Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-07-24
REAL TURRE / HEROES
Georgia's Crew Point to Ensign.
Toaz and BoatsWain Murray.
|. IN 1 PERIL, cHEERED VI OTHERS
Men In Charge Of Handling Roonn
u Crew Credited With Shutting
Flames From Magazine Captain
# Mocrea Tells of Man Who Prevented
" Far Greater Disaster. 5 s

Georgia those regarded as the real he
roes OF the recent turret explosion,
costing nine lives Of the Georgia's
crew, are Ensign w. Fl. Toaz Of New
York and Boatswain e. a. Murray Of
Wisconsin. who had charge OF the crew
in the handling room, twenty-five feet
directly beneath the turret, says a Bos-
ton special to the New York World.
There were 400 pounds Of powder in
the handling room, and the magazine
door was: open when the explosion oc-5
Cured. Sparks and flames shot down
ward from the turret through the shut
ter, which was not closed tightly.
These men pushed part Of the powder,
which was 10 four bags, into the maya
zine and part into q gangway, closed
the gangway door and the slide door OF
the magazine, put ont the sparks which
had dropped from above and then
calmly awaited their fate with those
who were shut tight In the magazine. N
They didn't know what was going to
happen next, and they were not aware
OF what had really happened twenty
five feet above. They knew an explo-
sion had occurred. Then there follow
ed the groans OF the wounded and Ady-5
ing. What they feared most was that
both the magazine and the handling
room would be flooded and all hands in
them be drowned. There were long and
critical moments for the imprisoned
men, but Ensign Toaz and Boatswain
Murphy cheered them up, and all were
released FIVE minutes after the acci-
dent Some were almost sufocated. s6E
Captain Henry McCrea Of the Geor
gia told the story Of the disaster as fol-
lows: Eli III rs rs VI sts,S d "a, 81. al
~ was on the bridge making the
run for the practice. / was taking OBJ
servations OF each shot. AS shot after
shot was a hit from the eight inch
guns I saw we were beating the .rec-9
ords Of the other ships Of the fleet.
On the bridge IFcould hear the COM
mand from the after turret SO knew
when the next shot was coming.
II heard the shout Fire. but there.
was no shot, and then saw men run--l
ming aft, and quickly the fire hose
that is always laid out In readiness
when there is firing going on was
manned. II Ii 4. fiFzl M .sss4,tg
II rushed to the after bridge, near
the turret, to see what was the matter,
The water was already being poured
into the turret. The boatswain and
Midshipman Gravecroft led the way
for their men with the hose. I tell
You, there was courage! No man
knew what had happened, and mo man
knew into what danger he might be
rushing. But those men never thought
OF self or danger, That brave act will
look well on their record. si.
Then they began to bring out the
men. One of the first was the one In
whose hands was the powder when
It flashed. Il He was laid down on the
top Of the lower turret with blanket
under his head. went to him. II
could not recognize him. His hands
were burned to the bone. The fesh
was gone. With these hands raised
above his chest and the tips of the
fingers bent toward each other could
hear him whisper: @ God! o God!
O GOdr He could not move his lips
enough to utter other words. &
II bent closer and said to him, MY
dear fellow. God has heard your pray
err He was breathing. but in short
gagps. and soon died. The gases from
snokeless powder are terrible. That's
what Kills The external burns were
hideous enough. but to breathe that
stuff Is fatal. 4, z. 81
| One man Ia, that turret was MOI
hurt-Midshipman KimbaIl and I do
not understand how he could have es.
capped. He helped take out the men
He, too, showed grit after the shock he
had had. Lieutenant Goodrich set an
4 example to his men that none but q
courageous officer could Get when bic
plunged right into the flame and gases
to lead the way to safety. / told his
father, Rear Admiral Goodrich, thai
II was such officers that made grea,
navy His example will not be for
gotten. M
Il EEoDaDly one little act, or, rather
one great act of one Of the men, pre-
Il vented q far greater disaster. He en-
Il listed alp George Miller OF Memphis
Il ordinary seaman: no home, no kin ant
i died as a result Of his bravery. He AMI
one other stood by the second gun tina
had Just been loaded. The last powde
4 bag that had been put In was protrud
Ing little from the gun. when b,
saw the Hash instead Dc dashing TO
"A the ladder to save himself he crowde,
home the charge Iii the gun and witt
the help OF the other men got the gul
closed tight before the fame reache,
Il the bag. ss5s
H the flame had touched that bal
I there would have been an awful es
piosion, for the powder was confine,
. lin the gun and would not have iashe.
8 as the other did. but would have Ell
81 ploded Mot q man In the tnrret wonl
| have been left alive, whatever otha
j damage might have been done. Tha
81 man gave his life for the others.
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