The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-04-12
MEN CAUGHT
IN QUARTERS
And BURNED
Several Members of Crew on
Deck Escaped, Some With
Serious Injuries
100000 DAMAGE DONE
Yesterdays Disaster Seventh
Serious Loss to Oil In.
dustry in Week

Port Arthur, Texas, April l2-LR--.
The blackened hulk Of the oil tanker
Gulf Of Venezuela today rode quietly
on the waters Of Port Arthur Bay
where yesterday gasoline explosion
aboard her tore out her vitals and
killed 25 men. climaxing week Of oil
disasters in the southwest
The buckled plates. scorched sides
and twisted superstructure Of the
tanker tell mute story Of how the
metal of the ship was heated to II
glaring whiteness in two furious
hours during which the IS men were
incinerated.
Rcnding the quiet night with ter
rifle detonation while the men slept
in their quarters aft. the explosion.
as sudden as it was mysterious. shot
flame of burning gasoline $50 feet
into the air. The blast took several
members Of the crew with it and left
the others imprisoned in shell Of
hungry flames.
Ten in Hospital
The toll Of injured today stood at
10 in the hospital, with 25 missing.
About five men were dismissed from
the hospital after receiving err.
cncy treatment.
While the flames seemed to cr ielop
the entire ship. only one of her tanks
was ignited and the gasoline in ad-
joining compartments remained undis-
turbed. though some Of her bulkhcads
were white hot.
The cause early today remained un-
determined, but it was the opinion of
refinery men that the explosion was
due to the overlooking Of a compart-
ment. the gasoline coming in contact
with steam pipes. One Of the injured
men in the hospital is quoted as say
ing compartment ovcrflowed as it
was being filled.
The disaster Is the seventh serious
loss to the oil industry in the last
week. including two oil tank fires in
Texas resulting from lightning. The
seven disasters took 81 lives and cost
approximately $15,oOO,O 900. A tank
farm at San Luis Obispo, Calf,
burned with loss Of millio.s cs gn:-
Ions Of oil and two deaths. A similar
fire occurred at Brea, Calf. The
Dutch tanker Silvanus collidcd with
the steamer Thomas H. Wheeler in
the Mississippi river. 40 miles below
New Orleans, Thursday and on the
same day an explosion rocked the
tanker q. 7. Waring in drydock at
New Orleans. Thirty OF more lives .
were lost on the latter two ships, and
the damage to the three ships is esti-
mated at more than $3,O00,O00.
Cargo Can Be Saved
The Texas tank fires, one at Luling
and the other at Humble. brought a
total loss of about $3O0,OOO.
A preliminary survey Of the Gulf
Of Venezuela indicate, according to
officials Of the Gulf Refining COM
pany, its owner, that she could be re-
commissioned for about 100000. The
vessel was valued at $l,50O,O0O. A
large part of the gasoline cargo Of
about IS 900 barrels can be salvaged,
it was said.
The ship came to port here Friday
at midnight and was preparing to
sail Sunday for England.
Mems Screams Heard
1t was shortly before dawii-~hlle
gasoline was being pumped into her
compartments the explosion oc-
Cured. The blast shook the water
front In few seconds the ship
was an inferno, and the screams Of
men being roasted alive could bs
heard above the roar Of the flames.
Those Oh deck were either blown
into the water or onto the dock. Two
were seen to 60 over with their
clothing afire like flaming rockets.
The force Of the explosion appar-
emily drove A. G. Schultz through
portfolio. A hospital attendant found
him on the dock with portfolio ring
tightly about his body. The attend
ance had to file the ring loose before
he could remove Schultz. The injur-
ed man said he had no recollection OF
what had occurred.
Captain John +. Charlton Of Phils
adelphia was asleep. He rushed on
deck to find burning oil all about
him. As he tried to aid the crew his
night clothing was scorched and he
had to leap from the burning ship to
save himself. Captain Charlton was
credited with being the first Amcri-
can captain to sink German submar-
inc in the world war. He commanded
the Silver Star, an armed guard ship,
during the world conflict.
Two men died in the hospital. The
other % were SO badly burned that
Identification thus far has been i'm.
possible, and the company has been
unable to check the list Of the crew.