Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1904 — MONSON IS THE HERO [ARTICLE]

MONSON IS THE HERO

Took His Life in His Hands to Save His Mates on the Missouri. BHTJT HIMSELF IN A MAGAZINE To Prevent sii Explosion and la Nearly Drowned—Funerals at Pensacola —President Aids a Belief Fund. Pensacola, Fla,, April 1$. —That the newest battleship of the navy, the Missouri, had a narrow escape from being blown to pieces by the explosion of a magazine, and also being beached has come to light. Captain William S. Cowles prevented the latter when-' the vessel was within 250 yards of the beach by giving orders that the ship’s course be changed. Chief Gunner’s Mate Monson saved the ship and lives of over 600 men by jumping into the open magazine and closing the doorbehind him. Details of Bow It was Dons. It is stated, though not by officers of the Missouri, that when the officers beard the explosion In the turret and saw the fire lapping through the top’ they realized that the hot magazine would next explode, and headed the ship for the beach, intending to beach her if possible before the explosion. Captain Cowles quickly stopped the , plan and put the ship back to sea. When the first explosion occurred in the turretthe men in the handling room knew in an Instant what had: occurred. The big magazine door was open, and standing against it were four charges of powder. Without a moment’s hesitation Gunner’s Mate Mon- 5 son shoved these aside and jumping into the magazine pulled the door closed after him. Monson is Hwrly Drowned. The magazine was totally flooded with water, and when the men opened the door they found Monson barely alive, the water having reached to m« neck. The damage to the battleship la much greater than was stated at first. In addition to the large amount of ammunition ruined by the magazine being flooded, which will amount to thousands of dollars, the after turret is badr ly Injured, the top being burned away and all brasswork melted Inside. The hoist is a charred mass, and the mechanism of the gnns is completely ruined. The estimated damage caused by the explosion will reach $50,000. Dead Now Number Thirty-two. The total list of dead now numbers thirty-two, one man having expired Wednesday 1 night and two men yesterday. It J* hardly probable that other deaths will occur. O. B. Moe, apprentice, second-class; J. F. Knight, seaman, and J. T. Donnelly, ordinary seaman, were added to the death list. The funeral of seventeen of the seamen occurred yesterday afternoon, and each ship of the fleet was represented, fully 5,000 men being present while thousands were from the city in attendance, every place of business being closed for the afternoon and flags on all buildings placed at halfmast. Some Bodies Shipped Homo. The bodies of the officers and eight I of the seamen were shipped to their former homes and the others are being held to await advices from, relai tives. Three bodies Interred yesterday afternoon will be dlslnterrjed and shipped to their relatives. The Missouri will not conclude her target practice, but will go to New York to be docked as soon as the court of inquiry makes its findings. HELP FOB THE BEREAVED President Helps Start a Fund for the : Dependent Kin of the Deed. Washington, April 15.—The president has contributed the sum of SIOO and the secretaryof the navy a UJs>. sum as the nucleus of a fund fox the relief of the dependent next of kin of the enlisted men who lost their lives ih the disaster on the Missouri. Mrs. Church, wife of Colonel W. C. Churgh, of New York, has sent SIOO for the fund. Paymaster General Harris has been authorized to receive any other contributions that may be made for this purpose. -The president and Secretary Moody have both telegraphed their sorrow over the tragedy to Admiral Barker, and to the widow of Lieut. Davidson. Numerous expressions of ♦ sympathy have been received from representatives of foreign governments at this* capital. Meantime the cause of the. disaster and means for the prevention of repetitions are the subjects most discussed in naval circles. The construction bureau, which designs and builds these turrets, for some time has been working on the problem of designing a turret that will prevent the com- j munication of flame from the floor of : the turret, where the gun crew stands, j to the handling room, where the ammunition converges from the magazine at the foot of the ammunition hoists. What is desired is some means ot automatically opening and closing the large hole in thd floor of the turret through which the ammunition is lifted by the hoist up the well from the bottom of the whip to the breech of the gun. There ere two of these hoists, and consequently two openings, about three or four feet across, and the ammunition comes up on a sort of dumb welter. The problem is to provide aqr automatic trap door from each of the two openings that will have the speed needed and be otherwise safe.