The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1905-07-28
Seveniy.Seven Injured With Death list
Growing Every Hour.
GUNBOAT BOILER EXPLOSION.
With Flag at Half Mast the United
States Warship Bennington Lies
Badly Shattered in San Diego Har-
bor-No Warning Was Given.

the total number missing In tho latest
reports is sum ma ized as follows:
Dead at morgues 40; dead in flooded
fro room of the i'll fated warship, 7; in
jured who may die, 10; missing 10; total
81. Tue commander believes that the
missing men were drowned and that the
waters of the bay Will give up this num-
Der of dead.
The probable deaths of injured men Is
based upon the opinion of DR.. NJ. H. Eos
ter of the United States marine hospital
service, in charge of the medical stan,
and the number of missing upon Com
maDder Young.
San Diego, Cal. July 24.-Broken
and blackened, with her flags flying at
half mast, her hold filled with Is feet
of water, the United States ship Ben
nington lies beached on the shore of
San diego harbor. Thirty-nine of her
crew lie dead at city morgues, the
fate of a dozen more is as yet I'M
determined and three score stretched
upon beds in different hospitals.
This is the result of the explosion
which wrecked the trim little naval
craft and wrought such terrible havoc
among her crew at 1890 o'clock this
morning. The placid waters of San
Diego bay have never before been the
scene of such a disaster and San
Diego city has never before been stir
red by such scenes of death and suf-
fering as those witnessed tonight.
Twenty-one dead bodies lie ranged
with gruesome precision at Davis &
Andersons morgue. The forms are
outlined in immaculate winding
sheets, the terrible results of scald-
ing steam upon the faces plainly
showing, though fully hidden beneath
the folds. Fifteen victims were
stretched upon improvised biers at
Johnson G Connell's morgue, while
five others were to be seen at Wool
man & Bradley's. At the two latter
places the work of the explosion was
terribly in evidence The face of ev-
cry victim is badly scared and scald-
ed, in many cases almost beyond re-
cognition.
Several of the injured are expected
to die before morning.
On board the Bennington the I'M
harmed members of the crew are
working under terrible difficulties to
reach the boiler room and coal bunk
ers, where it is believed bodies are
lying in the wreckage or submerged
in the water which fills that part of
the vessel.
The warship had received orders
from the navy department at Wash
ington to sail to Port Hartford, where
she was to meet the monitor Wyom-
ing and convey the vessel to Mare Is
land. 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. The
explosion was terrific. People stand
luS VII Tie SuOIO saw HuSc ClOuu VI
white steam raise above the Benning-
ton. Columns of water were hurled
into the air and for distance of near
ly twice the height of the spars of the
vessel.
On board the Bennington were
presented terrible scenes. The force
of the explosion had torn great hole
in the stern of the ship, and the YES
sci was already commencing to list.
A portion of the upper deck was car
ried away from stem to stern. Over it
all hung the great cloud Of white
smoke which drifted away slowly to-
ward the Coronado shore.
The scene of the hurrying ambul-
ances, hacks and carriages of every
description, which had been summon,
ed added to the excitement Every
physician who could be reached by
telephone was called to the water
front. Within comparatively short
time nearly dozen physicians were
on the scene and attending the wound