Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-06-06

steam pressure Oh l55 pounds when
the explosion occurred, Less than fiji,
teen minutes earlier the tubes had en-
| dured pressure of 265 pounds, thirty
pounds greater An official investiga-
tion of the accident has been ordered
The boiler was of the standard tub
ular kind. thr Dabcock & Wilcox
make, used on many warships. II
consists of a large cluster Of four
inch tubes, carrying water into the
main boiler, Only one tube, and this
one Of the bottom tier, exploded. The
break was less than six inches in
length, There was no wreckage, but
the explosion was described by the
survivors as frightful Sc great was
the blast of SCOT and steam that every
man in the room was blaCkened from
head to foot, while those closest to the
break were literally cooked alive
There are sixteen similar fire rooms
but each separated by steel doors, and
the men in adjoining compartments
did not feel the explosion. When the
first outside rescuers entered the fire
room it was in utter darkness, the
steam and SCOT covering the electric
lights and ceiling and walls with Il
thick coat The men in this fire pit
work i'm nakedncss except for short
trousers and slippers, and the dead
ana injured were blackened almost
beyond recognition.
1T was a hell hole said one Of the
surviving seamen, "Everything SEEM
ed all right, when without any warn
ing the shower of hot Cinders, steam
and ashes burst out of the fire hole.
The boys dropped all over the room.
and none of us knew what had hap
pcned Those of us who were able to
scramble to our feet opened the door
when the compartment cleared, and
we began dragging the boys out"
The impression among the officers
and crew is that Rheinhold and Meek
were martyrs to duty, for they We're
found dead where others escaped, and
stayed to their posts to the last. The
accident served to demonstrate the
complete efficiency of the naval fire
drill. There was no confusion.
DR., A, w. Meldon, marine surgeon
at san Pedro, has been ordered to
bring eight of the most seriously
wounded to the marine hospital at Los
Angeles leaving here at a. m. to-
morrow The men will be carried
each on a separate cot. the Pacific
Electric company furnishing a bag
gage car for the men.
At a late hour tonight Stematis and
Maxfield were expected to die at any
time. The four dead sailors will be
buried with simple naval ceremonies
at o'clock tomorrow afternoon on
Point Firmin, overlooking san Pedro
harbor, in a cemetery where only
sailors are inferred. The severely in
jured will be sent to hospitals.
Rear Admiral Sebree, When seen on
board by representative of the AS
sociated Press. said:
The explosion was one of those aC- (
,idents which can not be provided
against I had just completed an in
sEecton Of he engine room When a
;oal passer, half scalded, dashed past
me on his way to the deck. Lieuten- |
ant Commander Robinson had already
given the orders used in an emergency /.
and the men hurried to their posts |
With admirable dispatch"
Captain Howard gave out the fol-
owing official typewrtten statement !
Ipon his arrival in San Pedro:
About II a. m. today, during full /
.peed trial, a boiler tube burst in No.
fire room aboard this vessel George !
Wood, water tender; e. c. Boggs. fire.
nan second class; A. Rhcinhold ma
.hinsts mate, second class, and /.
George Meek, fireman, first class,
'crely injured are $. $. Stcmats fire