Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1907 — DISASTER ON GEORGIA [ARTICLE]

DISASTER ON GEORGIA

EIGHT SEAMEN KILLED AND MANY INJURED. Pondsr Explosion In Gnn Turret Cause* Horror—Accident Oeonra In Target Practice Off Cape CodVessel Itself Undamaged. Eight officers or members of tha crew of the battleship Georgia wero killed and thirteen others terribly burned Monday by an explosion of 200 pounds of powder In a gun turret during target practice. Six of the Tlctims died before the ship reached port, and two more la the naval hospital. The warship, itself undamaged to any appreciable extent, steamed into Boston harbor lata in the day from the target grounds in Cape Cod Bay, bringing the dead and injured. The latter were rushed to the hospital at the Charlestown navy yard, where it was found that several were so severely burned that they cannot recover. The accident occurred shortly before noon in the after superimposed turret Shielding the 8-iuch guus. In some manner one of the bags of powder or cases as they are called, became ignited. In an instant there was a flash which Ignited the other bag of powder and filled the entire turret with fire. Crew Enveloped In Flame. The entire turret crew, consisting of three commissioned officers and eighteen men, was enveloped In flame and received agonizing burns. All were alive when rescuers rushed to their aid, but death quickly ended the sufferings of several. The explosion occurred In the turret, where the men, under command of Lieutenant Goodrich, son of Rear Admiral Goodrich, commandant of the New York navy yard, and Midshipmen Goldthwaite and Cruse, were operating thecight-lnch guns. The guns In the forward turret had finished eight rounds of practice and the guns of tho after turret bad fired one round. Two 100-paund bags of powder had just been sent up through the ammunition hoist and were In the arms of the loader, whose name was withheld by the ship’s officer. The loader stood at the breach of one of the guns, all ready to insert the charge. Slight Warning Given. At this instant the turret Was seen to be smoky, and two men who stood near the loader saw a black spot on the bag, Indicating that the charge had Ignited and was smoldering. The loader discovered the spot at the same Instant, and threw himself forward on his face, at the same time shouting a warning to his turret mates. The other men who had seen •/ were Charles L. Eich and Charles Hansell, and they also threw themselves on the floor of the turret. Before the other men could heed the cry of warning there was a flash as the burning powder exploded. Flames, smoke and gases filled the little superstructure. As the powder was not confined there was no loud report, nor did the vessel suffei any Injury, but every nook and cranny of the turret was filled with flame. Horror Scene on Ship. Blinded by the-flames, choked by the fumes and maddent-d with pain, the men screamed In agony. Some staggered blindly up the ladder to the hatchway In the top of the turret, while others crept along the turret floor, begging for assistance. Lieutenant Goodrich and Seaman Maleck became crazed, staggered up the Iron ladder to the top of the turret and then threw themselves Into the sea. Before the smoke had cleared away the shipmates of the unfortunate men rushed to their assistance, tenderly lifted them-,out of the fire-blackened turret and quickly conveyed them to the ship’s hospital. In the meantime Lieutenant Goodrich and Seaman Maleck had been rescued by a launch that was returning from an Inspection of the target. The surgical staff of the Georgia was soon reenforced by the surgeons of the other vessels in the fleet, who had been informed of the accident aud summoned to the scene. A wireless message telling the brief details of the accident was sent to the government wireless station on the Highlands of Cape Cod and thence overland to the Navy Department at Washington. Two Theories of Cause. • Immediately upon learning the details of the accident Captain Henry McCrea, commander of the Georgia, notified Rear Admiral Charles 11. Thomas, commander of the squadron, of what had occurred. Rear Admiral Thomas ordered an Investigating board to examine Into the causes of the accident. Two theories are entertained. One belief is that a spark from the discharge of tho guns floated back Into the turret through a gun port nnd settled on the powder cases. Another theory Is that the spark that caused the trouble came from the smokestacks of the ■hip.