The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-07-26
The BOILERS WERE BAD
Reported Leaking Just Before the Ves'
sci Was Blown Up.
SAN DIEGO HOSPITALS ARE FILLED.
1be Deae GIvsn q Military Burial Sunday
Afternoon at Point Loms-The Doctors
ssd Nunes Worked all Night al Hos
pitsis- Fifteen Bodies Believed to Be 10
the Hold Of the Vessel

San Diego, Cal (Spccial) That the
boilers OF the United States gunboai
Remington, which was blown up Friday
we're known to be weak was stated by
surviving members OF the crew
The following is the gunboat Benning-
son's casualty summary.
Total known dead, 90.
Rudies recovered, 40.
BODIES in ship compartment, 7.
Missing (may be drowncd), IS.
Severely injured, so.
Probably fatally injured, O.
Probable ultimate total number OF
dead. 81
A number of men are still missing.
Soiuc q these may be dead. and proi>
ably dozen Of the injured will die OF
their wounds
Fireman +. G. Hopp made the FRS,
definite statement regarding the cause OF
tie accident a short time before the
explosion. he says. one of the boilers was
found 20 be leaking badly, and the boil
eunaker was sent for to repair the dam
Sge Before the latter came the eXp.o-
sion occurred. Hopp saw men all about
him killed outright, and he himself was
stunned for moment
a Honolulu dispatch relates that the
Bennmgtou's boilers were leaking when
she left that harbor Repairs were made
to others parts OF the machinery at Hon.
Ulnlu, but the boilers were not repaired
The men who were injured say II has
been the talk uf the ship for six months
gllat the boilers were defective, aud many
0f them had feared for long time that
Iust such an accident would happen
Oug 0f the men said that a year age
last February. while the ship was al
Magdalena bay the engineer Of III,
vruiser New York was sent for TO in
spect the boilers, and he reported tha
fhey we're IN good condition. While th'
vessel vas III San Francisco last yea
the talk OF defective boilers again arose
but no steps were taken 10 remedy them
That the naval officers knew the DOLL
Frs were not strong is indicated by th'
fact that before the gunboat departed
on the trip 10 Honolulu the boilers wer
specially inspected. and the Inspector de
tided that the boilers were strong enOuGl
20 enable the vessel to make the voyag
o. Hawaii and reiUrn to the Mare lslln'
Nasy Yard
The upper deck amidship presents
mass Ui wrcclcagc The smOkcstack
have been blown ont Of place and ih
superstruc.ure Is bent and twisted in al
sorts Of shapes The plates on the sid
are bulging out aud leaks in a numbc
81 places are letting in the water
John Turpin. colorcd. who was OF
board the Maine when she was blow
ED in Havana was on board the Ben
uington and again escaped injury. II
rendered valuable aid in rescuing tn
dead and wounded.
Every effort aboard the Bennngto
was bent toward reaching the dea
bodies beneath the steel bulkheads D
the closed and flooded compartments.
are engine from the local fire depart
uIent was utilized 10 pump out the waite
which during the night and mornin
periods OF high tide rose high IN th
engine and boiler rooms.
Out OF the confusion that followed th
disaster and the work Of rescue com
thrilling stories OF hcroism and sell
sacrifice The bravery Of the crew WA
phenomenal Men who were badly IN
iured and Scalded worked to rcscu
those who were worse uf than them
selves. The seli-sacrihcing efforts @
She part OF the physicians and scores q
nurses also won high praise. Evcryon
who could be made useful at the ho'
qItals was put 10 work.