The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-07-16

| top of the turret, while others groped
along the turret floor begging .pite
Ously for assistance. Lieut.. Good
rich became crazed, staggered up the
ladder to the top of the turret and
then threw himself into the sea, in
despairing effort to evade his suf
fering by drowning.
When the smoke of the burning
powder had cleared away, the ship
mates of the unfortunate men rushed
to their assistance and tenderly the
suffering sailors were lifted out of
the fire and backened turret and
conveyed to the ships hospital,
where their burns were dressed by
the surgeons.
In the meantime Lieutenant Good
rich had been rescued by launch
that was returning from an inspec
tion of the target.
The surgical staff of the Oregon,
reinforced the surgeons of the ves-
sells in the fleet who had been in
formed of the accident and sum-
mened to the scene.
A wireless message telling the
brief details of the accident was sent
to the government wireless station
on the high lands of Cape Cod and
thence overland to the navy depart
ment at Washington.
An examination of the turret after
the accident failed to show that any
serious damage had been done to
the ship.
Immediately upon learning the de-
tails of the accident, Captain Henry
McRae, commander of the Georgia,
notified Rear Admiral Charles M.
Thomas, commander of the squad
ron, of what had occurred. Rear
Admiral Thomas ordered an inves-
tigating board to examine into the
cause of the accident. Until this
board makes its reply the primary
cause of the explosion will be in
doubt, and it is uncertain even then
that the board will be able to de-
termine definitely what ignited the
powder
Two theories are entertained. One
be. .ief is that spark from the guns
floated back into the turret through
gun port and settled on to the
powder cases. Another is that the
spark that caused the trouble came
from the smokestacks of the ship
and floated through the ports.
That a floating spark caused the
accident seemed evident to several
men, but whether from gun or fun
mel is not known.
About half way across the bay
death ended the sufferings of Turret
Captain Thatcher and Seamen Burke.
Thomas and Miller. Seaman Ham,
ilton died while the ship was ap-
preaching the navy yard pier.
Whan the Georgia arrived at the
navy yard dock ABOUT 4'fo' great
crowd was awai.lns nei ,,. s,
oeseiai n"iu n'' ~ IT, ao,,ort
.,tn w ~ tho vard had pathered as
,,,o,i os laroe corne If newsnaner
,"a m and tbroe nr;ests tbe latter he
i;o,,n;ra +hot thnv MIGHT he called on
son tta dvino snfferers of that faith
WITH tbn evcention of officers and
~. ..' ,,,,o,,or no ono wos allowed
m y, ioI,o' ~ dnot detachment of ma
On -. ,r,,,od With fvnd bavonets
~ a,o,,d Of rocnectfuI dis
hs hep. '"u "a not ono wac allowed to
@ .aneo aa tt,o ,;ar As coon nc the
paas ,': 49, o, nao fast To Tho dock five
on.p i,,,Tn,oas n"n d,ova nm IN receive the
::,.'.na 80
III e1 -, ~, ,,fforors yero horna
,., .n4' A. oano nlank On stretchers
uo"n .ne 3,,n a,,,h,1ancos which
anu pi"tu - :" ~ tho nouv hosnital
oa' ieu 'nen, " =,
Assistant surgeon raul L. Dessese'
assistant TO surgeon w. n. buciieI'
the acting medlcal ulreclor o. tne
Naval hospital mao charse oi the iu-
]ured IN the wards anu atlenueu W
the dressing OF thelr wounus ., anu
everything possible was done 10 those
who seemed to be dying
Working with him were naval
surgeons from other warships.