Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1913-03-07
Frightfu Disaster Wrecks British Steamer Alum Chine.
Tug Atlantic and ScOw in PaiapscO River This
MOrning---ExpiOsive Was for Panama
FOUR ON COLLIER ALSO LOSE LIVES
Intense Excitement Followed Terrific Blast and it Was Some Time
Before Real Nature Of Catastrophe Became Known Shocks
Felt IN This City Caused Fear OF Serious Tragedy
at Some Place Near Here

Al least forty persons We're killed
and sixty injured, some of them per.
haps fatally, a British steamship anc
tug and large scow, were com.
pletely destroyed in a terrific explo-
sion of dynamite in the Patapseo
river, near Baltimore city at lO:4O
o oclock this mornine,as the steamship
was taking on cargo of the explo-
sives material preparatory 10 sailing
for Panama and Port Limon in the
Panama Canal Zone
A Of the killed and injured were
mtmbers of the crew of either the
steamer, tug or scow, and most of
them are resid ,nts of Baltimore.
The Captain Of the British steamer.
which was the Alum Chine, escaped
unhurt only through the fact that he
was ashore at the time, completing
the fiIal details in connection with
the sailing Of his vessel, which. was
scheduled for this afternoon.
The exact cause Of the explosion
has not been determined, but the
general supposition IS that it occurred
rs the dynamite was being lowered
into the hold of the steam er, probably
due either TO some element of care
lessness, or a mishap to the derricks.
It was virtually three tragedies in
one, as the steamer was first blown
to pieces, then the remainder of the
explosive on the scow went off in a
terrific blast and the tug caught fre
and the part Of her that was not
blown asunder was prey 20 the
flames.
And ii all happened SO quickly thst
none OF the survivors have as yet
been able to give any explanation as
10 the cause Of the acrident. Intense
excitement prevails in Baltimore city
and other sections over the catas-
trophe, due largely to the fact thas
most Of the killed and injured We're
residents OF the city, and many anxi-
Gus inquiries have been made as TO
the fate Of relatives aboard the ves-
sells. And another chapter was add
ed to the catastrophe by an explosion
that took place aboard the United
States naval collier Jason immediate
ly after the dynamite aboard the
steamship and the scow went off, in
which four members of the crew of
the collier were killed. The jason
was to bave started on her official
trial trip in the bay today
She was tied up at the dock at the
plant Of the Maryland Steel Company
at the time, ami within a few min
utes after the explosion she was to
have weighed anchor for the start
of her speed run. The collier, it is
said, was also badly damaged.
Excitement ran high all over Bal
timore, as we'll as in other outlying
sections, for it was some time before
the nature aad scene of the disaster r
was learned. There were many re-
ports of frightful explosion at the
plant of the Maryland Steel Company,
attened BY great loss OF life. This
caused even greater alarm, as thous-
ands of men are employed at the
Sparrow's Point Works.
The excitement. however, ab ated
but little even after the actual dis
aster had sen made known. Hundreds
of boaeE, big and little, rushed IN
der full speed out Of Baltimore har.
Dor to render any aid possible.
Meantime, hundreds of persons were
proceeding TO Sparrow's Point by
trolley cars.
AT the time of the explosion, tue
steamer Alum Chine was being loaded
with the explosives from a seow.
conveyed by the tug Atlantic. Ii
Was not long after the scow had been
drawn up along the side of the
steamer ana a qua ltity OF the explo-
siyes lowered into the hold Of the
larger vessel that the explosion oc-
Cured without warning. The shin
was practically torn to shreds. Bod.
les of members of the crew were
blown high into the air. Some o.
them We're literally torn to pieces,
others were killed outright bv fall.
ing timbers aud still others went t.
/ their death BY drowning.
A number OF men with brokef
limbs or other injuries were taker
/ from lhs wafer completely exhausted
by boats that hastened to the scene
The cries of the injured struggling
about in the water ere most pitiful
4 dispatch from Baltimore late thii
afternoon stated that the bodies d
seventeen OF the victims that ha,
been recovered were removed to tb,
morgus. None Of them has as We
been identified.
The spot where the tragedy occurre,
is described as off Quarantine Sta
tion, which is on the Anne Arunde
county shore, snd about midway be
tween Curtis Bay and Fort Carroll
The steamer was riding at aucho
at the time.