Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-14
UniniuTej Members Of |ena's Grew
Chartered In Naval Barracks.
Relay Parties Engaged In Removing the Manged
Remains Of Dead From the Wreck.

as Il result of the explosion. Hundreds
of dispatches asking for details of the
disaster have reached naval headquar-
tiers here, where the officials are en-
gagged in drawing up lists of the cauS-
altieS
The minister of marine, who was ac-
companied by his staff, travelled
throughout the night and Immediately
upon his arrival here conferred with
the port admiral, after which he pro-
ceeded to the scene of the disaster. All
around the MiSsiessy dry dock were
strewn pieces of shells and the store
sheds and other buildings in the vi
cinity were pierced in many places.
Cordons of troops were drawn up on
the quays Of the neighborhood of the
hulk of the lena. where relay parties
were engaged in searching for the bod
les of the dead.
Fire hose played all night on the
unsubmefged portions of the remains
Of the battleship. whose interior had
been completely flooded by the waters
Of the dock in order to prevent the pos
sibility of further explosions.
The after part Of the battleship is
completely destroyed. The plates be-
officers cabins are in ruins.
One of the officers who escaped said
| that Admiral Manceron owed his life
to the fact that the port holes of his
| cabin were open. thus permitting the
| suf;ocating gases to escape.
| Later in the day Al of the missing
men turned up, leaving ia apparently
! unaccounted for or killed.
Minister Thomson. with a small
party. boarded the hulk of the lena
| who's" fore part was found to be al
most intact. but the utmost precau-
| tons We're necessary in passing
through the after part. as partitions
| etc. were occasionally falling in. The
| minister watched the work of the men
| who were with difficulty removing the
bodies and parts Of the bodies from the
| hull Of the battleships and transport
| ing them ashore.
| Later in the day the minister ques-
toned the officers who escaped and OBJ
| tanned their views regarding the cause:
| of the disaster.
| During the afternoon the -authoritic:
began pumping out the drydock ii
which the lena was flooded. in order t
obtain a better idea of the damage. The
| opinion prevailed that while it was pos
| Sible to repair the battleship. she would
| never again be fit to form part of al
active squadron.
Portions of shells from the lena pen
etratcu houses in the outskirts Of Tou
ion. in ono instance going through thu
roof and three stories.
\ correspondent of The Associate
Press boarded the lena while the search
for bodies was going on. The fighting
tops Of the vessel were bent over. ther'
was an enormous breach amidships
and on the port side was a hole abou
IS feet long and IL feet high. Amids
the shattered steel plates and tWiste'
rails was heap of burned flesh, bone
and twisted limbs. all that remained o
50 bodies which were taken from tn
after turret and which We're bein;
sewn up in sheets and canvas. prepare
tory to being taken ashore. 1t was i'm
possible to identify any of the Gea'
represented in the CHASTITY heap.
| After leaving the hulk of the lena
| the CORRESPONDENT went to the hospital
where he was informed that many o
the wounded men were likely to sue
cumb to their injuries.