New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-08

Death in dreadful form had descend
ed from the sky The Alum Chine had
been torn in shreds. and boxes Of dyn-
amite mingled with the flying frag-
ments Of steel and timber filled the air.
These fell on the packed decks OF the
Atlantic. the dynamite exploding as It
fell and sweeping them as a charge
Of shrapnel levels charging troops.
Bodies Flung Across the Deck.
Mems heads and limbs were torn
from their bodies. Blood was every
where. From ships and launches near
bv were seen dismembered bodies
flung across and tumbled about the
Atlantics deck.
Captain Van Dyke gave his life for
his gallantry. His body. with one arm
severed was among those recovered
by the rescuers and was one OF the
first identified when brought to, this
city. With him died Joseph t. Hood
a stevedore, whom his ship first had
rescued. and Robert Biggs. member
Of his crew, who had stood beside him
when the explosion occurred.
Those who escaped death in the ex-
plosion brought vivid but disconnected
accounts of the explosion when they
reached this city with the dead and
wounded.
Cou,oi, T - ThomnSoo captain of
the new collier Jason, which was to
have taken her trial trip tomorrow.
had narrow escape when hurled
boxes of dynamite crashed on TO the
Jasons decks and exploded with DEATH
dealing fury. He had seen the smoke
issuing from the Alum Chimes hold.
Il was warning my men OF the
danger" said Captain Thompson to-
night. because / knew that the ship
was sure to blow up. ] had already
gone below and instructed the chief
engineer To get up steam and get under
headway at once. He was doing this
while | had other men at work pulling
up the anchor. | was standing near
a ventlator when | was tossed into
the air fully six or seven feet.
turned two or three somersaults.
threw out my arms and grabbed
railing. This kept me from going
overheard.
IN another instant a terrific shower
of pieces of iron of all sizes, some
pieces as large as my fist and others
as big as my head, were flying straight
down from the air. ! saw these pieces
60 straight through our heavy plate.
The huge smokestacks OF the collier
were filed with holes, and by the con-
cussion alone were mashed almost
fiat.
Around me on all sides were the
men who had been tossed into the
air and thrown back. Many men were
cut and injured by the pieces OF iron.
Some were killed instantly. The dyna-
mite ship was an iron ship throughout,
and this made the damage to our ship
all the greater. The Chine was about
500 feet away. but the force OF the
explosion was so great that our ship
was lifted high on the waves.
Our flremen who were shovelling
coal, got the full force Of the explo
sion in their faces. Many Of them
were burned. ] expected to have one
hundred and fifty men In the crew by
tonight, and about one hundred men
were on board
Immediately after the first shock OF
the accident Captain Thompson ordered
his men to make a close inspection or
the entire ship. They found many holes
in her side. Pieces of iron went
straight through her plate. which In
spots was thrce-quarters to seven
eghths of an inch thick.
One hole was big enough for man
to put his head through. This hole is
eight feet above the water line. Other
holes are near the waterline.
Engineer Tells Of Rush for Safety.
j. G. Reese. Of Cardiff. Wales chief
engineer Of the Alum Chine. gave
graphic description OF the scramble for
safety from the ship and the explosion
that followed. He said:
Il was in the engine room when
heard man on deck cry, The ship Is
aiire. l looked around and saw smoke
coming from the hold in the bow and
made dash for the stern, realizing
that a dynamite explosion would fol-