Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-07-16
EXPLOSION on BArTLEsHIP.

w llu seven VI DtT OluCcio anu NiO"
dead, and IA others either dying or suff-
ering from terrible burns received in an
explosion Of powder in the after super
imposed tunet yesterday, the battleship
Georgia steamed slowly up Boston har-
Dor from the target practice grounds in
Cape Cod Bay later 10 the day and land
ed the dead and Injured men at the
Chsrlestown navy yard With the ar
rival of The Georgia there became known
the details of the most terrible naval
catastrophe that has ever taken place
along the coast of New England.
The accident occurred shortly before
noon yesterday, while the Georgia's
crew were at target practice of Barn
stable, in Cape Cod Bay. In some
manner as yet unexplained Two bags of
powder became igrited, and in the
terrific fash that followed, the entire
turet crew, consisting of three officers
and Is men, we're enveloped in fire and
received horrible burns, one officer and
five men dying before the ship reached
port.
The explosion occurred in the after
superimposed turret, where the men,
under command OF Lieut.. Casper Good
rich, son OF Rear Admiral Goodrich,
commandment of the New York navy
yard, and Midshipmen Faulkner Gold
thwaite and John I. Cruise, we're operat-
ing the eight inch guns.
The guns in the forward turrets had
finished eight rounds of practice, and
the guns of the after turret had fred
one round. Two cases, as the big 100
pound bags Of powder are called, had
just been sent up through the ammuni-
iion hoist, and we're in the arms of the
loader, whose name was withheld by the
ships officers.
The loader stood at the breech of one
OF the eight-inch guns, all ready to in
sert the charge. At this instant the
turret was seen to be smoky, and two
men who stood near the loader saw a
black spot on the bag, indicating that
the charge had iguiled and WAS smoul-
dering. The loader discovered the spot
at the same instant and threw himself
forward on his face, at the same time
shouting warning to his turret mates.
The other men who had seen the spot
we're Eich and HanselI, and they also
threw themselves on the floor of the
turret.
Before the other men in the turret
could understand what caused the load
er's cry of warning there was binding
flash as the burning powder exploded.
Flames, smoke and nauseous gases filled
the little superstructure, in which more
than a score of men were confined. AS
the powder was not confined, there was
no report, nor did the vessel suffer any
injury, but every nook aud Granny of the
turret was filed with flame.
The loader, who was, of course, near
est the powder, was terribly burned, as
WAS every man ia the turret, with the
exception OF two, who, although scorched
escaped with injuries much less severe
than the others.
Blinded by the smoke and flame,
choked by the acrid, penetrating gaseous
fumes and maddened with pain, the men
screamed in agony. Some staggered
blindly up the ladder to the hatchway
in the top of the turret. while others
crept along the turret floor, begging pit
eously for assistance.
Lieutenant Goodrich and seaman
Maleck became erazed, staggered up the
iron ladder TO the top of the turret, and
threw themselves headlong into the sea,
in departing effort TO choose death
by drowning in preference to death by
slow fire.
When the smoke of the burning pow
der had cleared away the shipmates of
the unfortunate men rushed to their as
sistance, and tenderly the suffering sail
ors we're lifted out of the re-blackened
tuiret and quickly conveyed 10 the ships
hospital, where their burns were dressed
by the surgeons.
In the meantime Lieutenant Goodrich
and seaman Maleck had been rescued
by launch that was returning from an
inspection of the target.
The surgical staff of the Georgia was
soon reinforced by the surgeons Of the
other vessels in the feet, who had been
Informed of the accident and summoned
IN the anane