg
ect Of duty. These men were d. N. Hoi-
land, fireman. second class; Frank Detonr-
,ani. oier acting water tender at the time
Of the eNplO6iOn)s ohu e. o. ''B"ooiis
chief machinist's mate.
The explosion on the Bennington was
caused, according to the written opinion OF
the court, by excessive steam pressure In
boiler r, which was the hrst to explode.
That explosion forced boiler B aft upon
boiler D, which in turn exploded. The
connections Of all four Boilers Of the vessel
were broken and the eoeiding steam, carry
ing with it water, ashes and fire, went with
terrific force all over The ship.
The closing OF the valve connecting
boiler B with its steam gage, instead Of
the shutting OF Of the aircock' alone a was
intended, rendered the steam gage use
less. not a pound Of steam being recorded.
Even this was not noticed by the fire room
workers.
The pressure On the boiler went rapidly
higher and higher under heavy firing In
the furnaces, and the boiler succumbed
to the strain in its weakest place, afterward
found to Be a corrugated hne OF the lowest
or middle furnace. This collapsed with the
terrible result which marks the Bennington
disaster as the worst accident ever known
to the American navy. Holland, It IL shown,
shut of the wrong valve. Courtani and Fer
e,pon failed to observe the gage Is 1t was
their duty to do.
Ensign Wade is held culpehle because
he failed to SEQ that the sentinel and safety
valves on boiler B were n good working
order.
So far as The court could learn through
It's investigation there was nothing to show
that the safety valves blow Oh at any time
during the morning Of the accident. It was
shown, too, that there was no record Of tho
safety valve Of boiler B having been over
hauled since July, 1904 although orders
were given to do this In March last; but
there is no record to show that tbs orders
were carried out
It was shown that Ensign Wade accepted
the state mont OF subordinates that the
safety valves were in good condition and
eet according to the pressure which was
being put on the boilers. Furthermore 1t
was shown that the safety valves were
set TO blow OF at las pounds pressure. al
though several weeks before the accident
orders had been given not to carry more
than $50 or 1856 pounds Of steam. The safety
valves were not changed. although this
order was clearly understood. was shown
also that the handgear for working the
safety valve was not In working order.
The proceedings OF the court indicate
that there was great negligence In the
engine room OF the Bennington. Notwith-
standing the fact that the steam gage on
boiler B showed no pressure, the firing was
pushed heavily. d. N. Holland, second
class fireman, was firing boiler B at the
time OF the explosion, a. well ss before.
He Is held to blame for shutting Oh, by
mistake, the valve connecting boiler
and the steam gage, instead Of shutting
of the aircock a. directed by Frank
Courtani, the acting watertender. Courtani
told Holland to shut OF the siroock. and
Holland Immediately climbed up and closed
valve. The steam gage immediately failed
to show pressure. No one observed that
the gage was not working, and the firing
went on.
The opinion Of the court in part = as
follows:
THE court is Of the opinion that the
explosion was caused by excessive steam
pressure in boiler B, which came about,
arst by shutting the valve con-
Meeting the boiler with the steam
gage, instead Of the valves on the air
cock alone as was intended, 90 that the
steam gage did not indicate the pressure
IN the boiler; second, BY unusual and heavy
firing in the boiler to get up q pressure
which the gage failed to show; third. by
the failure Of the sentinel and safety valves
to lift at the pressure for which they were
set, and the pressure increased without
relief until il was beyond the strength Of
the boiler, which gave way in It's weakest
part. afterward found to be the corrugated
nue OF No. 2, the lowest or middle furnace,
which collapsed.
The court is Of the further opinion that
further proceedings should Be had In the
case Of Ensign Charles T. Wade. United
States Navy, who was in charge Of the engi-
neering department. Of the United States
ship Bennington at the time Of the
explosion and since Oct ~. 1904, in this,
that he, the said Ensign Charles T. Wade,
Cniteu states Navy. did fail m his own
person to zee that the safety valve on boiler
B was overhauled at the proper time and
kept in good working order, but did accept
the verbal statement Of his subordinate or
ssubordinates that 1t had been overhauled in
March, 1905.
And further. that he, the said Ensign
Charles T. Wade, United States Navy,
did fail to keep the sentinel valves on the
boilers in good vorkin9 OrtSer