The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-09-09
THREE DEAD, NINE
HURT ON WARSH|P
Fuel Oil Explodes On Battleship
North Dakota in Lower
Chesapeake Bay.
THE DEAD.


enlisted mt New York, Oct. 25, 1909,
next Of kin, mother, Anna Schmidt, No.
1O1S Decatur-st., Brooklyn.
ROBERT GILMORE, coal passer, en-
next Of kin, mother, Nellie Gilmore,
No. . Seyms-st., Hartford, ct.
JOSEPH STRAIT, coal passer, en-
next Of KIN, father, Peter Strait, No.
~ Bremen-st., Newark, N. J., also has
sister, Amelia l.. Letsche, No. II Cook
st., Ansonta, CO.
FORT MONROE, Va, Sept. 9.--An-
other OF those tragedies which go to
show that the sailor offers his life to
his country In time Of peace as well
as in time OF war was enacted yester-
day on the battleship North Dakota
when, about IL miles from Old Point
In the lower Chesapeake bay, an ex-
plosion of fuel oil and the ensuing fire
cost the lives of three men and more
or less serious injuries to nine others,
including Chief Lieut.. Grin G. Murfin.
The Injured.
Chief Machinist K. w. Andrews
sisters, Mamie A. Cameron, 2123 Fifth
ave-, New York, and Carrie A. White,
1897 Wallach-pl., Washington. Ma
chinist T. G. McDonough--father, T..
@. McDonough. 1S9 Park-ave., Brook
Ign; Charles G.. Roberts, machinist's
mate, enlisted Norfolk, Va. Sebastian
j. Wittwer, fireman. first-class, enlist
ed Philadelphia. james A. Brady, fire.
man, first-class, enlisted New, York.
Leo F. Piorek, fireman. second-class.
enlisted Chicago. John G.. Morrison,
fireman, frst-class, enlisted Boston.
Fred p Kinney, fireman, first-class, en-
listed Mare Island, Cal.
Rear Admiral Seaton Schroeder,
commanding the Atlantic feet, late
yesterday made the following succinct
statement OF the accident:
Between 1890 and IL o'clock this
morning oil from room No. 3 In the
North Dakota caught fire while the
first squadron of the Atlantic feet was
making passage from the southern
drill grounds 10 Hampton Roads. I'm
der a request from the commander OF
the North Dakota the COMMANDMENT
chief of the fleet Immediately ordered
the North Dakota to leave the fleet
formation, and the battleship New
Hampshire put near to render assis'
lance in case they could be of SER
vice.
NO assistance was necessary. and
by 1870 o'clock the fire on the North
Dakota was under control.
ut has not yet been ascertained
how the fire started, although II Is
believed that the disaster was not due
10 any carelessness of the men on the
North Dakota. A board of inquiry
was named 10 investigate the acct
dent. consisting of Capt. c. A. Core,
of the Delaware, senior officer. Lieut..
Commander c. V. Price, OF the Della
ware, and Lieut.-Commander A. NJ.
Proctor. of the Connecticut. This
board will thoroughly look into the
cause OF the explosion"
After naming the dead and injured,
stating that the three who were dead
were killed outright Admiral
Schroeder adds:
"The injured men are all expected
to recover Chief Lieut. Grin c. MUIR
fin was in the fireroom at the time OF
the accident. and was burned, but not
seriously"
Admiral Schroeder's report to the
navy department. in addition TO NAM
ing the men killed and injured, stated
that while North Dakota under wav
approaching Hampton Roads, fuel &c
caught fire I'm No freroom, appar-
emily near settling tank. OLE fuel be-
ing used for test at time and only on
boiler l. No estimate possible yet
regarding injury TO boilers, Ship an
chored below Thimble shOal.