The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-08-19
GRAF 7 WAS
REBUFF. 7
TRAM

CONTINUED from First PaEe.)
while fighting off the frightened
but unharmed passengers.
Victims Leap Into Sea
Many of the victims jumped into
the sea sekeing relief from their
burns.
one little girl, about to jump into
the sea seeking relief from their
man, one of the passengers who
escaped injury.
sst5ht Please blow on my hands, -
she screamed, They're so hot.
Among the more heart touching
sights in the hospitals where beds
were placed side to side to better
hold the injured. were children,
small girls and boys and several
infants, whose parents could not be
found. some Of them were badly
Every available nurse and physic-
ian in the city was on duty
throughout the night. For the
more seriously hurt they could do
little. Nineteef died between mid
night and 1850 this morning.
The commander Of the vessel,
Captain George McVay, was in the
p1lOI AOH0D WttCAA ING cA4g1OS4OAA
shook the vessel. He turned the
beAched It.
Captains Own Story
Captain Mcvey's own story Of the
Mae<inac explosion TALES with the
stories of survivors. He said:
II was in the pilot house with
Captain BENJAMIN Thomas, Of
Providence, the pilot, and Herbert
Spenard, wireless operator. We
had just left Newport en- route home
to PaWtucket. felt q shock aft.
This was followed by the kissing
Of escaping steam.
.'Immediately the ship became
enveloped in a mist Of hot steam,
which blocked the view from all
sides. A minute later the engines
stopped. ] swung the rtidder Of
the boat. It's own momentum
beaehed It q few minutes later.
lately sounded the distress call.
Ships from the squadron Of naval
vessels stationed near the training
station rushed to our rescue.
Great praise is due the naval men.
They took struggling passengers
from the water and they carried
the injured from the decks of the
Mackinac.' .
PeeIs Skin From Faces
Clouds OF burning steam, sblindin9
everyone within reach, Il the story
of the disaster told BY Walter
Bfindle Of Pawtucket spokesman
for small group OF the passengers
trapped on the lower deck close
to the boiler room. He said:
without warning, just as q puff
Of cigar smoke might be waited
along the deck, came the first
cloud of live steam. think we
saw the steam even before we
heard the hiss and roar Of the ex-
plosion.
at enveloped us. literally peeled
the skin from our faces and hands.
and caused the most intense s1f-
fering. Then came the shock OF
the explosion and some OF as went
hurting through the air to land
in the salty waters of the bay
which added to the smart and burn
Of our wounds"
Cause Not Determined
The cause of the explosion has
not been determined.
Richard daley, State boiler In
spector. arrived here early today
and began an investigation.
Two explanations of the cause Of
the disaster were being investi-
gated.
One was a report that the boiler
was defective and had been hur-
riediy patched This report said
the vessel was delayed an hour
and q half at Pawtucket yesterday
morning while the boiler was being
overhauled.
Another report, attributed the
explosion TO a dry boiler" Engine.
men explained that discovery that
: the supply Of water IA the boiler
system was low might have caused
someone to turn I'm cold water
mendoug pressure that burst the
boiler and its feed pipes.
Neither Of these reports had been
confirmed early today.
One Of the outstanding heroes
of the explosion was Herbert Spe-
nArd, wireless operator and quarter
master of the Inflated craft. When
the radio collapsed, and the big
whistle went out Of commission be-
cause of lack of steam. Spenard
risIked his life by climbing the rig
gIng through the clouds OF steam
and managed to send distress sig
mails with pennants to the naval
training station.
These signals brought to the
rescue naval men in launches and
many yachts.
The death toll follows:
HENRY DICKINSON, Paw.
tucket, a policeman.
JOHN 81. HUNTER, Pawtucket.
a Brown University sophomore,
employed during vacation as an
oiIer on-the boat.
HALMA JAMRON. Pawtucket.
DELMA JAMRON, her sister,
Pawtucket,
OLGA WEcKHART, Providence
Dolfof