The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-08
GOVERNMENT TO
FIX THE Blame
English Consul to see That
Families of the Dead and
Wounded are Protected
CAUSE NEVER WILL
BE KNOWN, IT'S SAID
General Theory u that Flames from
Coal, Which Caught ON Fro In tl,o
Bunkers, Exploded Dynamite
Heads and Limbs Of Men Torn on.

Baltimore. March s.-An investisas
tion was begun today to ASCERTAIN the
cauze and fix the blame for tho dis
astrous explosion Of dynamite in tha
hold OF the British tramp steamers
Alum Chine. lying at anchor In the
lower harbor. which brought death to
over forty persons, serious injury to
over sixty more and property loss
Of over $250.000.
Immediately after the disaster, the
federal authorities at Washington
were appraised Of the serious damage
to the new Collier Jason, which was
at anchorage near the ill-fated steam.
er. and which was about to be accept.
ed by the navy department. Word
was received here that the department.
would investigate.
It is also probable that the inter-
state commerce commission. which
controls the shipment OF explosives
in American waters, will make the in.
quiry.
Because most Of the crew Of the de-
stroyed steamer are subjects Of Great
Britain. the British consul here, Gil.
bert Fraser. will also investigate the
explosion with the view Of protecting
the interests Of the families Of the
killed and wounded Welshmen and re-
port to the British admiralty,
The coroner Of Rnnndel county will
impanel jury and this probably will
compete the number Of inquiries in
an attempt at fixing the blame for the
disaster.
Authorities who made a partial ex-
animation express the opinion that
the real cause never will be definitely
learned. chiefly because those best
fitted to give an explanation are
among the dead. The general theory
seems to be that coal in the bunkers
was set afire by spontaneous combus-
tion and the flames communicated to
the dynamite. The explosion was SO
terrific that it seriously crippled the
coast defenses of the harbor. There
are many instances Of concrete foun-
being cracked, while several guns
We're damaged by falling pieces Of
steel from the wrecked vessel.
Jumped From Water.
Seamen in scores Of small craft and
Captain Van Dyke of the Atlantic saw
smoke coming from the dynamite-lad-
en- Alum Chine few minutes before
the explosion and the launch Jerome
members of the crew and rushing
them to safety. The witnesses say
that when the explosion came the
steamer jumped from the water as IL
a torpedo had struck her from below
and then fell to fragments in which
were mingled the torn bodies of the
dead.
The transport company's scow had
been tightly tied to the big steamer
and f},a concHeoinn from ho ot,Svs0
hold blew up the tons Of dynamite
still abroad the barge in an echoing
explosion that increased the carnage
and destruction. Several small craft
in the harbor are believed to have
been blown to pieces.
The tug Atlantic which had twice
rushed in to the rescue before the
crash. was racing away when it was
caught in the rain Of charred wood
and red hot steel that fell in shower
for a quarter Of a mile around, kill
ing some of the crew outright, and
setting fire to the vessel.
Perished Before Ship Reached Them.
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
The Britannia ran line to the
burning tug and started up the river
with her but the vessel sank before
the Larasatto lighthouse was reached.
For time it was feared that the
revenue cutter Guthrie had shared the
fate Of the Alum Chine. Peter J. Cur
ran, the boarding officer, assigned to
the ill-fated vessel. had left on the
Guthrie soon after. and It was, there
fore. assumed the cutter was near the
scene of the disaster when the explo-
sion occurred.
Collector William F. Stone at once
instituted inquiry. Great was the re-
lief when It was ascertatned the cut.
ter and crew was safe.
Cuzran an Eye Witness.
Inspector Curran was an eye.wit-
ness to the explosion. the cutter being
only threc-quarters of a mile distant
when it occurred.
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 there
we're still to be unloaded. The work
already had been stored and It was
thought the cargo would be complete
by evening.
THE Guthrie steamed away. going
apout mile to wait for an incoming
vessel. and it was while we were NOV
Ing around that the captain and 9TH
ers noticed fire on the steamer, This
appeared to be coming from the fore
castle. Knowing the danger, Captain
Dunn. OF the cuttered ordered every
WINDOW opened so the explosion ex-
pected to come would not break the
glass. He then steamed toward the
burning vessel, but when within three.
quarters OF mile the ship exploded.
the Guthrie got severe shaking.
trembling like a reed in a storm.
Following the explosion we saw
large inkey cloud which extended fui-
ly 200 feet and almost covered the
harbor. When this cleared away.
there was naught in sight. Where the
steamer had been. loading vessel,