The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-07-26
UNSAFE BOILER
On the American Gunboat Ben
nington Exploded Friday.
THIRTY-NINE DEAD.

Capt. ,Lucieu Young, in Command, Wa
Ashore at the Time. The Vessel is
Almost a Complete Loss, aad
it Was Necessary to
Beach Her.
Thirty.nine members OF the crew
OF the United States gunboat Benning
ton were killed and nearly 100 sailor!
were injured, some fatally, at 10 O'CLOCK
Friday forenoon By a boiler explosion
that disabled the vessel, in San Diego
harbor, Cal. Fifseen sailors are miss
ing. There Were mere than 250 mer
aboard the war ship wien the acci
dent occurred and many men were
hurled OF forced to Jump into the sea
by the terrific explosion, which lifted
part Of the deck and compelled the
beachiDg OF the ship.
Tae Bennington at the time OF the
accident was lying in the stream, jest
off the Com lercial wharf, at b street.
The war ship had received orders from
the navy Department at Washington
to sail Friday morning for Port Hart
ford to meet the moniscr Wyoming
and convey the monitor to Mare Is
land navy yard, San Francisco. Steam
was up and everything was in readi-
ness TOR the departure Of the Ben
nington, when the starboard forward
boiler exploded with deafening roar.
The explosion was terrific People
standing on shore saw huge cloud OF
steam rise above the Bennington.
Columns OF water were forced high
into the air.
A dozen OF ffteen men we're blown
overheard by the force OF the terrific
explosion. Capt. Wentworth, who
was looking at the Bennington when
the disaster occurred, says he saw hu-
man bodies hurled over hundred feet
upward! The air was clouded with
smoke, which enveloped the ship.
When the haze cleared away only a
few men ccu'd be seen on the decks,
while runhaI were Numbering in
the water. A coat was lowered from
the vessels side and most OF the men
in the water were picked Up and taken
aboard.
Ga board the Bennington were pre-
sented terrible scenes. The force OF
the explosion had torn great hole in
the starboard side OF the ship and the
vessel was already commencing to list.
A section OF the upper deck was car
ried away from stem to stern. Blood
and wreckage we're distributed over the
entire ship, the after cabin and that
part OF the ship adjacent to the ex-
ploded boiler resembling charnel
house.
The shock Of the explosion penetrat-
ed every section of the ship, blood and
ashes being found as far as the stern
Of the captains cabin. Great damage
was done in all parts of the vessel. The
boiler which exploded it is stated, was
regarded as unsafe. Commander Young
stated that during recent return
from Honolulu the steam pressure was
kept reduced in that particular one.
At the time Of the accident Cou.
mandsr L aciea Young and Surgeon F.
E. Peck were on shore. The two Of
fcers, as soon as they learned OF the
! disaster, hurried to the water front.
Commander Young, as soon as be
reached the ship, gaze orders that the
air tight com partments be closed to
prevent the listing ship from sinking
and that the magazines be flooded
to avert further explosions. He then
bs ached the ship at high ti3e.
The ferryboat Romona, which was
crossing the bay at the time OF the
accident, changed it's course and bur-
lied to the aid Of the stricken war
ship. The Government lauach Gen.
De RusSey, and a large number OF other
launches and water craft which were
about at the time, also rushed to the
assistance OF the Bennington.
By the time the Ramona reached
ths Bennington many OF the sailors OF
the Bennington, who had Jumped into
the bay to esclpe the scIlding steam.
had been rescued 57 small craft. The
removal OF the wounded from the
ship was conducted il perfect order.
The crews OF the De Rlssey and the
other boats aided in picking up the
wounded sailors and transferring then
to shore. The bodies Of many Of the
men taken from the wrecked interior
of the ship were nutilated almost be.
yond recognition. The faces OF many
were covered with blood and ashes
Some OF the bodies may never be idec'
titled.
| Temporary gu srSers ashore were ar.
ranged for the wounded and sixty
citizens volunteered and hurried il
launches to the relief Of those on the
ship. Some Of the volunteers were
unable to stand the sickening sight
which met their gaZs on the Benning
ton. AS fast as the wounded c.u,C
be removed they were hurried in am
balances, carriages, wagons and auto
mobiles to hospitals. For a long time
the hot steam prevented access to tht
space between decks where most O.
the dead bodies lay, and it was not
until late in the afternoon that th.
last were removed from tie boilel
rooms. Several bodies we're 50 tightly
wedged in by bulkhead that th'
woodwork had to be hewed away tt
free them.
Wnen The explosion occurred, tht
engineer was inspecting the boilers
He was lot seriously injured Otfcer
and men wac we're able to assist ir
the rescue acted in q brave and col
!, lected manner. Pumps we're manned