New Britain herald., 1930-06-27
HARD STORM TAKES
 TOLL IF 4SLIYES
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(Contnued From First Page) river was blamed today for the death of 3o men. killed when the blast tore to bits the drill boat J. F. King.
 Only l2 members Of the crew of 4 were rescued. These were picked mp by the T.. s. coast guard cutter Fl. Several Of them were severely injured and were brought to hospi- taIs here.
 The drill boat which was owned by l. r. Porter and Sons Of St. Ca'heriues. O1t- was engaged in hasrinE a channel through Brock vile Narrows off Coehburn Island on the eastern fringe of the Thou sand Island group.
 Several holes had been drilled in .He rock and filled with dynamite and tha day crew was drilling addi- u5Dal hcles 10 place more dynamite when an electrical storm broke over the river about 4:2o ?. III. Many Of the nigb- shift were asleep below the decks.
 Witnesses said they saw a flash Of lightning dart down 10 the boat. The flash was followed immediately ny terrific explosion. The air was filed with debris and the drill beat had disappeared,
 some reports were that there had been a large quantity Of dynamite aboard inc J. E. King which had Teen exploded by the flash. Luther huchenbecker superintendent in large Of the work. who was ashore 1t The tune said there was no dyna- mira on the craft He said the ex- plosion was caused by lightning fol lowing the steel drills which were working in the rock. or the wires leading to the charges which had been placed.
 Three Tons in Holes
 To Marion. Gn inspector Of the rubl.c works department at Ottawa, w ro was one Of those rescued ee- '8la.a5 there were three tons of dynamite in the drill holes and cH- pressed inc opinion that there also "as 2 considerable quantity in the hoe-. H- charged that au unIdenti- lied boa passed a. rha time Of the aNgiosior but did nothing 10 aid in tll- rescue.
 The explosion was witnessed by tho crew Of the r. 5. coast guard cutter -I1. which was passing in charge Of Captain C. E. LoE. with AI r. Rasmussen. chief inspector Of the BGTlIo district aboard.
 The cutter hastily made for th" spot and lowered life boat. A number of men waro seen clrginE 70 wreC6aga and while those near al hand were hauled aboard the cutter, the life boat picked Hp others. After landing 12 survivors, the cut- -ar returned 10 the scene and searched Tor others.
 Among those rescued was c. T.. Brown Of Ottawa. a member of the night shift He sad he was asleep in his bunk when the explosion happened. Ha managed 10 reach a po.thole and .mp olerboard before the boat sank. H. was picked up c,lngJne 10 piece Of floating wracEaga,
 T.. 4. MoN-.I, foreman Of the hay shift. ar5th.- surv.vor. sad the boat seemed 10 disappear from be- ra-rh his feet when the blast oc- cured
 Three Bodies Recovered
 Three bodies were recovered. One Of these were found by the coast guard life boat crew wedged into . a mass Of wreckaga.
 ! The worhmen aboard the drIl 1 boat included driI,ers. hlacksmi1hs Ito sharpen the drills, powdermen. . helpers and Iaborers. ia addition to the engine room crews 1 The J. P. King was one of tha ! largest boats Of her type in Canada. . S6" WAS l51 feet long with a heam oc 51 feet and was equipped with 12 steam driven drills.
 Each drill sank q six and ora-half inch hole in the granite shoals 10 a minimum Of 27 feet. After a num- . Der Of holes had been drilled and l a charge Of dynamite placed in each one. connected bv wires to a do- tcrator aboard the boat the J. F kIng would be moved off to a1out . loco feet and the charges ex- ploied.
 Cottages Witness Disaster
 The destruction Of t8e vessel was witnessed by occupants of sumner ro''aEe7 along the shore. Many per sons who heard the explosion patl a0 attention to if believed it t0 hc one of the blasts which the crew 0, the drill beat set of in the course Of their work.
 J. B, Hunter deputy minister o p bile works at Ottawa. said thj explosion would seriously delay th' work Of clearing the channel as ht believed no other drill boat would
 on available
 Dog Among Victims
 Among inc victims Of the nX
 plostoH aboard the J. F. King. wa
 tho ships mascot. a large police dog
 named Eiu-. which recently wa
 awarded 2 medal for dog hcrojsm. Last spring King saved the life O Jack Wyle. 2 member Of the crew , when he broke through the ice whil' ! helping load machinery. WyH
 sank and King leaped into the wate . and brought him to the surface . Both Wylie and King were on th Q missing list,
 - 1o puildfnps nroofn1