The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-07-22

determine the fun extent of the ships
= The damage is much greater than at
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q AN DIEGO, Cal, July 21.-Broken
y and blackened. with her flag fly
ing at half-mast, her hold filled
with fifteen feet of water. the United
States ship Bennington lies beached on
the shores Of San Diego harbOr. Thir-
ty-uine Of her crew lie> dead at city
morgues. the fate of A dozen more is
as yet undetermined. and three score
are stretched upon beds of pain in va
ri0us hospitals. This is the result of the
explosion which wrecked the trim lit
tie naval craft and wrought such terri
BILE havoc among her crew at half past
10 o'clock this morning.
The placid waters of San Diego bay
have never before been the scene of
such disaster. and San Diego city has
never before been stirred by such
scenes of death and suffering as those
Witnessed tonight.
Scenes at the Morgues.
Twcnty-one dead bodies lie ranged
with gTuesOme precision at Davis &
AndcrsOn'S mOrEue- The stark forms
We're outlined in immaculate winding
sheets. the terrible results of Scaldlng
steam upon the faces plainly showing
though fully hidden beneath the folds.
Thirteen victims were stretched upon
1mpTOvised bieTs at Johnson & Con-
nelI's mOrgue. while five others were to
he seen at Woolman & BradIeys- At
the two latter places the work of the
explosion was terribly in evidence. The
face Of every victim is SCARED and
sCalded. in many cases almost beyond
recognition.
Injured in Hospitals.
Al Agpew hospital tonight are many
injured. suffering in almost every in
stance from scalded bodies. Several
are expected 10 Succumb to their fn1u-
Ties before the night is over
On board the Bennington the un-
harmed members Of the crew are work
ing under great difficulties TO reach the
boiler room and coal buukers where il
IS believed "A dozen bodies are lying
wedEed i'm the wreckage or submerged
In the water which fills that part of
the vessel.
Exact Cause Unknown.
The cause of the explosion. so far as
asccTtained, included boilers B and D
on the port side. but has not yet been
determined. There is much talk among
the crew. especially the irresponsible
members, Of weakened and leaking boil
ers. but until a thorough inspection of
the wrecked boilers can be made no
definite official statement is obtainable-
Preparing to Leave Port.
The Bennington. which arrived at
this port from Honolulu last Wednes-
day forenoon. was preparing to leave
port at half-Dast 10 this morning. and
only awaited the arrival of COmman-
der Lucien Young. who had gone ashore
on official business With steam up and
every preparation for sailing completed.
the vessel swung at anchor half mile
off the SDreckeIs wharf opposite II
street
Officers and crew stood idly about
waiting tho arrival Of the commander
and the order 70 heave anchor. Numer-
Gus small craft sWaTmed about the bay
and the big ferrybOat, Ramona. was
leisurely churning its way from the
Coronado side of the bay.
Explosion of Boiler.
Suddenly there was deep-toned.
rumhling intonation. like a distant ex-
piosiou OF dynamite and the Benniug-
ton was seen to keel and shake from
stem 10 stern. a dense cloud of white
steam shot skyWard and the entire up
per deck appeared To lift and then set
tie back with a crash
Before persons on shore and aboard
the moving bay craft awoke TO the
catastrophe enacted before their eyes,
men were leaping over the sides of the
Bennington Then all were moved to
action. First a fisherman's rowboat.
Commander Young had just embarked
TO board his vessel. rushed to the res
cue. followed by the tug Santa Fe and
the government tug DE Russev. The
struggling sailors. some of whom were
scalded and otherwise injured by the
superheated steam and terrible con-
CuSSiOn OF the explosion. We're quickly
taken ont of the water and hurried
ashore. Even the ferryboat Ramona
with her crowd OF morning passengers
rv.n a,
immediately and came TO render assist
anCe.
Gunboat Beached.
Commander Young boarded the Ben
ningtOn but a few minutes after the ex-
plosion. While there was much con-
fusion among those who escaped un-
harmed, the officers had already set
about 10 care for the injured and look
for the dead. The Bennington began
no settle IA pidly. listing heavily to star
board. Fearing she would sink Com
mander Young ordered the vessel taken
in tow by the tug Santa Fe and one or
rwo smaller craft.
Heading directly for the shore at the
FOOT OF II street. the Bennington was
run into shallow water where she lies
tonight no more than 200 yards from
the shore She leans heavily to star
board, her bow upon the bottom and
about fifteen feet of water beneath her
stern.
Steam still poured out of the venti-
lating tunnels and through every aper-
AZURE that gave opening from the lower
regions of the shin. and it was some
time before rescuers could venture be-
low
Caring For the. Injured.
News of the explosion reached
throughout the city within few min
utes. In response TO calls ambuIances
were hurried hayward from every hos
pital and undertaking establishment in
the city. Besides these there were
scores of volunteer vehicles-carriase s,
delivery wagons and even more humble
conveyances hurried upon their merci-