Norwich bulletin., 1913-03-08
Sacrificed His Own Life in Effort to Save Two
 Sailors From Impending Destruction
FORTY OR FIFTY MEN KILLED BY EXPLOSION
Three Hundred Tons of Dynamite Being Loaded British Steamer Baltimore Cause of Terrible Loss of Life and Destruction of Property to Amount of $500, 000-Tug Which Went Rescue Sanl-Colier Damaged

Baltimore, March 7.-Three hundred tons of dynamite being loaded in the British tramp steamer Alum Chine in the lower harbor. off Fort Howard exploded about 10.30 o'clock this morn. ing. instantly killing from 40 to 50 men, wounding and maiming three score more, some of whom may die. and dealing destruction to half a mil lion dollars worth of property.
 The Alum Chine and a loading seow alongside her were completely anni- Inflated; the tug Atlantic, which twice went to the rescue of imperil1ed sea- men, was set on fire and later sank; the United States collier Jason just completed and ready for trial. was raked to her deck and her armor rid dled, and buildings in Baltimore and cities and towns many miles away were rocked by the force of the terrific explosion.
 A Federal Investigation.
 The cause of the disaster is unknown tonight, but federal authorities have instituted a thorough investigation to place the blame. Excited survivors told conflicting stories, some insisting that negro stevedore caused the ex- plosiOn by tanning a pike into 8 case of dynamite. This is denied by eye witnesses, who declare that smoke was seen pouring from the Alum Chimes hold several minutes before tl e explosion occurred.
 Twenty Bodies Recovered.
 At a late hour tonight the bodies of 20 dead had been brought to morgues in this city and 50 injured were in hospital. The estimates of the dead include 30 stevedores and checkers of the Joseph R. Foard company, em- pIoyed in transferring dynamite from a barge to 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 bodies, it is be- Heved, never will be recovered from the icy waters.
 Wounded Picked Up by Tug.
 The tug Atlantic, which had twice rushed into the rescue before the crash. was racing away when it was caught in the rain of charred wood and redhot steel that fell in a 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 Brittania and she rushed to the aid of the Atlantic, picking up many the water. Some of them are said 10 have perished 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 lazaretto lighthouse was reached. l
 Revenue Gutter Escapes.
 For a time it was feared the revenue cutter Guthrie had shared the fate of i the Alum Chine. Peter J. Curran, the 1 boarding officer assigned to the ill., ] fated vessel, had left on the Guthrie l soon after g o'clock and it was there | fore assumed the cutter was near the 1 scene of disaster when the explosi on 1 occurred. Collector William F. Stone | at once instituted inquiry. Great was the relief when it was aScertafned the i utter and crew were safe.
 Inspector Curran was an eye witness -o the explosion, the butter being only l -hree- quarters of a mile distant when t occurred.
 Ordered Windows Open.
 We had left the place of loading ,bout an hour before,'' he said, t'and lumber of the cars of which there were still several to be unloaded. The f, work was then in progress. Seven | ,arloads already had been stored and 1 t was thought the cargo would be complete by evening.
 The Guthrie steamed away, going about a mile to wait for an incoming -essel, and it was while we were nov ag around that the captain and others noticed fire on the steamer. This ap- peared to be coming from the fore .astle. Knowing the danger, Captain Dunn of the cutter ordered every win low opened so the explosion expected ] Q come would not break the glass He ,e1, but when within three quarters of | mile the ship exploded. The Guthrie got a. severe shaking, trembling like a 'eed in a storm.
 Four Killed on oclIier.
 ''Fo1lowing the explosion, we saw a luge inky cloud which ascended fully 0o feet and almost covered the har- DOT. When this cleared away there vas naught in sight Where the teamer had been loading, vessel, COW and cars had disappeared. We lurried to the scene, but saw only 1 vreckage."
 Joseph P. Martin, superintendent of obstruction at Sparrows Point. who, vhen the explosion occurred, was landing on the United States collier ason. is authority for the statement i hat two white men and two negroes Fere killed aboard the collier He oes not know their names. They 7ere struck by flying pieces of iron nd timber, he says.
 Stevedoree May Have Been Killed. Besides the 60 or more Iaborers who re known to have been on the Jason here were some stevedores, the exact umber MT. Martin does not know. ome of them may have been killed T was standing on the upper deck ! / the Jason said MT. Martin. ''The l oat which exploded was at Fort Car T. two miles away. I could sec if.
 suddenly it seemed to turn into a
 of fire like magic and to leap out
 water An instant later there
 he sound of 8 terrific explosion.
 lir was filled with flying iron and
 ar which rained down on the deck l
 1e Jason. and the water came Ill
 Us like a tidal wave"
 J. Anstey, captain of the Alum
 inc, was in this city on business len his ship was blown LID.
 Tuaboat Captain Hero.
 William E. Van Dyke of Baltimore, aptafr of the wrecked tug Atlantic, st his life in heroically rushing to le aid of the imperrtled British sea- en is the doomed Alum Chine and Is vain effort carried with him to ; cath many members of his crew. { When curling smoke from the bow i