Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-09-28

ANuiNii, NSilI @t~-lI is reported tn2t
Ave men are stu alive aboard the
wreck OF the hattlcship Liherte One
sailor on turret said that he was
alone with fifteen corpses.
Toulon, Sept, ~. The sailor who
was discovered alive in the turret has
been taken out, Five others were res
cued Later faint cries were heard
coming from deep within the mass Of
tangled metal The rescuers shouted
to the men aud sang while they were
at work,
Paris, Sept PA new version OF
the Liherte disaster attributes the
cause to fire which originated In the
paint and oil shop aboard the battle.
ship and thence spread to the powder
magazines, which the crew were un.
able to flood In time. owing to the de-
fective working OF the flooding ap
paratus which, however,, was In work.
ing order ten minutes before
The inquest which is being held Ia
trying to establish whether Are caused
N''N NNl'ioaiNh VI tTohtohNtAS ANhtt-ia
ton OF "b" powder caused the tire
which spr, "a.
y story told by Cayaro de Keriorre,
who wRs pnrser of the Liherte, con
firms the theory OF deflagration, He
was asleep In his cabin and was awak
ened by a rumhling sound twenty min.
utes before the Anal explosion. He
dressed hurrledly and left his cabin.
The passngcWay was thick with smoke
haracteristic Of "b' powder, and
thinking that the ship had been aban,
doned he returned to his cabin and
Jumped overheard through port as
the smoke was too thick for him to
go through the passageway. As he was
swimming away he heard the first
bugle call end swan back to the vess
sci, taking charge OF his division Of
the Are fighters until the final explo-
sion threw him overheard, He re-
ceived a wound and when this was
dressed he returned to the wreck OF
the libeite to help save the wounded.
The body of sailor horribly man.
rlcd was found near the after turret
He had evidently died during the
night.
The harbor salvage corps worked all
night by the aid of electric light. cut
ting away the nrmor plate with an
acetylene boring apparatus. Under
the armor plate they found ten bod
les. A rumor which Ia confirmed by
the engineer Of the salvage crew, has
II that the Llberte was blown up for
ward, the forward deck being bent
$50 degrees backward over the after
part OF the ship.
The special correspondent of tho
presse telegrarhs that investigation
reveals that the order calling for fire
drill was not given after tho first ex-
plosion when only the men on watch
were awake. The watch awoke Lieu
tenant Dignon, who then gave the or
dr. for the fire drill Many OF the sail.
ors had already jumped overheard, but
tho remainder otoyed. The drlll, how
ey,r was ineffective because the ey.
ploslon had damaged the fire lighting
apparatus The men tried to work the
mechanism that Hooded the magazines
Ar'ch required seventeen turns OF tho
key shaft. but II did not turn easily
ami there was great delay and 1t is
he lietCd that the sailors were never
able to open the sea cocks.
Tho Libertc Ia now mass Of twist
ed iron, upon which 200 sailors are at
work cutting away the armor plate.
There Is a huge floating derrick along
side, hosting tie pieces as they ara
cut away. The bridge of the ship Is
still in place and from the bridge the
officers direct the work OF salvage.