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

side, that fire was eating Its way out of
the coal bunlSers, there was instant reali-
cation that flames soon would reach the
300 tons of dynamite stored in the Alum
Chimes hold and the barge roped beside
her.
Instantly there was a rush to the ships 5
side. Fourteen members of the crew
and four of. the stevedores 1eaped over
the rail and turnbled pell nell into the
launch Jerome that had moment before
brought two firemen aboard the i'll fated
ship. All of the other members of the
crew and stevedores who could, ieaped
for the decks of the Atlantic. The tug
and launch. cut hawsers and sped away
from the scene of the impending catas-
trophe. The Jerome was the first to get
started.
4. Short PitiOus Appeal
The Atlantic had proceeded few hum
dred feet when two frantic figures were
seen clamoring from the Alum Chimes
hold. They We're sailors who had been
left behind. Reaching the sides of the
vessel they shouted piteous appeals for
rescue.
Captain VanDyke. despite the know-
edge he must have had. that a hail of
death soon would be pouring over the
harbor,s needed the call of the imperilled
sailors. The engines were stopped, the
Atlantic wheeled and rushed again to the
NvOiiitd NCcSti > Sldt EoiIt itdCbcu II III
safety The two sailors jumped apoaro.
Again the Atlantic was turned quickly.
But it was too late. Her nose scarcely
had been tsrned toward open water when,
with roar like the eruption of a vol
cano. the death laden vitals of the Alum
Chine exploded. The concussion hurled
all before it. A dense ball of smoke en-
veloped the waters and when it cleared
away the ship and barge had disappeared
and the Atlantic, dismantled helpless
bulk, had become human shambles.
The Alum Chine had been torn into
shreds and boxes of dynamite mingled
with the flying fragments of steel and
timber filled the air. These fell on the
packed decks of the Atlantic, the dyna-
mite exploding as it fell and sweeping
them a charge of shrapnel levels charg-
ing troops
CHASTITY Array of Bodies
Mems heads and limbs were torn from
their bodies. Blood was everywhere.
Bodies We're flung across and tumbled
about the Atlantic's decks. Captain Van
Dyke gave his life for his gallantry. His
body, with one arm severed, was among
those recovered and was one of the first
identified when brought to this city. With
him died Joseph T. Hood, stevedore
whom his ship first has rescued, and Rob-
ert Diggs, a member of his crew, who
had stood beside him when the explosion
occurred.
Those who escaped death brought vivid
but disconnected accounts of the explo-
sion when they reached this city with
the dead and wounded.
Capt. J. r. Thompson, captain of the
new collier Jason, which tomorrow was
to have taken her trial trip, had a narrow
escape when boxes of dynamite We're
hurled onto the Jasons decks and ex-
ploded with death dealing fury. He had
seen the smoke issuing form the Alum
Chimes hold
q was warning my men Of the danger"
said Captain Thomson tonight because
1 knew that the ship was sure to blow
up | had already gone below and in
structed the chief engineer to get up steam
and get under headway at once.
II was standing near ventilator when
/ was tossed into the air fully six or seven
feet. l threw out my arms and grabbed
a railing. This kept me from going over
board.
VeritabIe Shower of Iron
I'm another instant terrific shower of
pieces of iron of all sizes, some as large
as my fist. and others as big as my head,
were flying down from the air. 1 saw
these pieces go straight through our
heavy plate. The huge smoke stacks of
the collier were shattered and by the con-
cussion alone were mashed nearly fiat.
Men Tossed in the Air
Around me on all sides We're the men
who had been tosesd into the air and
thrown back. Many men were cut and
injured by the pieces If iron. Some were
instantly killed. The dynamite vessel
was built of iron and this made the dam
age to our ship all the greater. We were
about 800 feet away from the explosion.
So great was the force however that our
ship was lifted high up on the waves"
The side of the collier was pierced many
times Pieces OF iron went straight
through her plate. which in places was "a
to Is of an inch thick.
One hole was big enough for a man to
put his head through.
j. G. Reese of Cardiff, Wales. chief
engineer of the Alum Chine, gave a
graphic description of the scramble for
safety from the ship and the explosion
that followed. .4s-.-.4a-
II was In the engine room when heard
O. man on deck cry. The ship is af1re.'
looked around and saw smoke coming
from the hold in the bow and made a dasa
for the stern, realizing that dynamite
explosion would follow. | didn't jump. |
fell into the jerome, and sailor after
sailor followed me.
.'When we had all We could carry
aboard and no one seemed to be conl-
ing we put on full speed. About five
later Wllen we were apout wv
feet away the explosion came.
Great Column of Fire
cit seemed like great volume OF
fire 80 feet high and 20 feet across,
topped by another column of black
smoke 200 or more feet higher, came
from the sea completely enveloping the
ship. 1t was several minutes before
the smoke cleared away and the sea
became calm but when 1t did there
was no sign of either, the ship or the
barge that was alongside of II. Not a
sign of life was visible"
Conservative estimates place the ae-
tual property damage in excess Of
5000 600 In addition there are innum-
era BILE, minor losses which are not con-
sidered and cannot be estimated.
The chief loosers are the owners OF
the Alum Chine. which cost in the
neighborhood of $S75.000. Upon the
Maryland Steel company. builder OF the
collier Jason, evolves the next greatest
loss. While thorough survey may re-
suit in finding very serious defects in
her construction, a superficial exam
ination of the Jason indicates damage
of 100000.
The cargo of the Alum Chine has not
been entirely accounted for but from
figures given out by the interested
shippers this loss will entail nearly
$4,000
The Joseph r. Foard company stated
that the only cargo they had on board
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