The San Francisco call., 1910-04-08

with the arrival yesterday at Mare
island Of the cruisers Maryland and
West Virginia and the flagship Cali
fornia of the Pacific fleet came con-
nrmation Of the report of an explosion
on the Maryland last Saturday, which
resulted in the death of one man and
the serious injury Of another.
William Anderson, a coal passer, was
the man whose burns caused death to
occur Wednesday afternoon, just be-
fore the three cruisers left Santa Cruz
for Mare island. H. L. Heide, a second
class fireman. was badly scalded in the
accident last Saturday, but is expected
TO recover.
Statements made at Mare island yes
terday and confirmed by dispatches
from the navy department at Wash
ington attribute the fatal accident to
the bursting Of four boiler tubes in
one of the forward boilers of the Mary
land while the cruiser squadron was
steaming northward from Santa Bar
bara
TWO MEN INJURED
Anderson and Heide were the only
men I'm the freroom of the vessel at
the time OF the explosion who were
their injuries were due TO the fact that
they We're working directly in front of
\ boiler door which blew Off At the
time of the accident the ships were
running at high speed.
Heide was the hero Of the occasion.
Although scalded by the first rush of
steam and suffering terrible agony. he
heroically dragged ANDERSON, who was
more seriously injured, out of the fire
room and into a passa geway, where he
was forced to drop his burden. Heide
made one more effort however. rush
ing back into the passageway, which
was by that time filled with escaping
steam and again picking up the help
less coal passer. He was struggling
10 carry his companion out of danger
when others arrived and carried both
men TO safety.
Although Amberson's injuries were
serious, il was not thought at first
that his condition was critical. He i'm
proved slightly for the first day or
two. but died suddenly Wednesday
while the ships were at mine planting
practice of Capitola, near Santa Cruz.
A coffin was ordered at Santa Cruz
and his body was placed in IT during
the run northward Wednesday after
noon
NATIVE OF COLORADO
ANDERSON was a native Of Salida,
Colo His mother lives at Kansas City,
and his body was taken ashore at
Vallejo yesterday and will be shipped
TO Kansas City today for burial Heide
was reported yesterday to be improving
rapidly. He was able to sit UP, but was
not removed from the Maryland and
may not be sent to the Mare Island
hospital as was at first intended He
was badly scalded about the face and
arms but II is thought that his chances
Of recovery are excellent.
While the navy officers at Mare ISL
and absolutely refused yesterday to
discuss any phase of this latest fatal
accident Of the long series that has be-
fallen the vessels of the Pacific fleet
il was learned through Washington
that the explosion on the Maryland
VAS not the only accident that marred
The run northward from Santa Bar
5ara similar though less serious
blowout of boiler tubes occurred on the
Colorado, which accompanied the other
vessels northward from Santa Bar
bara but continued on to Bremerton
without putting in at SZnta Cruz or
San Francisco.
EXPLOSION ON COLORADO
The explosion on the Colorado took
oIsce on the day following the Mary
and explosion. The lower tubes in one
II the Colorado's boilers burst but,
fortunately, no one was injured. The
Colorado reached Bremerton last night
md il is understood that ii Will be laid