Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-20
BENSON WILL PROBE
FIRE ON OKLAHOMA

Continued from Pare One
Secretary Daniels pointed out that ther,
appeared no evidence in this incident o
q plot IN connection with the recent frei
on the battleships Alabama, at Phlladei
phia, and the New Jersey, at Boston. II
each OF these cases, he eaid, the blaz'
had been traced TO defective electrical
wiring. lie suggested that the Oklahoma
fire might be the third Of a series OF ac-
cidents which the superstltious seriously
believe to come three at a time"
Guards about the plant have been re-
doubled today and admission Is denied 70
every one not connected with the com
pany. A rigid investigation will be start
ed as soon as the great pumps now at
work clear the compartment where the
! ires ragged OF tons Of water.
The most significant fact Of the fires
was that they occurred In the same place
| as the blaze on the battleshlp Alabama
and on the battleship New Jersey. Fire
was discovered on the Alabama on July
| IL, while the battleship was thronged
with visitors at the Philadelphia Navy
| Yard Tho New Jersey wBs discovered TO
be on fire at the Charleston Navy Yard,
Boston. July 10, In each Instance the flre
was beneath No 1 turret There also
was fire recently on the warship San
Francisco at Mare Island Navy Yard. on
the Pacific coast, that the Navy Depart
ment has been investigating
officials OF the New York shipbuiding
Company refused to discuss the blaze to-
day. They say they know nothing, save
what they have seen In the newspapers.
and will have no statements to make
until the water is pumped out Of the ok
lahoma and an investigation can be made
1t was pointed out by II. A. Magoun,
81 % IA
thIne that may be said now is pure specu-
lation EIis idea is that the fire was
started by crossed wires. The part
burned Is believed to have been some of
the heavy wooden snoring that had not
been removed from the dreadnought, also
the cork caulklng that lines the ship as
an insulation.
SPY sCAREs REVIVED.
Spy scares came to life with renewed
vigor today following the fires League
Island, Cramps, the Frankford Arsenal
and all other plants having anything to
do with war supplies either for this
country or the warning nations Of Europe
became unusually vigilant Visitors were
subjected to close scrutiny and those who
did not seem to have some legitimate err
rand were kept always in reach of
guard.
AAI0QGn IL ny lilb DldHt Oh Nle
Oklahoma as II has never been before,
Thousands Of residents of the city across
the river followed the changing fire en-
gines to the New York shpbuilding plant
late last night and at o'clock this morn
ing there was still n throng outside the
big plant. speculating on the cause of the
blaze
The first fire was discovered at $3.50
o'clock last night. Firemen had difficulty
getting into the compartment owing to
the thick black smoke. This smoke is
the basis for most of the suspicious
as to the origin OF the flames What
woodwork there was In the vessel would
not make It. It was not thought the cork
caulking would burn so freely.
After an hour of pouring water into the
compartment lremen thought they had
extinguished the flames. Most of the en-
gine companies started to return TO their
quarters, but short time later they
were recalled. Later this Mapped third
time.
FIREMEN OVERCOME.
John Garrity, a fireman overcome while
trying to get into the chip, said that he
found the caulldng burning to a depth in
the vessel equivalent to the height of
five-story building. Garrity was revived
at his engine house. Two other flremen
overcome by smoke in fighting the flames
were revived by ambulance physicians on
the scene.
Hundreds of tons of water were pumped
into the big steel ship by the Ashbrldge
and the King before the smoke ceased
pouring from the decks. A double Gordon
of guards was thrown about the plant
Immediately after the first alarm had
been sounded, and a search of the prem
ises was made. 1t was said today that a
stranger might have entered the yards
ha ,trrkt
Motorboats, rowboats and sailboats filled
with curious rivermen, denied admittance
to the plant this morning, dotted the Della
ware of the ship building plant Nearly
everybody seemed to have a camera to
take photographs of the big dreadnought.
CLOSE WATCH KEPT.
The would-be invaders of the plant by
water became so many after a while that
more guards were stationed on the river
front. They kept boats we'll beyond land
ing distance and watched everything.
The contract for the superdreadnought
Oklahoma was received by the New York
Ship Building Company IN 1912. The keel
was laid soon after the contract was
signed. The vessel is larger than the
superdreadnought Pennsylvania In dis
placement. but does not possess a battery
as strong as the warship which is named
after this State. Her specified speed of
Pennsylvania. She Is a sister ship of the
Nevada. The contract price for each is
5000, COO for the hull and machinery. The
Oklahoma was launched a year ago
Work is being rushed on the vessel and
1t was expected to deliver It to the Gov
ernment about September 80 Her de-
livery will be delayed by the fire
The water line length OF the Oklahoma
is 575 feet. She has a beam OF 50 feet
3 inches. Her displacement is 275OO tons
Her battery consists of 10 l4-inch IS
calibre guns arranged in turrets so all
can be fired at once These l4-inch guns.
with American sailors behind II Sm, are
said TO be as effective as the I5-Inch guns
OF the much-praised Queen Elizabeth of
the British navy. AS a secondary bat
terry the superdreadnought carries q O.
inch 81 calibre guns, She also has four
torpedo tubes. each Of p inches, and ls
searchlights.