South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-01-17
BLAST NOT DUE
TO NEW BATTERY
ediSon'S Chief Engineer Con-
tends New Invention is
Satisfactory.
Press Service:

Associated Press Service:
NEW YORK, Jan. IA state
ment indicating that the new Edison
storage battery was not in any way
responsible for the explosion on the
submarine E-2 at the New York
navy yard Saturday, was made sun
day night by Miller Reese Hutch
inson. chief engineer for Thomas A.
Edison and a member of the naval
consulting board.
The preliminary inquiry into the
explosion was held in secret Sunday
by the board Of inquiry appointed
by Rear Admiral Nathaniel r
Usher. commandant Of the navy
yard. Neither Admiral Usher nor
any Of those present would discuss
what occurred at the inquiry. Per
sons on board or near the E-2 at the
time of the explosion were question
ed at length however.
No Conclusion Reached.
Rear Admiral Usher made the
following formal statement Sunday
night:
The board Of inquiry met today
and went aboard the submarine.
where they conducted a thorough
investigation. The investigation was
not finished and therefore the board
will again meet tomorrow. No con-
clusion was reached"
Secretary Of the Navy Josephus
/ Daniels, who is expected 10 name to-
morrow a board OF inquiry to con-
| duct a formal investigation left for
/ Washington Sunday afternoon with
/ out making any statement regard
/ ing the explosion. At the navy yard
! inquirers were turned away with the
statement that Rear Admiral Usher
and the others conducting the in
quiry had nothing to say
At the hospital where the injured
were taken it was said several OF
/ them were in critical condition and
/ one is expected TO die. Nothing APP
! prOximating an official theory as tC
/ the cause Of the explosion which
! resulted in the death Of four work
men and the injury of ten others
was obtainable
The only light shed on the disas-
| ter was contained in the statement
of Mr.. Hutchinson, who absolved
/ from blame the Edison battery, de-
signed to minimize the danger tC
submarine crews resulting from ac-
/ cumulation of gas. The E-2 was the
only boat thus far equipped with
! these batteries. the tests made OF
which were reported TO be thor
| oughly satisfactory.
Il have made as complet an in
spection of the interior Of the sub
marine E-2 as conditions will al
| present admit" said Mr.. Hutchin-
! son. This inspection 1 made as Mr.
/ Edison's chief engineer and personal
representative and ! have formed a
/ tentative opinion. This / have trans
mitted TO the cOmmandant of the
/ New York navy yard, under whose
! jurisdiction this boat was on January
I15, 1916. 1t is subject to revision
when all the facts are brought forth
by the board of inquiry which Ad-
miral sher has ordered.
/ Utah w-dhd al o.. SanOraofhaculn
Having been present at the pre-
! liminary inspection, / consider l am
| bound by the same rules and regu-
\ lationS as is a naval officer in mat
ters of a confidential nature. and
must refer you TO Admiral Usher foI
such information as he may be in
a position and may be inclined to
/ give.
las TO the Edison battery. with
/ all the facts and conditions before
me, 1 see no reason to recommend tc
Mr.. Edison any changes or aitera-
tons in theory, construction or meth
| cd of installation Of the Edison sub
marine type of storage battery. The
| battery in the E-2 does not appear
to have been injured in the least.
A large number of persons went To
! the navy yard Sunday afternoon &c
view the wreck Of the submarine
/ but marines on guard prevented
them from going closer than twelve
or fifteen feet.