The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-07-25

carriages and scraps OF engines and
boilers were heaped indiscriminately
Two of the guns were gone and
magazine, which is believed to have
exploded almost simultaneously with
the boiler, left nothing more than a
great gaping powder bsgrimmed hole.
The plates are buckled and the inner
works are
TORN TO SPLINTERS.
Much of the upper works were thrown
into the water by the force of the ex-
plosion, which also carried away 4
section of the upper deck from stem
to stern.
It Is reported that Lieutenant Yates,
who was temporarily in charge of the
mander Young, who was ashore, was
frightfully scalded, and it is believed
that he is dead.
Excepting Lieutenant Blue, who
was yesterday removed to hos
pital to undergo an operation for
appendicitis, Commander Young is
the only officer of the vessel to es-
cape injury.
Engineer Nelson, it is known, wa
personally making an inspection OF
the boilers, preliminary to leaving
port and had found everything all
right and was about to give orders to
put on steam when the
EXPLOSION OCCURRED.
He was blown back into one of the
store rooms and injured, but not ia
tally. '..
Ensign Perry, the officer of the day.
was on the forward deck, directly
above the boilers and 1t is believed
that he is fatally injured.
The engine crew were all at their
places when the explosion occurred.
The explosion was followed by the
outpouring of flames. scalding water
and smoke. This
CAUGHT EVERY MAN
in the boiler room and engine room,
of the men high into the air and in.
to the water.
In the panic others jumped into the
bay and were picked up by the boats
which soon arrived. To step up the
gang plank and board the ship, it was
necessary to step over the bodies of
three dead boys.
Those sailors who were uninjured
and in condition to work about the
vessel, behaved in a heroic manner
and did not stop work until everybody
and every injured man who could be
reached had been sent ashore.
HORRIBLE SCENES. .,,.,
The scenes at the morgues and hos
pitals tonight are horrible. The vic.
Tins were blackened by cinders and
besmeared with blood. Very few were
badly torn, the injuries in most cases
the skin hung in ribbons from the un.
fortunate seamen's arms, legs and
bodies
At the morgues some of the vic,
tins are so horribly disfgured that
they cannot be identified by friends
PRESIDENT HEARS NEWS.
Oyster Bay, N. Y, July 21.-Presi
dent Roosevelt first learned of the
disaster to the Bennington from the
Publishers Press representative al
p. m. He was inexpressibly shocked
at the sad news, but voiced the hope
that the first reports of the tragedy
had been exaggerated.
AT G p. m. the first official news
was received at the executive offices
in the shape of a telegram from AS
sistant Secretary Darling of the navy
, department, which was as follows:
Navy Department, Washington, ID
c., July 81.
"The President, Oyster Bay, l..
Commander Lucien Young. com
manding the Bennington, has tele
graphed that boiler exploded at 10: 81
a. m on board that vessel; nearly
everybody killed or wounded. De
partment has received no details yet
, Have ordered commandant Mare Is
sible assistance.
(Slgned) Charles H. Darling"
OHIO MEMBERS OF CREW.
} Washington, July 21-The navy de
partment at s o'clock tonight wa
still anxiously awaiting tadvices from
} Commander Young of the gun boa
Bennington. In the absence of DEF
mite advices of the dead and injured
J the department gave out list of th'
: crew. Among others are the follow
ing:
George f. Brock, Newburg, Ohio.
+ Adam Burg, Cleveland, o.. r. Burg
7 AZ Hoffman street. father.
o. o. Diedrich, Lorain, o.
/ L. A. '5reis, Silvania, D.
F,,J. Hala, Cleveland. o.
} II. Il, Hise, Columbus, o.
r c. Shively. Touchdown, o.
William Staub. Beloit, o.