The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-01-11
BATTlESH|PS
IN COLLISION
KEARsARGE AND KENTUCKY RUN
AGROUND AND LATTER IS HIT
BY ALABAMA.
IS QUITE BADLY DAMAetD
REAR ADMIRAL EVANS WILL OR.
DER INQUIRY INTO CAUSE
OF ACCIDENT.

New York, Jan. 9.-Five great bat
tleships, the flower of the American
navy, under command of Rear Ad-
miral Fighting Bob" Evans, We're
near grave disaster in the lower bay
yesterday. Millions of dollars and
many lives were at the hazard OF
touch on the rudder. Only a wonder
full bit of good fortune saved the feet
from wreck.
Two battleships, the Kentucky and
the Kearsarge, ran aground, and in an
effort to avoid a similar fate the mag
nificent Alabama smashed into the
| grounded Kentucky, and both ships
Were Badly Damaged.
The crash fell mostly upon the Ken.
lucky, which had to be ordered back
to the Brooklyn navy yards for re-
pairs. She will go out Of commission
meanwhile.
The Alabama put to sea with h
rest Of the fleet, but showed marked
evidence of the collision. For two
hours work centered in getting the
Kentucky and the Kearsarge aloat.
RattIeship Squadron.
The five ships made up what is
known as the b%attleship squadron.
formed some time ago, with Rear Adj
miral Evans in command and Rear
Admiral Davis as second in divisional
duty.
The feet for the last two weeks has
been lying of TompkinsviBe. Yes
terday morning anchor IA weighed
and the five ships started down the
bay bound for Hampton Roads, where
they. We're ordered to begin winter
evolutions.
Follow the Maine.
The ships followed the Maine, Rear
Admiral Evans flagship. They We're
in this order: Maine, Kentucky, Kear-
sarge, Alabama, Illinois.
They ran along quietly, hanpered,
however, by wind and tide, which
had a tendency to force each ship
over to the east of the channel. The
tide and wind drove the big ships
more and more against the east bank,
as the long strip of sane is known at
that point.
|. Kentucky Goes Aground.
The Kentucky tried hard to keep in
straight alignment with the Maine
ahead of her, and her it was noticed
| thof che n &c ~ ohA u,aS mot
minding her rudder well. With a
wide turn to port she suddenly, like a
deer, mounted the northern end of the
east bank and in a moment was
aground forward, with a %chopping sea
and a high wind, and right behind her
three other great w%arships.
Directly behind the Kentucky and
coming at a good rate of speed was
the Kearsarge. 1t lookes as II she
must ram the Kentucky.
Hit by Alabama. &
In a desperate effort to avoid the
impact, the Kearsage pulled far over
to the fatal, east bank and more
quickly than it takes to Ell it she.
too, was ashore not a hundred feet
from the Kentucky.
The commander of the Alabama.
next in line, tried to get by the Ken
lucky at starboard. There was not
much time to execute the evolution.
The Alabama crashed into the Ken
lucky at half-speed and In a ~glancing
direction.
Run for Their Lives.
The entire %starboard quarter-rail OF
the Kentucky was carried away. Men
on the deck ran for their lives. The
blow carried away also the dayitts
that held the captains gig and also
their stanchions Of heavy steel, and
the gig was cut in twain as sharply as
II a gigantic pair of shears had been
used.
The upper top-plates Of Harveyized
steel were bent for at least ten feet.
The doors of the port. shielding the
after six-inch guns In her battery
were carried away. The Sponsors
were bent n twisted, and Il looked
as If all the plates on the starboard
side of the ship were sprung and bent
both above and below the water line
Evans Calls for Help.
When the crash came the Alabama
listed over to starboard for a second
and 1t looked as if she would turn
turtle. The Alabama, however, suf-
fered less than the Kentucky.
Rear Admiral Evans sent a wireless
dispatch to Rear Admiral Coghfan at
the Brooklyn navy yard for assis-
lance. In a hurry the tugs Powhat-
tan, Apache and Uncas were hurried
down the bay, n after two hours
both the battleships were got of from
their dangerous position. They fioated
easily when finally backed from the
east bank.