Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-09-12
HEROES SAVE INDIANA.
Crews Bravery In Fire Averts Destruction of Big Warship.
THEY CARRY OUT HOT SHELLS
Blaze In Coal Bunkers of Battleship Places Two Hundred Lives In Peril and Endansers Magazines - Eight Men Recommended For Courage.

Places Two Hundred Lives In Peril
 and Endansers Magazines - Eight Men Recommended For Courage. Philadelphia, Sept 12,-Through an announcement by the secretary of the navy that eight men on the first class battleship Indiana should be recom- mended to the commanding officer for bravery has come the first tidings of a fire which broke out in coal bunker on board the ship at League island last Thursday and threatened it's destruc- tion.
 Near the bunker where the fire was smoldering were stored fifty tons of powder, and had it not been for the bravery of the crew the battleship would have been destroyed and nearly 200 lives placed in peril. The men rushed without thought of danger to carry out the already warm cases of powder and the heated shells, and a catastrophe was avoided.
 While the whole crew was commend ed, the eight men who received special mention are Charles A. Lestgang, chief gunners mate, of 206S East Dauphin street, Philadelphia; E. Rowe, gunner's mate of the first class, New York; J. c. Bartunek, gunner's mate of the second class, 27 Hamm street, Cleveland, O.; John l.. Grafton, gunners mate of the third class, IL Tompkins place, West New Brighton, N. Y.. and the following seamen: Emil J. Cross, AIS Clark ave nue, Cleveland; H. A. Lingerman, 1923 Law avenue, Cleveland; C. Shepard, 1747 Chestnut street, Terre Haute, Ind, and Lawrence Oster, West Eighth street, Mount Carmel, Pa.
 Powder Was Already Hot.
 Just how the fire started none of the officers could tell. It was discovered about S:45 in the morning. when the temperature of the coal and the maga' zine. was found to be considerably higher than usual. The coal was then discovered on fire.
 Chief Gunner L. c. Hull told Lieu | tenant Commander ]. L. Sticht who was in command during the absence of Captain Dennis H. Mahon, who was on leave. The boxes of powder were so hot they could scarcely be touched and the shells burned the mems hands But, nothing daunted, they removed them to place of safety.
 It was no easy task to move fifty tons of powder. The boxes were full of cartridge shaped packages, each of which held about fifty pounds, and when the men took hold of them Ii was like grasping an ember that was ready to burst into flames. The shells weigh between 1. 100 and 1,200 pounds and had already begun to smoke. Six ty or seventy of them were removed By pouring water on them the tenn perature was reduced and the danger of an explosion averted.
 ! One Hundred Tons of Powder Aboard
 The powder supply of the ship at the time was 100 tons, half of which was \ in the magazine next to the burning coal.
 Really now" said Captain Mahon it wasn't such big thing after all Of course we don't know what might have happened if immediate attention had not been given, but we caught the fire just in time. The boys did noble work, and I cannot commend them toe highly, but I have whole lot of others here who would have done the same thing if they had chance.
 And I want to speak their praises for another thing. The fire took place last Thursday, and never one has said a word about 1t. Since that time possibly 10000 people have visited this ship"