Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1913-03-08

ny Morning journal Special Leased Wire)
Baltimore. Md. March T.-rhrec
hundred tons OF dynamite being load
ed in the British tramp steamer Alum
chine. in the lower harbor off Fort
Howard, exploded about 1880 o'clock
this morning, instantly killing from
forty to fifty men, wOunding and
manning three score more. some of
whom may die, and dealing destruc-
ton to 5000 worth OF property.
The Alum Chine and loading
scow alongside her were completely
annihilatedi the tug Atlantic, which
went to the rescue of the imperilled
seamen was set on fire and later sank;
he United states collier Jason. just
completed and ready for trial, was
raked to her deck and her plates
rddled, and buildings IN Baltimore
and cities and towns many miles away
were rocked by the force Of the ter
rifle explosion.
The cause of the disaster is un-
known tonight but federal authorities
have Instituted a thorough investiga-
ton to place the blame. Excited sur
vivors told conflicting stories, some
insisting that negro stevedofe caus-
ga the explosion n5 jaInming pike
into 4 ease IL dynamite This Is de-
MED by eye witnesses who declare
that smoke was seen pouring from the
Alum Chimes hold several minutes
before the explosion occurred At a
late hour tonight the bodies of TWEEN
~ dead had been brought to morgues
in Baltimore and sixty injured We're
in the hospitals The estimates Of the
ncaG include thirty steYedores and
checkers Of the Joseph r. Foard com
mny. employed IN transferring dyna-
mite from "a barge 10 the Alum Chine
which was bound for Panama; eight
members of the crew Of the Alum
Chine. six men on the collier Jason.
and the captain and several members
Of the crew Of the tug Atlantic. Many
hodies. ii Is believed, never will be
recovered from the icy waters.
OF the injured. one score are fright
fully MANNED. At least fifteen are
expected to die.
Tonight nine Of the dead had been
Identified as follows.
Captain William Il. van Dyke. Balti.
more, Md. of the tug Atlantic.
Robert w. Digs, first mate tug At
lantic Baltimore, Nd.
Edward Waters. chief officer Of the
Alum Chine.
Joseph p. Lennon, Baltimore Md.
Atlantic crew
Jonn Mackral. Frank Doyle. Ed
ward Cassel, Andrew Garotski and
Joseph T. Hood, steyedores. all Of
Baltimore
Seamen in scores Of small craft and
Captain van Dyke, of the Atlantic
saw smoke coming from the dyna-
mite-laden Alum Chine a few minutes
before the explosion and the launch
Jerome, which was alongside the ship,
rescued many members of the crew
ana rushed them to safety The wit
ncsses say that when the explosion
came, the steamer jumped from the
water as If a torpedo had struck her
from below and then fell to fragments
In which were mingled the torn bodies
of the dead
The transport companys scow had
been lightly tied to the big steamer
ana the conclusion from the ship s
hold caused second explosion of the
tons of dynamite still aboard the
barge that increased the carnage and
destruction. Several small craft in the
harhor are believed to have beer
blown to pieces. The tug Atlantic,
which twice had rushed in to the res
cue before the crash, was racing away
when il was caught in the rain OF
charred wood and red hot steel that
tell in a shower for a quarter OF a
mile around. killing some Of the crew
outright and setting fire to the YES
sell
Coming up the river at the time
was the tuR Brittania which rushed to
the aid Of tho Atlantic. picking up
many of the wounded who mad ieaped
intO the water. Some Of them arc
said to have perlshed before the Brit
lanla could get to them. The Britannia
ran a line TO the burning Atlantic and
started up the river with her but she
sank before the T.azarotte lighthouse
was reached. For time it was feared
mat the revenue cutter Guthrie mad
shared the fate of the Alum Chine,
put later II was ascertained the cut
YER and crew were safe
Inspector Curran Of the Guthrie,
was an eye witness to the explosion,
We cutter being only three-quarters
~ 2 mile distant when it occurred.
We had left the place Of loading
"pout an hour before, he said, and
stopped only long enough to get the
number Of the cars of which three
We're still to be unloaded. The work
'len was in progress. Seven carloads
already had been stored and 1t was
pousht the cargo would be complete
~ evening. The Guthrie steamed away
enine abont mile to wait for an in
''hiing vessel and II was while we
were moving around that The captain