The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1905-07-28

Boilers In the United States gunboat
Bennington blew up at San Diego. Cal,
during the forenoon Of Friday. July Il ,
Many were killed outright, and almost
the entire crew were killed or wound
ed. On the July % the list of the dead
numbered 90. On that day ~ were
buried in one grave. On the coast Of
the promontary Iona. high above the
shimmCriug waters OF San Diego bay
and within sound Of the booming surf
Of the Pacific. they were laid to rest in
the little military burying ground
without crash and sound Of drum ana
LTass. without pomp and parade. but
with simple ceremonies all honor was
part to the NATIONS dead. About
them lie those who gave up their lives
In the conquest OF California, and who
followed Commodore Stockton at Old
San Pasqual. These are their neigh
bors In death
On the 23d the following estimate
was made:
Buried In military cemetery at Fort
RUsecrans A., dead now in morgue.
10, awaiting shipment to relatives:
dead in hreroom OF Bennington still
unrecovered, .; total dead, co.
Injured at various hospitals, 49,
Missing lG.
Grand total, 1875.
Of the injured at hospitals, seven or
eight are expected to die Forty-nine
bodies were taken TO the cemetery. but
two were brought back upon tce-
graphic orders for shipment
Ensign pcrry's body has been EN-
balmed and viii be shipped to the
naval cemetery at Annapolis.
Was Preparing so Leave.
The Remington at the time Of the
accident was lying in the stream just
of the Commercial wharf at the foot OF
II street The warship had orders
from the navy department at Washing
ton to sail for Port Hartford, where
she was to meet the monitor Wyoming
and convoy the vessel to the Mare isl
and navy yard. Steam was up and
everything was In readiness for sailing
when suddenly, and without warn
Ing whatever the stnrbonrd forward
boiler exploded with deafening
roar.
The explosion was terrific. People
standing on the shore saw cloud OF
white steam rise above the Bennington
Columns of water were hurled into the
air and for a distance OF nearly twice
tho height of the spars OF the vessel
II was Immediately apparent that an
awful disaster had happened on board
the warship, The ferryboat Ramona
was coming across the bay at the time
of the accident Capt Berteisen, of the
Romona, Immediately gave orders to
change the course OF the boat, and in
stead Of continuing his trip TO San Die
60, side OF the bay, hurried to the
side OF the sinking warship.
Hurried to the Rescue.
The tug Santa Fe. which was tied up
at the Commercial wharf the launch
erll DeRussey. and a large number of
OF .er launches and water craft which
were near the scene at the time, also
ru shed to the assistance of the Ben
nington and endeavored to give what
aFsistance possible. By the time the
Ramona had arrived many sailors Of
the Bennington who had jumped into
the bay to escape the scalding steam,
had been rescued, and the removal OF
the wounded, which already had been
commenced, was being conducted In
perfect order The crews of the Santa
Fe, De Russey and Mckinley and the
other boats present lent yeoman aid
in picking up the wounded sailors and
transferring them to the shore.
Command Yorng Was Ashore.
At the time of the accident Com
mander Lucien Yclng and Surgeon F.
Il. Peck were on shore. The two off,
GERS. as soon as the" learned Of the dis
aster, hurried to the water front,
where Commander Young took charge.
On board the bennington were
presented terrible scenes. The force
of the explosion had torn a great
hole in the starSoard side of the
ship and the vessel was already
commencing to list.
A section of the upper deck was car
riad away from stem tostern. Blood and
w-eckage was distributed over the en-
tire ship, the after cabin and the vicin-
ity OF the ship adjacent to the exp!od-
ed boiler resembling charnel house.