The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1905-07-27

WaSnlngt0n.-Ofh OF the navy
department and naval officers on duty
in Washington were appalled, when
the news came from San Diego tell
ing of the disaster which overlook
the gunboat Bennington. A telegram
came from Commander Young, cap
tain of the Bennington, announcing
the explosion and stating that nearly
everybody was killed or wounded. An
order was sent forthwith to the COM
mandant of the navy yard at Mare
Island to send Capt. Drake, captain
of the yard, and such medical Of
icers as were available to San Diego
as quickly as possible.
The Bennington was under orders
For Panama, where she was being sent
to relieve the Princeton and was to
have sailed from San Diego for the
istbmus, but report was received ct
the department announcing that the
Wyoming had disabled a propeller
and orders were sent for the Benning-
ton to proceed to Port Hartford and
convey the Wyoming from that port
TO San Francisco.
The Bennington was a three-masted
schooner. She was launched June 3,
1890. She was commissioned for the
first time June 20, 1891. The Benning-
toms engines were twin screw horl-
zontal triple expansion. Her main
battery consisted of six six-inch
breech loading rifles and her secon-
dary battery of four six-pounders,
four one-pounder rapid fire guns and
two thirty-calibre Colts.
Lieut.. Young telegraphed as fol-
lows:
HSecretary of the Navy, Washing
ton-Since last message, Lieut.. Perry,
C. E. Rushing, coal passer; J. Hilcher,
fireman first class, died.
Zone body identified to be R. B.
Carr, apprentice seaman. Expect many
more deaths before morning. Number
of deaths, one officer, 33, men, 76
wounded, 21 missing.
(Signed) "YOUNG. :"
San Diego, Calf. -Twenty-eight
dead bodies are lying at morgues, on
piers and on the deck of ruined YES
sci of the United States navy, while
scores of men are lying grievously or
painfully injured in sanitariums and
hospitals and fifteen sailors are miss
ing and probably have found death IN
the waters of the harbor, as result
of an explosion of boiler on board
the United States gunboat Benning-
ton at 1910 O'Clock Friday morning.
With Deafening Roar.
The Bennington at the time OF the
accident was lying in the stream just
off the commercial wharf at the foot
of H street. The warship had receiv
ed orders from the navy department
at Washington to sail that morning
for Port Hartford, where she was to
meet the monitor Wyoming and con-
yey the vessel to Mare Island navy
yard. Steam was up and everything
was in readiness for sailing when sud
denly and without any warning what
ever the starboard forward boiler ex-
ploded with deafening roar.
It was Immediately apparent that
an awful disaster of some kind had
happened on board the warship. The
ferryboat Ramona was coming across
the bay at the time Of the accident.
Captain Bertelsen of the Ramona, i'm
mediately gave orders to change the
course Of the boat and instead of con-
tinuing his trip to the San Diego side
of the bay, hurried to the aid of the
stricken warship. The tug Santa Fe,
the launch Mckinley, the government
launch Gen. De Russey and a large
number of other launches and water
craft which were near the scene at
the time also rushed to the assistance
of the Bennington and endeavored to
lend every assistance 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 al
so had been commenced was being
conducted in perfect order. AT the
time Of the accident, Commander Luz
Glen Young ond Surgeon F. E. Dick
were on shore. The two officers as
soon as they learned of the disaster
hurried to the water front where Com
mander Young took charge.
Terrible Scenes on Ship.
On 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
Frost in July.
N. IL H-~k lsxnnI