The Bennington Disaster.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7913, 31 August 1905, Page 3

The Bennington Disaster.

THRILLING DETAILS. SAN DIEGO, July 21. Cne c( the most iiightiul disasters ,in the peace history ot uie aiiuii|can havy, ?xcepting the sinking ol the Maine in Havana harbour, oceiureil in San Diego bay aliortly aim 10.30 a.m. to-day, on board tlio U.S. gunboat Bennington, at the moment when the warship was lying at author, and with her officers and crew quietly attending to their duty on hoard. She was the object ot interest to hundreds oi persons watching her from the piers, pleasure boats and passing terry boats. A cloud oi steam suuueniy burst 110 m a point just forward ot the suioke slack, out ot which

—The Spectators Were Horrified—to see bodies and human fragments nulled high in the air and scattered nigh over the sunouiiding water. The outburst was accompanied \jy a roai as of thunder and a shock which rocked vessels near by. In an . instant the air was lilted with shrieks and bellows ot pain from the wounded, which could ioe heard asiioie, anu with flying fragments ot human beings and pieces of the ship's superstructure. Next moment bleedingsailors were fighting, crippled in the water, against death in only a less cripled form than that from winch they had escaped, while row boats, sail boats, launches, and tugs were —Driven to the Rescueas fast as arms, wind, and steam could carry them. A terry boat which was passing near by turned and hastened to- give assistance, her own deck crowded with frightened men and women. The horrible sight sickened those who approached. In) the water men with blackened faces were struggling, handicapped ijy their injuries. Others on deck were covered with blood and grime, some dead, some wounded frightfully, others working to rescue their comrades who were yet below either dead or dying. The smaller boats their attention to those in the water, taking them to the wharves as fast as possible. At the wharves preparations were speedily made for taking care of the injured, in what by this time was seen to be a

—Disaster of Awful Proportions.— Ambulances were telephoned for,, every waggon driver who could be reached by telephone was summoned, physicians were notified, and the hospitals informed. Within half an hour of the explosion carriages, buggies, automobiles, and street cars were hearing burdens of victims toward the hospitals. The sight whicn met the eyes of the hundreds along the streets was never to be forgotten, Waggons with a dozen wounded men w?re not rare. 0110 had eight, siteing or reeling against the sides, holding in their laps the heads of comrades near to death, all of them witih faces black with smqj;c and grime, and many clothed in nothing ibut trousers. Some of those whose bodies were bare, not injured in their vital parts, but suffering —'The Agonies of Torn Fleshsat up with their lacerated bodies exposed to the wind. Scores of men all wounded and with blackened bodies were hurried through the streets to places where their blood could be stanched, gaping wounds stitched, or more heroic treatment given. In the meantime, more awful sights) awaited those who had hastened to the ill-fated ship, from which steam continued to pour in great clouds. Everywhere was Wood, and in all directions were mangled bodies, the shore hearing l bodies of dead and those whose injuries permitted removal. All the time the work of rcscuo was going on the ship was settling to starboard, and clouds ol white steam poured from her interior. News of the disaster

—Spread liko Wildfire over the City—and soon the harbour was lined with people, Commander Young, who was ashore getting final orders preparatory to sailing, was soon on deck. He at once ordered the air-light compartments to be closed, and signalled a tug to tow the ship nut shallow water. Then lie took charge of the sickening work at hand. The explosion occurred in the main st-ar-■joard boiler, forward oi the smoke stack, It is known that fifty lives were snuffed out almost Instantly, that in all probability this nuuitior will be increased by at least ten when tifoc interior of the ship can be more fully explored, and that almost every man on board at the time was injured, many of them so badly that death is inevitable. The force of

—The Explosion was Terrific—beyond conception. Human bodies were hurled into the 'air to a height of probably not less than 200 feet. The Bennington was quickly run into shallow water on the shore, near the foot of H street,, and the work of rescue began at once. Many persons witnessed] the explosion from the shore and from the ferry boat, and launches and row boats were ouickly brought into use to save, those who had been blown into the water. A frightful sight*-, met 'the eyes of ihose who first boarded the gunboat. Dead bodies were strewn all over the decks, and the scalded were writhing in agony, The uninjured on board kept) their wits, however, and the work of -Bringing the Dead and Woundedup from below decks was commenced. Commander Young was soon on the scene, and he gave orders that the wounded be looked after first. Some of them presented a horrible sight. They had been literally blown up and their faces, arms, 'and bodies, were frightfully burned. Launches were hurried to the side of the gunboat and the injured were hurried to the shore, where they were taken to the hospitals. All the doctors of the city were summoned and the citizens were called into requisition to relieve the suffering of the men.