The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-16

McCrea of the Georgia sent a wireless mes
sage - the navy yard saying:
"Cinder from funnel came through turret
ventilator and ignited powder
This seems to be the generally accepted
theory among the naval men here as to
the cause OF the accident.
&c POWDER A TAKES FIRE.
About all that is known on shore ia that
two bags Of powder had come up the am
munition hoist inside the after superim-
posed turret. Each bag contained 100
pounds Of powder. but whether both we're
burned could not be learned certainly.
The hoist had stopped behind the gun
and the loader, taking one of the bags in
his arms. approached the gun. the breech
Of whioh stood open. As the man started
to insert the powder behind the projectile
already in the gun he saw a black spot
suddenly appear. He gazed at it with
fascinated eyes for a very brief moment
as il grew steadily larger. Then he gave
n scream. dropped the bag and fell on his
face.
Two other men are said to have dropped
10 the floor of the turret almost as quickly.
Then came a binding glare as the mass of
powder fared up. filling the turret with
flames. heat, smoke and gas.
Two Of the men. their clothing in flames
and crazed with the pain of their burns,
managed 10 find their way up the iron
ladder leading to the exit at the top Of the
turret. They staggered blindly about and
then tottered over the side Of the vessel.
seeking relief in the cold water. These two
men we're Lieut.. Goodrich and Seaman
Nf.lool latnrh nnptnipinn CbIpf Oar
renter Yates and some msn was just coming
from one Of the targets. They saw the
two blazing seamen drop over the side and
quickly rescued them.
Several Others of the less injured men
found their way out of the turret and
stretched themselves on the top, screaming
with pain.
SHIP ORDERED TO BOSTON.
Officers and men from other parts of the
veesel rushed to the assistance of their
unfortunate comrades. and entering the
death turret brought the unconscious men
"a the open air. All the surgeo ms in the
feet were hurried aboard the Georgia in
response 10 signals They did the best they
could for the injured and then in response
10 orders from Rear Admiral Thomas. com
manding the fleet, the Georgia steamed at
fun speed for Boston, where the injured
could be placed in the hospital.
No landsmen, except priests, were allowed
aboard the Georgia when she reached the
navy yard at Charlestown. The big ship
moored alongside a lock and the rounded
were brought down a %ganGplank and
placed in five waiting ambulances. The
most seriously injured were first taken
A.. A. lz.s.kaI ~ Ehaleaa p,nat nf thaFn
being unconscious. In three trips. all
had been taken, not more than three OF the
whole fifteen being able to sit up as they
were driven away.
Newspaper men were barred with the
rest Of the civilians from going on board the
Georgia. A SQUAD of marines with fixed
bayonets stood guard at the %gangplank
and threatened 10 prod anv who tried to
climb it without proper credentials. Capt.
McCrea refused to be interviewed, Tut pre-
pared the following statement which he sent
to the reporters through Capt. Marshall Of
the navy yard:
CAP M'CREA's
AT 10 o'clock A. NJ. to-day. July is. 1907,
while engaged in target practice with 3
inch guns mounted in the after superim-
posed turret, firing at the target at the time,
a powder charge became ignited, injuring
about twenty men and doing some damage
TO the turret-
Until a thorough examination and in
vep,iRation is made by the board convened
by the division commander, Rear Admiral
Charles NJ. Thomas, 4. s. ~, we have no
theory to advance as 70 the cause of the
deplorable accident, which resulted in the
serious injury of twenty brave men n
shipmates, Elk of whom have passed away.
THE charge of powder which ignited
had lust been stopped at the breeoh of the
gun ready for loading. Suddenly one of
the powder bags was ound to be burning
in the leaders hands. II created great
heat and all in the turret were badly in
jured. i'll -.
clothing all ablaze. hurried out of the only
exit and plunged overheard, but were
picked up by a steamer near by.
-Chief CARPENTER Yates, in charge of the
repair boat. luckily saw the two men jump
and fastened to their succ
When Admiral Thomas " : informed
NJ the extent and serious Ore OF the
resultant injuries the Georgia was lmme-
diately ordered post haste TO Boston .,
The Georgia locked at 4i5 O'Clock and
at sos O'Clock this evening she steam ed
away, returning to the target grounds, so 1t
was said at the navy yard.
The Georgia. along with other vessels in
the squadron. was m~anPuvripg on Barn
stable. on the usual practice grounds. shoot
ing at fixed targets a mile and a half away
as she steamed swiftly along.
LIEUT.. GOODRICH IN CHARGE.
The gun crew in the after superimposed
turret, which il on top Of the after main
turret containing the II inch guns, was in
charge of Lieut.. Goodrich and Midship-
men G~oldthwaite and Cruise. As nearly as
can he learned there were twenty-five men
in the turret and one or two rounds had
been fired from the \ inch guns. Then the
ammunition hoist moved slowly upward
bringing two one hundred pound bags Of
powder from the magazine, below the
water line. The men were working just
as automatically as "A well drilled gun crew
always does. each man being stationed al
his reg ular place. The hoist stopped a few
feet behind the breech Of one OF the guns
and the loader stepped forward and graspcd
one of the bags in his arms.
The name OF the man who had the bag
of powder was not made public. hut Seannen
Hansel and Rich. who stood near him saw
the blaze and threw themselves to the
floor TO hide their faces from the flames
that they knew were coming. They es-
caped with lighter injuries than did their
companions. The dull roar and the cloud
of smoke that was blown from the hatch