The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-08

to the vessel. Coming up the river at
the time was the tug Britannia, which
rushed to the aid of the Atlantic,
picking up many of the wounded who
had leaped into the water. Some are
said to have persisted before the
Britannia gould 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 Lazetto lighthouse was reached.
For a time it was feared that the
revenue cutter Guthrie had shared the
fate of the Alum Chine, but later it
was ascertained the cutter and the
crew were safe.
Inspector Curran Of the Guthrie saw
the explosion, the cutter having been
only three-quarters Of a mile distant
when 1t occurred.
w 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
still are to be unloaded. The work
then was in progress. Seven carloads
already had been stored and it was
thought the cargo would be complete
by evening.
1.-The Guthrie steamed away, going
about a mile to wait for an incoming
vessel and it was while we were NOV
ing around that the captain and others
noticed fire on the steamer. This APP
peared to be coming from the fore
castle. knowing the danger, Captain
Dunn of the cutter ordered every
window opened so the expected x
plosion would not break the glass. He
then steamed toward the burning yes
sci, but when within three-quarters of
a mile the ship exploded. The Guthrie
got a severe shaking, trembling like a
reed in a storm.
Following he explosion we saw a
huge inky cloud which assembled fully
200 feet n almost covered the har-
Dor. When this cleared away we saw
only W~reckage."
Joseph NJ. Martin. superintendent of
construction at Sparrow's point, who,
when the explosion occurred was
standing on the collier Jason, is au-
thority for the statement that two
white men and two negroes were killed
aboard the collier.
Besides the GO or 70 aborers who
are known to nave been on the Jason,
there were some s~tevedores, the exact
number, Mr.. Martin does not know.
A Theory.
F. J. Anstey, captain Of the Alum
when his ship was blown up. He could
assign no cause for the disaster. he
general theory of the cause is that
there was fire in the ships coal bunk
ers which spread to the dynamite in
the hold.
Most of the Alum Chimes crew
were from Cardiff.
For a radius Of scores of miles the
shock of the explosion was felt. Re-
ports came early from many cities and
towns where windows were shattered,
and it was first rumored that a disas-
trous earthquake had done much dam
age at Baltimore and it was said that
the entire state of Delaware had felt
the shock.
For a time it was feared that Spar
rows point had been totally destroyed,
but the extent of the damage was
confined to a severe shaking up and
the shattering of practically all the
windows in the village.
At Curtis bay and Brooklyn the
force of the conclusion was felt and
much damage in the way of shattered
windows resulted. In Canton and
Highlandtown citizens rushed into the
streets fearing the villages We're about
to be destroyed. In several instances
persons Were thrown to the street.
Vain Sacrifice ~ iu>s
William E. Van Dyke of Baltimore,
captain of the wrecked tug Atlantic,
lost his life in heroically rushing to
the aid Of the imperiled British sea-
men on the doomed Alum Chine and
his vain effort carried with him to
death many members of his crew.
When curling smoke from the bow
of the Alum thine warned members
of her crew, the ~stevedores engaged in |
loading her and the crew of the At
lantic alongside, that fire was raging
in the coal bunkers, there was instant
realization that flames would soon
reach the 800 tons of dynamite stored
in h Alum Chimes hold and the
barge roped beside her.
Instantly there was q rush to the
ships side Fourteen members Of the
crew and four Of the stevedOres leaped
over the rail and tumbled pell nell
into the launch Jerome that a mo-
ment before had brought two firemen
aboard the Inflated ship. All of the
other members Of the crew and steve
dores who could reach the deck leaped
for the deck of the Atlantic. The
tug and launch, cutting hawsers, were
soon away from the scene of the. dis
aster, the Jerome picking up speed
first and rushing to safety.
The Atlantic had proceeded a few
hundred feet when two frantic figures
were seen clambering from the Alum
Chimes hold. They We're sailors who
had been left behind. Reaching the.
side of the vessel they shouted p~iteous
appeals for rescue.
Captain Van Dyke, despite the
he must have had that a
hail of death soon would be pouring
over the harbor. needed the call of the
imperiled sailors. The. engines We're
the tlantic wheeled and
rushed again to the fire-doomed ves-
sells side, n the two sailors jumped
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