Evening star., 1921-01-23

bier is to set down in these little an
nails was the gun explosion on the
frigate Princeton. 1t was great gun
in those days and it had been given
the name "Peacemaker." which was
name often given to guns that were
thought to be efficient in high de-
gree. This gun blew up while firing
a salute, which was remarkable
thing, as the gun had previously with
stood all firing tests under service
conditions.
The Princeton itself was an eXtraor-
binary ship. being the first propeller
only two months from the hands of
her builders at the time of the accl-
dent. The date of the explosion was
February 2S. 1884: the place of the
tragedy was in the Potomac off the
mouth of Broad creek. three and
half miles below Alexandria, After
leaving Alexandri ia, in going down
the river. your boat, following the
channel, crosses the stream diagonal
tE and comes close to the Maryland
shore at Fort Foote. Then southward
you sail with the high green bluffs on
the le1t. trlf1e more than mile be-
low Fort Foote you come to the mouth
Of Broad creek. which is three-quar-
! ters, of mile wide and reaches in
land for about mile. In The river
channel and halfway across the
| mouth of Broad creek the great gun
spot every time you go down to River
View. Marshall Hall, Fort Washing
ton. Mount Vernon. White House or
Glymont.
Those killed by the gunburst were
Abel p. Upshur of Virginia, Secretary
Of State; Thomas w. Gilmer. formerly
Governor of Virginia and then Secre-
| tary OF the Navy; Commodore Kennon
OF the Navy, Representative Sykes of
New Jersey. Representative Maxey of
member of the legislature of New
York. Those severely wounded were
William Wilkins of Pennsylvania,
Secretary Of War: Miss Wickliffe,
daughter of the Postmaster General;
Col. Dade. Senator Benton. Judge
Phelps of Vermont. Commodore stock
ton. commander of the Princeton, and
seventeen seamen.
From the files of the Rambler is
resurrected the following:
From an old man who preserved a fresh re-
membrance Of this sad affair the Rambler re-
ceived. quite a number of years ago. this
story: On February %. 1874. President Tyler,
the members Of his cabinet and their families
oeu HioHy prominent persons, S0l0 10
number more than 400 were invited by Com
modore Stockton to spend the day on the
1rigate Princeton. which was then lying at
anchor on Alexandria. After the guests were
on board. anchor was weighed for a short sail
down the river to a point below Fort Washing
ton. On the trip down the heaviest piece Of
ordnance on the frigate was fired a number of
times. presumably as matter of entertain
ment for the company The gun had been con-
structed from a model designed by Commodore
stockton, and decided interest was taken in
hU s@Ar nNr1- q
In the afternoon. OIL the return trip. the
Princeton anchored Off Broad creek and the
company was invited to luncheon in the cab
ins below the gun deck After luncheon, Com
modore Stockton proposed that the gun he fred
once more rs a salute, he said, to the memory
o. o.. tne ne, great peacemaker: George Washington.
oef OF other gentlemen repaired to the gun
deck.
As the gun was fred. the breech from the
trunnions back was blown of and this section
was split in halves. One-half fell on Secretary
Upshur. Two sailors removed the weight but
the Secretary expired in a few moments. Sec
section Of the gun before it feled Secretary
Upshur. The party on the gun deck scattered
and the whole ship shook under the force Of
the explosion Excitement, very naturally. was
great. The bodies were removed from the
Princeton. taken to Washington. placed in
hearses at the wharf and carried to the White
House. where they lay in state in the east
room till the day Of the funeral. which was
day Of general mourning in Washington.
Turning to the files Of the old Ma
tional Intelligencer' of the morning
after the accident. the Rambler
copied the following story, generally
accurate. but containing a few minor
mistakes which are often to be found
In matter prepared in haste. under
the pressure of excitement and COL
lected from different persons. no two
of whom saw the same thing in the
same way, or at the same place or
time:
Most Awful and Most Lamentable Catas-
trophe-lnstantaneous Death by the Bursting
Of One Of the Large Guns on Board the United
States Ship Princeton OF Secretary Upshur,
Secretary Gilmer. Commodore Kennon and vir-
gil Maxy, Esquire:
never fallen to our lot to announce to our
readers a more shocking calamity. shocking in |
all its circumstances and concOmmtants, than
that which occurred board the United States
ship Princeton yesterday afternoon whilst un-
der way. in the River Potomac, fourteen or
fifteen miles below this city.
Yesterday was a day appointed by the |
courtesy and hospitality Of Capt. Stockton,
commander of the Princeton. for receiving as !
visitors to the fine ship Princeton dying of |
Alexandriao a great number Of guests with |
company, to spend the day on board. The day |
was most favorable and the company was |
large and brilliant, Of both sexes, not less |
probably in numbers than four hundred |
Among them was the President of the United !
States the heads Of the several departments |
and their families. and at the proper hour, aft
the arrival Of the expected guests, the yes |
sci got under way and proceeded down the |
river to some distance below Fort Washngto |
During the passage down. one of the large |
guns aboard carrying Q ball Of DO pounds) |
was fired more than once. exhibiting the great |
power and the capacity Of that formidable :
weapon Of war.
The ladies had partaken Of a sumptuous re-
past; the gentlemen had succeeded them at |
table and some Of them had left it: the vessel |
was her return up the river and opposite !
fire another shot. BY no means not SO many
persons were gathered around the gun as |
during the discharges in the morning, for the |
ladies who then thronged the deck were. on |
and out Of the reach Of harm.
The gun was fired and the explosion was
followed, before the smoke cleared away SO
as to observe its effect. by shrieks Of woe |
had burst at 4 point three or four feet from
the breech and scattered death and desola tion /
around. Mr.. Cpshur. Secretary of State: Mr..
Gilmer. 50 recently placed at the head Of the |
Navy: Commodore kennon. one Of its gallant
officers: Virgil Maxey. lately returned from
a diplomatic residence at The Hague; Mr.. |
Gardener Of New York. formerly a member Of
the senate Of that state, were among the
wounded, several Of them badly, and probably |
mortally. !
Among those stunned by the concussion. we |
learn, not all seriously injured. were Capt. |
stockton himself. Col. BENTON Of the Senate, |
Lieut. Hunt Of the Princeton and W. d. Rob
inson Of Georgetown. Other persons were also i
more or less injured, of whom, in the horror |
and confusion of the moment, no certain ac- |
count could be obtained. The above are be- |
lieved, however. to comprise the whole Of the !
persons known to the public who were killed |
or dangerously or seriously hurt:
The scene upon the deck may be more easily |
irna inn oina-