Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-21
COMPARTMENTS
DAMAGED ON WARSHIP

Continued from Page One
Daniels thus far has taken no action on
the basis of such suspicious, but he has
asked for a thorough report from Captain
Kaemmerling, naval officer In charge Of
inspection work. through Rear Admiral
Benson, chief of naval separations.
Coincident with the news of the fire on
the Oklahoma comes the report that an
extra detail of guards has been placed
on duty, not only at the plant of the New
York Shipbuildlng Company, but also at
the Baldwin Locomotive Works, at the
navy yard and at the Frankford and
Sohuylkill arsenals. 1t is even spid that
through fear of fanatics, the big Brooklyn
Navy Yard will be closed to civilians.
II. A. Magoun, vice president of the
company, said today;
"We don't expect to find anything
startling. don't know that we shall
ever be able to ascertain the real cause
Of the fire. What causes many big fires
or even disasters? II is easy enough to
guess but to get down TO the real rock
bottom Of the exact cause is another
matter"
Mr.. Magoun explained that ohicials OF
the company were eager TO begin an in
vestigation and that the pumps had been
kept going and an extra force of men
kept at work all night 80 that 1t might
begin today.
"Thls fire Is certainly unfortunate, but
by no means DISASTROUS" Mr. Magoun
continued. I'VE have had other fires be-
fore. There was a fire on the battieship
Moreno just after we had turned her
over to the Argentine Government. The
FIRE on the Moreno was not similar to
that on the Oklahoma. 1t was a fire,
nevertheless.
There may be something strange about
naN I,a a. a.,.. A
ships In rapid succession, but Il may be
only coincidence, 1 can't say that
connect the fre on the Oklahoma with
the other fires have Just mentioned.
Fires will happen, you know"
Mr. Magouh explained that the FIRE on
the Oklahoma may have been due to any
one of a number of causes. 1T may have
been due to the wiring; then again 1t may
have been caused by a cigarette stub or
clgat butt or lighted match. The
workmen are not allowed TO smoke. he
said, but 1t is possible that orderB might
have been disobeyed.
"Worlmen quit here at $50 in the after
noon. and II is possible that one may
have lighted pipe and dropped a match
below deck just after quitting time.
NO" Mr. Magoun said in reply to a
question, ut is impossible to make even
the slightest estimate or guess OF the
damage until all the water has been
pumped out OF the ships hull"
The entrances to the New York ship
building plant are being strictly guarded
today. The guards will admit no one un-
less connected with the concern. While
officials would not admit that ali em-
ployes who we're on duty the day the fire
occurred would be questioned In the course
Of the Investigation, 1t was said that
questions undoubtedly would be asked
here and there
Of1cials of the company are at A loss
to explain how there came 10 be 40 much
fire in the hun OF the Oklahoma Mr..
Magoun, In discussing the magnitude OF
the blaze said:
Ordinarily there IL little inhamnable
material In the hull Of a battleship.
am referring especially to the magazine
compartments, where the ammunition ls
stored. But you must realize that that
Is not necessarily the case with a ship
under construction The cork eauling
which lines the compartments as am i'm,
snlation Is held fast By cement, but. this
eAulins Is bfaeed temporarily by wooden
snoring, The snoring might have caught
ire, and, although cork does not burn
easily, when fre once gets hit, It viii
sweep everything In its path. as every
one readily knows"
we had fires on the Arkansas ana the
Utah ana quite a serious one on the Mo-
reno, although they did not compare to
last Mondays fire on the Oklahoma. The
nre itself spread into or 10 rooms on
compartments as they are called. and for
its cause even a suggestlpn WOULD be pra-
mature. There Il any amount OF lnham.
mable materlel on a Hhip while M thR
course Of construction ineludlna wood
OIL paint and cork and other material
paint will burn when Il n heafsd p