Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 69, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1904 — 29 DIE ON U. S. SHIP. [ARTICLE]

29 DIE ON U. S. SHIP.

TERRIBLE EXPLOSION ON BATTLE CRAFT MISSOURL * Charge Blows Up While Tars Are Loading for Practice on Target Range— Tnrret? f Holds Heap of Dead After the Blast. Twenty-nine men were killed and five injured Wednesday by a dual powder explosion on tlie battleship Missouri, commanded by Captain William S. Cowles, brother-in-law of President Roosevelt. But for tlie prompt flooding of the magazine the vessel would have been blown up and sunk with its crew of over 500 men. The first explosion was of a charge of 400 pounds of powder being used to discharge one of the twelve-inch guns in the after turret. Tlie second explosion was of 1,000 pounds of powder in the handling room below the breech of the gun. • The heat of the second explosion was so intense that it melted tlie brass railings alongside the magazine, and but for % t.he flooding of the fiery pit with water almost instantly must have set off the magazine itself. n Disaster Due to Disobedience. The disaster is similar to though much more severe than that which took place some time ago on the battleship Massachusetts. Apparently it was caused by disobedience of instructions issued by tho navy department for the loading of the guns immediately after the Massachusetts affair was cleared up. Captain Cowles, however, lias not consented to be Interviewed on this point. In this connection it is recalled that Captain Cowles barely escaped being court martialed recently because of a collision between the Missouri and the battleship Illinois. The Missouri rammed and injured the Illinois, but Captain Cowles explained that he was not responsible, because the steering ge.ur of his vessel was out of order. Gives Details of Explosions. The Missouri was on the target range off Pensacola, Fla., with the Texas and Brooklyn at practice about noon, when a charge of powder in the twelve-inch left-hand gun ignited from gases, exploded, and, ch-opping below, ignited four charges of powder in the handling room and caused them to explode. Only one man of the entire turret and handling crew survives. Lieut. Hammer, the ordnance officer, gave out a of the explosion and its probable cause. According to liim about noon after the first pointer of tlie after twelve-inch piece had fired his -string and the second pointer had fired the third shot of his string the charge ignited. Explodes While Men Are Loading. Tlie fourth shot was being loaded and from all indications tlie first half of the cliarge - had. been rammed home and the second section was being rammed home, when gases from the shot previously fired or portions of the cloth cover ignited the powder. * The breeefi was open and a dull roar gave notice of something unusual. No loud ' report was made, but flames were seen to leap from every portion of the turret. A few seconds later another explosion, more fierce, occurred. This was in the handling room below, where 1,000 pounds of powder, or four charges, ready t 6 he hoisted above, had ignited. FlootUShip to Quench Flames. Fire quarters were sounded and every man of the ship responded and the pmff" nzino and handling rooms were flooded with water. ■ In less than five seconds after the first explosion two streams of water were being played in the rooms anil when volunteers were called for every man of the responded, eager to go into the turrets and rescue the crew. Captain Cowles gave commands, and but for the presence of mind of the officers of the ship the Missouri would have gone down. The second explosion occurred near one of the magazines and so hot was the fire that tlie brass work of the magazines was melted. Twenty-five Dead in Heap. j Before the fumes of the burning powder had left the turret officers aud men were lifting out the dying and dead men. Three minutes after the explosion all were on deck and the surgeons from tlie Missouri, Texas aud Brooklyn wore attending to those not dead. Tli&twenty-five men of the turret were foun(Flying in a heap. They had started for the exit when tlie first explosion occurred aud had just reached there when the more terrible explosion in the handling room occurred, which burned and strangled them to death.