Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-01-20
SUBNERS|b[E e
BLOWS Up IN DRY
Dock THREE DEAD
American PIunger Wrecked By
internal Blast While Test
ing Out New Edison
Batteries.
HYDROGEN GAS EXPLODES
A. Least Six Sailors Seriously
Injured-Fumes Impede the
Work of Rescue-Fire
Follows Blast.
HYDROGEN GAS EXPLODES

| New York. Jan. 15.-An explosion
aboard the submarine E-2 in drydoclx
at the New York navy yard. caused
the death today of at least three mem
bers of the crew and injured a num-
Der of others ~variously reported at
from six to 20.
One was killed outright and two
6ied later at the naval hospital at the
yard. Six seriously injured were taken
to the hospital shortly after the ex-
piosiop occurred, at about 1:45 o'clock.
At ) o'clock others rescued from the
interior of the submarine We're being
brought in.
The explosion was said to be duo
to hydrogen gas ignited while the new
batteries invented by Thomas A. Edi-
son We're being recharged.
Reporters Are Barred.
Newspaper men were barred from
the navy yard and authentic details
could not be obtained during the first
two hours following the explosion.
Some reports had 1T that 10 men We're
IN the submarine at the time and tina
eight or nine We're instantly killed.
Several officers who attempted t o
enter the submarine at the head OF q
SNN E"sA ~ OdSh NY Va
fumes and it was reported at 3 D. m.
that a number of bodies We're still in
the interior. Four of the injured, who
We're removed to the naval hospital just
outside the yard, were thought by sur
geons to nave little chance for recoy-
cry. They were:
l.. c. Miles. chief electrician, of
Brooklyn.
John Holsey, seaman, Baltimore.
Guy Fl, Clark, jr.. Frankfort. N. Y.
Ramon Otto, Middleburg. Md.
Rear Admiral Nathaniel r. Usher,
listening to Secretary Daniels speech
on preparedness, at the Democratic
club here. when he was informed of
the explosion. The commandant. ac-
companiad by an aide Of Secretary
Daniels, went at once to the navy yard
and told newspapermen he would make
an immediate investigation.
Piunger On Fire.
One man was killed outright and at
least nine others. We're injured in the
explosion, according to a navy yard
employe who was near the scene.
The submarine was afire inside. he
said, and IN order to put out the flame
the little craft was flooded. At the
time of the explosion the E-2 was on
the stock in drydock No. 2.
Men working e the E-2 heard
terrific ~detonation and then saw 4
great burst of flame shoot from one Of
the hatchWayS.
The submarine E-2 was built in
1910, and displaced 430 tons. She was
capable of travelling IA knots on the
surface and II knots submerged. In
September. 1914, she had a narrow
escape from an accident similar to that
which befell the I'd outside of Hon
olulu harbor.
Had Narrow Escape.
While the submersible was engaged in
maneuvers off Brenton reef %lightship,
Ensign Gillian detected chloric gas
when the vessel was submerged SO
feet. He ran to the surface and the
coming tower was quickly opened to
give the crew fresh air. Every one
Of the is members of the crew, 1t is
said. was more or less affected by
the gas, some bleeding from the nose
and mouth.
AS a result of the accident Ensign
Gillian was under medical treatment
at the naval hospital at Las Animas,
Colo. for several months.
The E-2 was the only vessel in the
| world equipped with the Edison nick
eled batteries and she made her first
trip successfully with them Decem-
Der Z last. With Lieut.. Charles M.
Cooke, ir., in command the E-2 made
an extension u on the surface. then
dlVeu ana m~aneuVefeU Tor SeVeraI
hours. After these experiments the
E-2 made a successful run submerged.
The run proved, ii was declared on
escellent authorities. that the new
batteries gave better speed with less
fuel.
The E-2 went into commission at
Boston in the spring of 1912. The boat
was built in the yards of Electric
Boat company at Fore River. Mass.
The E-2, with her sister ship, Ell,
We're the first two naval vessels to be
equipped with the DIESEL oil burning,
interior combustion engines and they
were the first submarines t, be
equipped with wireless telegraph ap-
paratus.