Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-22
FIRE ON 2 WARSHIPS
DENIED BY OFFICIALS
Navy Department Says No
Blaze Occurred on New York
or Warrington.

Naval officials today we're confirmed IN
their opinion that rumors connecting the
recent fires on United States warshlps
with the work Of spies are greatly ex-
aggerated.
Admiral Usher commandant Of the
Brooklyn Navy Yard, today informed
Secretary OF the Navy Daniels that there
was no foundation Tor the report that
tire was discovered on either the battle
ship New York or the destroyer Warning
ton at that yard Added TO this. the fire
on the battleship Oklahoma is no 5e-
lievcd to have been caused by tniuiess-
ness or defective Insulation. although,
according to the official report 1t is
mysterious"
An official OF the New York shlpbulld-
Ing Company expressed the opinion to-
day that there was possibility that
there may be something abnormal about
the fire on the battleshlp Oklahoma The
ufticial, who refused TO have his name
made public, said; "It ls highly probably
that there may be something abnormal
about the fire, but we are not Justified
In saying H. / doubt ~ n trace OF the
origin OF the fire will ever be determined -
While an air OF strict secrecy prevails
at the plant of the New York Shlpbuild-
ing Company, Camden, where naval and
fire which destroyed nine Compartments
under the forward turret Of the battleship
Oklahoma last Monday, the guard at
League Island has been increased FIVE
fold. and although officials would not
confirm the rumor, II is said that the
guards have been heavily armed and
ordered to Shot to kill" II necessary
Carelessness Is mentioned In the first
report to Secretary Daniels by Can
~ s,stt,
Is investigating the recent fire on the
Oklahoma. at the plant OF the New York
Shipbuilding Company, Camden. Captain
KaemmerlinE states that the origin OF the
fire appears to be a mystery" but that
It was believed to have been due to de-
fective insulation or carelessness Of some
workman. The text Of Captain Kaem-
merling's report follows:
Fire observed on board $50 D. M, July
TO- Smoke from locality of handling room
of No turret Fire In 14-inch maga-
zines and H-inch shellroom Dense
smoke issuing from various matches
Necessary to flood those compartments.
on account of the matches being open in
the first and second platforms the fire
could not be reached until virtually the
whole of the ship In this location was
filled up to the first platform. Before the
flooding was stopped the ship was filed
from the inner bottom to the third deck.
from about frame 20 aft to frame g. The
fire finally was eXtinguished about a. IN.
Detailed report of damage not possible
until water has been removed and ex-
animation made. Now pumping out Be
lieved origin of fire was In l4-inch maga-
zine. Several bulkheads badly warped.
Some deck plating may require renewal
IAN electric wiring, piping, operating
gears. ventilation pipes and other sys-
TENS, also cork insulation throughout
the compartments In which fire occurred
are practically destroyed. The origin OF
the fire appears to be a mystery. II Ia
believed that II may have been due TO
defective insulation of electric wiring
around the MAGAZINES or to carelessness
of some workman in dropping lighted
matches or cigarette butts. The principal
fuel on which the fire fed appears to be
the cork insulation of decks and bulk
heads. although considerable stage plank
and other inhammable dunnage was in
these spaces and added to the FIRE"
Captain Kaemmerling, Superintendent
Constructor John G., Tawresey and II. A.
Magoun, vice president of the New York
| Shipbuildng Company. made an inspec-
| tion of the Oklahoma's hui early today
All agreed that there was not the slight
| est reason to believe the fire of incen-
diary origin