Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-07-22

Wy <NSs'hSHtttu hFt8RG
SANnlEGO, CAL. July 2l.-Thiriy-
nine members of the crow of the
United States gunhuat bennington
were killed AMI ionr score sailors
were injured 81 seriously. ut 10
O'Clock this forenoon by a boiler OK
plosion that disabled the vessel in
San Diego hnrhor. Fifteen sailors arc
missing. There were more than $50
men aboard the warship when the nc
cidcnt occurred and many men were
hurled or forced III jump into The sea
by the terrific explosion, which lifted
part of The deck and compelled The
Bleaching of :hc vessel
Was Lying in Stream.
The bennington at the time of tho
accident was lying in the stream
just off The commercial wharf at Ii
street. The warship had received Or
dcrs from the navy department ut
Washington To sail for Port Hartford to
meet the mentor Wyoming and con.
vcy the monitor To Marc Island navy
yard, San Francisco
Steam was up and everything was In
readiness for the departure OF the
Bennington when the starbnard fer
ward boiler exploded with u dcafcn.
People standing on shore saw 4
huge cloud of steam rise above The
bennington. Columns of water were
forced high into the air
y dozen or fifteen men were blown
overheard by the force of the tcrrif-
fic explosion.
Human Bodies Hurled in Air
Captain Wentworth, VINO was look
ing at the bennington when the dis
aster occurred. saws he saw human
bodies hurled over n hundred fee: M
The air was clon'lcd with the smoke
which cnvclopctl the ship. When The
haze cleared away only Il few men
could be seen on the decks, whGa n
number were Wondering in the wl,r".
~ boat was lowered from the vessels
side and most of the mon in the water
were picked up ami taken on board
On board the Bennington were pre-
scented terrible scenes Tho scrcc cf
the explosion had torn Il great hole
in The starboartl side of the shir and
the vessel was already commencing 10
list. ~ section Of the upper deck was
carried away from stcm and stern.
Blood and wrcckaec was distributed
over the entire ship, the after cabin
and that part of the ship adjacent 10
the exploded boiler resembling Il char
ncl house.
Blood and Ashes Minel,.
The shock Of the explosion pcnc-
tratod every section of the shin, blood
and ashes being found as far rs the
stern of the captains canin Great
damage was done in all PARTS of the
vessel.
The boiler Which exploded il is said,
was regarded as unsafe. Commander
Young stated that during Z recent
return from Honolulu the steam pres
sure was kept reduced In that par
ticular one
At the time Of the accidcn; the COM
mander, Lucicn Young. ami Surgeon
+ T.. Peek. were ON shora The two
officers as soon as they lea nod uf the
disaster. hurried to the waterfront.
Beached the Ship.
Commander Young. as soon AS he
reached the ship. gave or.icIs that
the air tight compartments b. closed
to prevent the listing ship from sink
ing and that The magazines Le G.iud-
OF To avert iurlher eXpl0sinaG.
He then bcached the ship nj high
tide.
The ferry boat Ramona. which was
crossing the bay NJ the time If the
accident, changed its course and hiir-
ried to the aid Of the stricken Tarship.
The government launch. Genera! lie
Russey, and laICc numb.. Of other
launches am. water craft. which were
about At the tITe. also rushed IL the
assistance of The BenningtO
Wounded Sailors Picked Up.
by the time Tie Ramona reached
tho Bennington, many Of tho sailors
who had jumped into tho ba 10 escape
the scalding Steam had hce.; rescued
ny small GRAFT. The remoYal of the
Wounded from the ship was conducted
in perfect order The crews OF The
De Russcy and the other boats aided
i'll picking MP the wounded sailors
and transferring them to shore.
The news of the explosion spread
over the city like wild fire. AZ first
reports were that half of the crew
had been killed.
The scene of hurrying ambulances
and carriages, of every DESCRIPTION.
which had been summoned, Il ldcd 10
tho aycitnmnpf .I'.r, tuH