Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-01-16

r al helper, Brooklyn.
Although the detonation was terri.
fc, the submarine itself, from the
outside, shows none Of the effects of
the explosion, the second fatal acct.
dent of it's kind in the history Of the
United States navy. The interior ap-
paratus was badly shattered, but 30
tight was the vessels shell that there
was no means OF escape for gas ac-
cumulated and it was more than an
hour after the blast before the work
of recovering the bodies could be
completed. A ladder was blown up
through the coming tower and fell
150 feet away.
Bodies Removed.
The injured men and one body
were recovered soon after the acci.
dent, but three bodies far down in
the craft could not be reached before
the gas had been blown out by com.
pressed air. Soon after the explosion
several naval officers led a rescue
party into the drydock, but were over.
come by fumes when they attempted
to descend in to the vessel
Number Inside Not Known.
The number OF men inside the sub.
marine at the time of the explosion
is not definitely known. About 20
were working on the craft. but all
were not on the underwater boat ut
the same time.
What caused the explosion has not
been definitely decided. Rear Ad.
miral Nathaniel r. Uher, command.
ant of the navy yard, after an ex.
animation of the craft, and question.
ing workmen who had been nearby.
declined to express an opinion, He
said:
Were Working in Battery.
"The men were at work in the bat
terry compartment of the E-2, dis.
charging the new Edison batteries
through a rheostat, to measure the
voltage, and the explosion occurred
in that compartment, while they were
working there. The battery will gen.
crate no kind of gas and there was
no gasoline on board. The engine
was of the oil burning Diesel type"
Temporary investigating Committee.
Pending the appointment of an OH.
cial board of inquiry by the navy de.
partment, Rear Admiral Uher named
temporary investigating committee.
The opinion was expressed that the
process of withdrawing the charge
from the battery might have caused
the formation of hydrogen gas. Tho
explosions Of that nature have been
frequent on submarines of all navies.
it was explained, and several have
ocurred on American boats within
the last few years. None Of the 9th.
ers was serious, however. IS
Only One Of lts Type.
The F-2 was the only. vessel In
the world equipped with the Edison
nickel battery and she made her first
trip successfully with them on De.
cember Z, last. 1t was reported that
the new battery gave better speed
with less fuel
Generated Gases.
The Edison battery, experiments
have proved, generates nearly dou.
BILE the ordinary amount of hydrogen
during the process of charging, but
on discharge, or while lying idle.
gives off much less. During the bat.
terry trials, there were reports from
her officers of an undue amount Of
hydrogen. The boat made one trip
with observers aboard and it was re.
ported that while in operation not
enough gas was generated to be dan.
gerous.
There were three other submarines
in the drydock, but they were SO feet
from the F2, which had been under.
going repairs since December 20.
There were no torpedoes. or gasoline
in any of them.
Secretary of the Navy Daniels was
at luncheon at the National Demo
cratic club in this city when he was
informed of the explosion.
Rear Admiral Uher was there also.
and left Immediately.
Lieutenant Charles Cook, comman.
der of the F-2, was not ct the navy
yard when the explosion occurred.
Commander W1urtshaugh reported
to Secretary Daniels this aftefnoon
the result of his preliminary inquiry
into the explosion.
Daniels Seeks Information.
Gas Commander Wurtsbaugh AAS
the information at first hand" ~.
Daniels said, 81 prefer that he shoulA
mpart It."
Commander Wurtsbaugh said:
''The F-2, one Of the oldest suh.
marines. was in drydock whea ~
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