Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-13
bareback Injuries
(Continuad from Paua Onel

died away when the dreadnaught' 8
PROV swung around and the big
, ship raced full steam ahead toward
port. In the wireless room radio
snapped out the tragic news to the
| hospital ship Relief. at anchor in the
| harbor As miles away.
Aboard the Relief. men and sur
geons sprang into action. Decks and
| operating rooms were cleared for the
reception of the injured.
Had the turret. which was revolv-
| ing at the time the explosion on the
| battleship Mississippi occurred. re-
manned in the position in which 1t
was at the time of the explosion. the
! hang fire from the left gun would
! have gone into the center of the city
OF San Pedro, witnesses aboard the
ship said.
When the gunner's hand guiding
the controls was wrenched away by
the explosion. the guns kept re-
volving and stopped as they pointed
directly aft.
Plus. fortune probably saved the
lives of many citizens and the de-
struction of much property in San
Pedro.
Stretchers were brought out and
placed in readiness. Preparations
boats and launches for carrying the
wounded from the crippled dread
naught to the Relief.
Meanwhile the word that some
thing had gone wrong aboard the
Mississippi spread from the naval
patrol station along the water front
and all who could muster field
glasses strained their eyes toward
the south where the fighting tops of
the dreadnaught were visible above
the horizon.
From Point Firmin. an eminence
near the mouth of the harbor. the
distressed vessel could be plainly
seen. with sailors crowded around the
shattered turret.
AS yet no one ashore knew the ex-
tent of the disaster.
Lieutenant cellars. Is. one of the
three officers killed in the turret fire
in number turret of the battleship,
leaves n wife at his home in Long
Beach. He is not believed to have
any rh, rem. His home city Is said
to be ANITA. Ga.
Ensign II. D. Smith. from the L.
S. S. New Mexico. was the first man
to enter the turret number 2 follow
ing the burning of the smokeless
powder which snuffed out the lives
of the two score men.
Upon entering the turret, Ensign
Smith took with him an air hose.
which Immediately caused the flames
again to shoot forth. After flooding
the turret the second time with
water, Ensign Smith was able to en-
ter. All the men were dead at that
time, their faces swelled and puffed
almost beyond recognition by the in
tense heat. Identification marks on
the cothing. however, were still dis
cernible.
Three Quartersr OF an hour elapsed
after the fire in turret number was
observed from the Quartermaster's
deck before entrance into the red
hot chamber containing the charred
bodies of the entombed men could be
made by Ensign, Smith.
Four powder bags containing $50
pounds of explosive each were inside
the rifle turret according to one of
the surviving sailors in the handling
room, above, where several were al
so killed.
OF the injured several sailors in
the passage spaces and handling
room above the turret were literally
burned by gas and from the explos-
ion.
The fourteen inch rife that ignit-
cd the turret powder supply was at
the extreme elevation at the moment
OF the firing. the idea being to take
advantage of the battleship's roll or
list to the other side for minimum
attitudes for efficiency of the gun.
On request for an official state
mcnt concerning the disaster from
the commanding officer of the Mis-
sippi The Associated Press CORES
pondent was informed that no off,
cial statement would be issued until
tomorrow morning.
The explosion occurred early in
the afternoon. The dreadnaught
Immediately after the explosion