The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-03-13
Drill Sew Nc. 8 Of hawaiian
Dredging Company Demolished
and Fifteen Persons Have Mi
raculous Escape From Death;
Crew Of Revenue Cutter Thetis
Diaregards Danger in Hasten
ing to Rescue Of Imperiled Men.
(From Thursday Advertiser.

(From Thursuay AdVertisor.l
One man was killed, Eve were injured
and nine others escaped death by ,
miracle when thirty pounds of dynamit,
aboard scow No. Of the Hawaiian
Dredging Company exploded in Honoln
Ia harbor shortly before two o'elocl
yesterday afternoon. How the accident
happened has not been definitely deter
mined. The first animation Of danger
came with the explosion and the fifteen
men employed on the seow were hurled
into the air with mass Of twisted
tmbers and steel which moment later
was all that remained Of the seow.
Thetis TO Rescue.
The revenue cutter Thetis was an.
ehored within fifty yards Of the scene
The explosion was witnessed BY officers
ami members Of the rev Of the Thetis
and no time was lost in lowering boats
and going TO the aid of the dying and
injured men who were elinging to the
wreekage or struggling in the water
among tho debris.
The seow WAS engaged in drilling
holes In the embankment of Quarantine
Island in the upper end of the harbor.
The peril of those who escaped in Jury
IN the first explosion as wen as the res.
euers was heightened by the fact that
more than eight hundred pounds of
dynamite had already been placed in
the different drill holes, primed and
ready TO be set of. 1t was difficult 10
determine whether or not these charges
would also be set off.
Despite this the rescue party from
the Thetis proceeded with the work of
taking the injured or the wrecked and
rapidly sinking scow and pulling Others
from the water. The injured were
quickly taken TO the foot of Nuuann
street and from there carried in hacks
and other eonveyances to the Queen q
hospital. .l.'s
Foreman Dies at Hospital
Charles Makalo, foreman Of the crew
az work on the scow, is believed 10 have
received the full force of the explosion.
Though he showed no outward signs Of
injuries he was unconscious when pick
cd up and died within an hour after
reaching the hospital. Hemorrhape of
the brain was the cause. though II a
believed he was also internally Injured.
Though nearly every one Of the Ave
others are badly Injured, the attendants
at the hospital last night stated that
all were resting easily and il is believed
every one of the five men will recover
Ben Kehopili,. probably the most
seriously injured of the survivors. suf,
Tered n fractured cheek bone. together
with bruises and cuts about the BODY.
which may be aggravated by internal
injuries. In addition he suffered deep
scalp wound. Z tF
Frank Kekai is suffering from hay1
ing his left hip as well as his left leg
fractured in addition to injuries about
the face aud body. " 10y
Joe kaul is suffering from deep cut
on the left elbow. His chest is also
bruised and he has number of cuts
about the face and head caused by fiy
ing debris. HI' - IT. -. ~
John Spencer suffered number ~
scalp wounds in addition to iniuries
about the body 'r
@. Foster was more fortunate escan.
ing with an injury to his left thipb.
cansed by Being struck by a falling
timber in the wreckaRe.
All the injured men. AZ wall as tbe
man who lost his life are Hawaiians
~ was difficult to get statement
elmer from the men who escaped in.
jury or those who were injured yester-
day For two hours the survivors
wore closeted with the officers as well
a. members of the Hawaiian. Dredging
company who endeavored TO get a |
stnfement Of how the explosion hap
pencil. But little light was shed ON the |
matter.
t Explosion Not Explained.
Work was under way in charging
series Of eighteen holes preparatory to
setting OIL a salvo blast to loosen the
earth for the dredging operations which
nave been in progress in the upper end
Of the harbor. An average of fifty
pounds Of dynamite was used In each
charge Seventeen holes had been
charged, fuse and caps attached and
made IN readiness to be set of. About
twenty pounds Of dynamite had been
.amped into the eighteenth or last
hole OF the series when the explosion
came. The seow was within. a few
feet Of the seventeen charged holes
when the explosion came. 1t was the
dynamite aboard the scow that went
on whether it was set or by con.
'ussion or fire probably will never be
known. @t Irul
"Wes felt a great shock, then came
4 big noise and the next thing / re.
member ! was going up in the air with
pile Of iron and wood, is the most
iehnite explanation Of the explosion
hat could be secured yesterday. Ii
vas given by one Of the men who was
sanding close to the dynamite box
when the explosive was set of. He
gas thrown into the water and was
licked up by the rescue crew from. the
rhetjs. I,
Drill seow No. Q, the property Of the
iawaiian Dredging Company, is a mass
4 tangled wreekage and lies partially
uDmerged on bank near Quarantine {
sland. Robert Atkinson stated yes
erday that the seow was worth be, ID