Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 October 1898 — TORPEDO-BOAT KILLS SEVEN. [ARTICLE]

TORPEDO-BOAT KILLS SEVEN.

Trial Trip of the Davis Near Portland’ Results in Explosion. Seven men were killed by an explosionon the torpedo boat Davis, which was; making her official trial trip on the Columbia river Thursday. The accident occurred near Skamokawa, about seventy-five-miles from Portland, Ore. The Davis started from Walker’s island to run two hours at a minimum speed of twenty-two knots. Everything went well until Skamokawa was reached. Suddenly an explosion occurred and the engine room was filled with boiling water and steam, enveloping the men at work in there. A river steamer happened along just after -the accident. The Davis’ passengers and the killed were transferred toher and she towed the disabled torpedoboat to Astoria. The Davis was built by Wolff & Zwicker of Portland and this trip was to be the final one for acceptance by the Navy Department. The boiler was of tubular pattern and w’as designed to carry 250 pounds of steam pressure. Through some defect some of tiie tubes gave way. This filled the closed firehold with steam and the men there were caught like rats in a trap. As the boat had not been accepted the lossfalls upon the builders. None of the men killed w'as in the Government service. All were employes of the builders.