Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-09-26
French Navy Dealt Stagger-5
ing Blow When One Of the
Worst Fatalities Of Naval
History Occurs Today.
MANY SAVED BY
JUMPING OVERHEARD
Officers Prevent Escapes Of
Others by Calling Them
Back to Post a Few Mo-.
ments Before Explosion.

lVC11Io HlC11Io Dc1OIt LAplOSlON.
Toulon, France, Sept, 25.-Ar up.
palling naval disaster attended with
enormous loss Of life occurred at day
light this morning, when the battle
ship Liberte blew up in this harbor.
The death loss is variously estimated
from $50 up to 500 or more. The killed
INCLUDE officers and men OF the Lib
erte, and also large number Of those
from nearby warships.
The first alarm Of fire was sounded
shortly after o'clock. This was fol-
lowed by four successive explosions Of
increasing intensity as the fire neared
the powder magazines, when at 5:35 q
deafening explosion literally tore the
great warship to pieces and sent her
toethe bottom mass OF twisted wreck
age.
Scores of bodies were hurled high
into the air, with huge fragments OF
framework, nrmor, bursting shells and
the suffocating smoke from the explod-
ing magazines.
On the first explosion the. rcen rush-
ed from their quarters and . hundred
or more reached safety in plllnginE
overheard But the greater body Of
men, officers and the crew, remained
on the ship and were hurled high into
the air or into the water as the cul-
minating explosion tore the ship into
fragments.
One report says the ship broke IN
two in the middle as she sank.
Another gives dramatic detail Of
before she took her final plunge. whom
several of her guns discharged 70
QUEEN salute.
The fire was discovered at O'Clock.
At first it did not appear to be serious.
but somehow or other 1t gained quick
advantage over the squad OF sailors
sent TO extinguish It, and suddenly.
and without warning, It reached tho
magazines, which had not been
flooded on account OF the apparently
trifling nature of the blaze. The force
OF the explosions was terrific. They
shool. the vessel fore and aft, each
one seemingly stronger than that pre-
ceding, opening up great assures In
the arn1or and framework OF the ves-
sell The vessel Immediately became
a mass of fire and smoke and soon, al-
most demolished by the terrific deton.
ations, sank to the bottom OF Toulon
harbor
200 on Shore Leave Escape.
At an early hour unofficial estimates
os the number of dead ran as high as
500. Estimates by naval men varied
widely, but there was no doubt that
loss Of life was more than 300. Scores
Of the seamen. died In their berths. A
few dozen saved themselves by jump
ing overheard. Many OF those injured
leaped into the water and were drown
ed before the boats OF the othei ships
in the roadstead could reach them.
Two hundred of the crew escaped
death, owing to the fact that they
were on shore leave.
The carnage attending the explo-
sions was worse than could ever have
occurred In an actual naval engage
ment. The first crash came when the
crew was for the most part disposed In
various sections OF the vessel They
were without warning OF their dan.
ger.
Scores Of bodies were hurled high
into the air, accompanied by great
fragments Of framework, armor. burst.
ing shells and the binding, suffocat
ing smoke Of the powder.
Men below, who had not yet been
awakened, were killed In their sleep.
Others, awakened by the explosion,
started to jump over board and were
caught by me second detonation. The
crew was panic-stricken and rushed
wildly about, cropping through the
binding smoke, in which many fell un.
conscious from suffocation.
There were many vessels in the haf.
Dor at the time, including number
of warships, which have been man
euvering here since the first Of the
month.
Men Died obeying Orders.
The first explosion brought quick
response from the nearby men-of-war
and from the shore. Dozens Of boats
put off and picked up survivors and
floating bodies.
There were three tremendous ex.
plosions in quick succession after the
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