The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-09
Tragedy Occurs on the North ! Dakota About Ten Miles
 from Norfolk
MANY ARE INJURED BUT
 ALL WILL SOON RECOVER
Cause of the Explosion Is Not Known and an Investigation Will Be Made
 By Officers Other War Vessels

Fort Monroe, Va, September S.-An- other of those tragedies which go to slow that the sailor offers his life tb his country in time of peace as we'll as in time of war was enacted this morning In the dreadnought North Da- kota, about 10 miles from Norfolk, in lpwer Chesapeake bay, when an ex- plosion of oil and the ensuing fire cost the lives of three men and more ,r less serious injuries to nine oth fin. The accident happened far from any shore and for several hours the ! widest rumors were circulated, being to the effect that the Delaware, sister ' ship of the North Dakota. had been blown up.
 The official report of Admiral Schroeder to the navy department names the following dead and injured in the fire on the battleship North Da- kota:
 Joseph w Schmidt. coal passer; en- listed at New York, october 25. 1905. Next of kin, mother, Anna Schmidt, 104S Decatur street, Brooklyn
 Robert Gilmore, coal passer, enlist ed Newport, R. l., January 1910. Next kin, mother, Nellie Gilmore, 6 Seyms street, Hartford, Conn.
 Joseph Strait, coal passer. enlisted Grand Rapids. Mich, June, 1907. Next kin, father Peter Strait, s2 Bremen street, Newark, N J.
 Injured;
 Chief Machinist E. w Andrews, New York.
 Machinist T. G. McDonough, Brook lyn.
 CharleszG. Roberts. machinist's mate; enlisted Norfolk. Va.
 Sebastian J. Wittwer, fireman, first class: enlisted Philadelphia.
 James A. Brady, fireman, first class; enlisted New York.
 Leo F. Piorek, fireman, second class; enlisted Chicago.
 John G. Morrison, fireman, first class; enlisted Boston,
 Fred P Kinney. fireman, first class; enlisted Mare Island, Cal.
 schroeder's Statement
 Rear Admiral Seaton Schroeder com mandng the Atlantic fleet, made the following succinct statement of the accident:
 Between 10:30 and Il o'clock this morning oil from room No. in the North Dakota caught fire while the first squadron of the Atlantic fleet was making passage from the southern drill grounds to Hampton Roads. Un- der request from the commander of the North Dakota the commander in chief of the fleet Immediately ordered the North Dakota to leave the fleet for nation and the battleship New Hamp- hi nut n case they could be of service.
 NO assistance was necessary and by 11;3O o'clock the fire on the North Da- kota was under control.
 .'It has not yet been ascertained how the fire started although it is not be- lieved that the accident was due to any carelessness of the men aboard the North Dakota. A board of inquiry was named to investigate the accident including c. A. Core of the Delaware, senior officer; Lieut. Con- c. V. Price of the Delaware and Lieut. Com. A. M. Proctor of the Connecticut This board will thoroughly look into the cause of the explosion
 Injured Will Recover
 Afteer sating that the three who were dead were killed outright" Admiral Schroeder said:
 '.The injured men are all expected to recover Chief Lieut.. Orin G. Murfin was in the fire room at the time of the accident and was burned, but not seri- ously."
 Admiral Schroeder proceeded on the Tender Yankton to the North Dakota, but when he arrived the fire had been extingushed.
 The North Dakota, shortly after the ac- cident, anchored off the Thimble Shoal lighthouse. The wounded men who are severely but not seriously burned were removed from the North Dakota to the hospital ship Solace and are receiving the best medical attention.
 Admiral Schroeder's report to the navy department stated that fuel oil caught fire No fire room, apparently near set ting tank. Oil fuel used for test at time and only on boiler l. No estimate yet re- garding injury to boilers
 The settling tank, near which the fire apparently broke out. is part of double bottomed compartment in which the fuel oil is carried in bulk. In each fire room are two 25o-gallon tanks into which the oil is pumped to be settled; it Is then pumped into the fire.
 On Fire Once Before
 The North Dakota had fire once before since she was launched in Novem- Der, 1907. That was on the 18th of last May at the Boston Navy yard when a red-hot rivet dropped into one of the after magazines while the ship was in dry dock. The prompt response of her 25O men to the ships fire call resulted in quick extinguishment The North Dako- ta's magazines are lined with cork, sheathed inside.
 Capt. Albert Gleaves, who commands the North Dakota, is a Tennessean who formerly commanded the St. Louis and was until recently naval aid to Assistant Secretary Winthrop of the nevy depart ment. He has had 37 years of navy ser vice including 19 years at sea.
 The news of 3he explosion seemed to cause little excitement at Old Point and the boat races arranged for this afternoon were pulled off on schedule time with the crews of all the ships except the North Dakota and New Hampshire watching and cheering.
 The North Dakota is a first-class bat tleship and was launched from the yard of the Fore Rivers Ship Building com
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