The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-08

eOOntfnuc0 from YhRc Oncp
been moored to the big steamer and the
concussion from the ships hold blew up
the tons of dynamite still aboard the
barge in an echoing explosion that in
creased the carnage and destruction.
Several small craft in the harbor are be-
1ieved to have been blown to pieces.
Twice Went to Rescue
The tug Atlantic, which had twice
rushed into the rescue before the crash
came, was rushing away when 1t was
caught in the rain of charred wood, hot
steel and unexploded boxes of dynamite
that fell in shower for a quarter of a
mile around, killing some of the crew
outright and setting fire to the vessel.
Coming up the river at the time was
the tug Britannia, and she rushed to the
aid of the Atlantic, picking up many OF
the wounded who had leaped into the
water. Some of them are said to have
persisted before the Britannia could get to
them.
The Britannia ran a line to the burning
tug and started up the river with her,
but the vessel sank before the Labaretto
lighthouse was reached.
For a time it was feared the revenue
cutter Guthrie had shared the fate of
the Alum Chine. Peter j. Curran. the
DOarulnG Officer, assigned 10 lHe III lated
vessel had left on the Guthrie soon after
o'clock and it was, therefore, assumed
the cutter was near the scene of disaster
when the explosion occurred. The vessel
was three quarters of mile from the ex-
. plosion and Inspector Curran was an
eye witness to the catastrophe.
1--WE had left the place of loading about
an hour before he said, "and stopped
only long enough to get the number of
the cars, of which three were to be un-
loaded The work was then in progress
Seven car loads already had been stored
and it was thought the cargo would be
complete by evening.
THE Guthrie steamed away to wait
for an incoming vessel and it was while
we were moving around that the captain
and others noticed fire on the steamer
This appeared TO be coming from the
forecastle. Captain Dunn of the cutter
ordered every window opened. SO the ex-
+ plasion expected to come would not bresl
the glass He then steamed toward the
burning vessel and when three-quarters
of q mile away the explosion occurred
The Guthrie trembled like a reed in
storm.
Cloud Covers Harbor
'Following the explosion saw
+ huge inky cloud which ascended fully 20
feet and almost covered the harbor
when this cleared away there was naugh
in sight where the steamer had beer
loading. VESSEL, seow and cars had dis
appeared. We rushed to the scene. bu
saw only wreckage."
Jo.eph p. Martin. superintendent OF con
struction at Sparrows Point who whei
tho explosion occurred was standing OF
the United States collier Jason, is ati
tfority for the statement that two whit
men and two negroes were killed aboar'
the collier. He does not know thei
names.
Describing the explosion, he said:
..suddenly the vessel seemed to turi
into a ball of fire like magic and to leal
out of the water. An instant later ther
was the sound Of terrific explosion
The air was filled with flying pieces o
IRON and timber which rained down ol
the deck of the Jason and the water cam
In on us like tidal wave go
No Cause Assigned
+. ]. Anstey, captain of the Alum Chine
vas in this city on business when hi
ship was blown up. He could assign n
cause for the disaster. The genera
theory OF the cause is that there wa
i fire in the ships coal bunkers whic
spread to the dynamite in the hold.
II british Consul Frazer tonight describe
the Alum Chine as 269 feet long with a
foot beam. 1t WAS built at Cardill, Wales
in 1905. Most of her crew were fror
Cardiff. s4tss
For q radius of many miles the shoe
Z ef the explosion was felt Reports cam
early from many cities and towns wher
windows were shattered. and 1t was a
first reported an earthquake had don
much damage at Baltimore. 1t was sal
that the entire state of Delaware ha
felt the shock.
1t was feared Sparrows Point had bee
!. destroyed, but the damage was confine
% q severe shaking up and shattering G
practically all of the windows of tn
village.
x At Curtis Bay and BROOKLYN tne concus
ston also was felt and much damage 1
( the way of shattered windows resulted
ia Canton and Highlandtown citizen
soaahed into the streets fearing the village