The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-07-19
EIGHT men DEAD
FOURTEEN BADLY INJURED
Disastrous Explosion on the Battle
ship Georgia.
The VICTIMS SUFFER TORTUREs.
Disaster Occurred in the Aftersuper-
imposed Turret of Warship While
at Target Practice in Massachusetts,
Bay-Powder Can Exploded in the
Hands of Gunner.

lOMCCTS anu crew uSdu, anu 10 OtAOA .
either dying or suffering from terri
BILE burns received in an explosion Of
powder in the after superimposed
turret, the battleship Georgia is
anchored in Boston harbor after the
disastrous target practice il Cape
Cod Bay late Monday, having landed
the dead and injured men at the
Charlestown navy yard. With the
arrival of the Georgia there became
known the details of the most ter
Irible naval catastrophe that has ever
taken place along the Coast Of New
England
The accident occurred shortly be-
fore noon, while the Georgia's crew
were at target practice off Barnsta-
BILE, in Cape Cod Bay. In some man
ner as yet unexplained two bags of
powder became ignited, and in the
terrific flash that followed the entire
turret crew, consisting of three Off
GERS and Is men, were enveloped in
fire and received horrible burns, one
officer and five men dying before the
ship reached port.
The explosion occurred in the after
Buperimposed turret, where the men,
under command of Lieut.. Casper
Goodrich, son of Rear Admiral Good
rich, commandant of the New York
navy yard, and Midshipmen Faux
ner Goldthwaite and. John T. Cruise,
were operating the eight-inch guns.
The guns in the forward turrets
had finished eight rounds of practice,
0f 90 INV no
fred one round. Two cases, as the
big. 100-pound bags of powder are
called, had just been sent up through
the ammunition hoist, and were 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 insert 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 ig-
nited and was smouldering. The
loader discovered the spot at the
same instant and threw himself for
ward on his face, at the same time
shouting a warning to his turret
mates. The other men who had seen
the spot were Eich and Hansell. and
they also threw themselves on the
floor of the turret.
Before the other men in the tur-
ret could understand what caused
the leaders, cry of warning there
was binding flesh as the burning
powder exploded. Flames, smoke
and nauseous gases filed the little
superstructure, in which more than
score of men were confined. AS
the powder was not confined, there
was no report, nor did the vessel suf-
fer any injury, but every nook and
Granny of the turret was filled with
flames.
The loader, who was, of course,
nearest the powder, was terribly
burned, as was every man in the
turret, with the exception of Eich
and Hansell, who, although scorched,
escaped with injuries much less Sc
we're than tho others.
Blinded by the smoke and fame,
checked by the acrid, penetrating
gaseous fumes and maddened with
pain, the men screamed in agony.
Some staggered blindly up the lad
der to the hatchway in the top of
the turret, while others crept along
the turret floor, begging piteously
for assistance.
Lieutenant Goodrich and Seaman
Maleck became crazed, staggered up
the iron ladder to the top of the
turret, and then threw themselves
headlong into the sea, in despair
ing effort to choose a death by
drowning in preference to death by
slow fire.
When the smoke of the burning
powder had cleared away the ship
mates of the unfortunate men rush
ed to their assistance, and tenderly
the suffering sailors were lifted out
of the firc-blackened turret and
quickly conveyed to the ships hos
pital where their burns were dress
ed by the surgeons.
In the meantime Lieutenant Good
rich and Seaman Maleck had been
rescued by launch that was return
ing from an inspection of the tar
get.
Tho surgical stan 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 to the scene.
An examination of the turret after
the accident failed to show that any
serious damage had resulted to the
ship.
Immediately upon learning the de-
tails of the accident Capt. Henry
McCrea, commander Of the Georgia,
notified Rear Admiral Charles M.
Thomas, commander of the squadron
of what had occurred.
Rear Admiral Thomas ordered an
investigation board to examine into
the cause of the accident Until this
board makes it's report the real cause
of the explosion will be in doubt,
and it is uncertain even that the
board will be able to determine
definitely what ignited the powder.
Mexico To Honor Root.
Mexico City Especially AN I'M
precedented honor will be bestowed