Spanish Fork Press | 1905-08-24 | Page 1 | Ensign Blamed for the Bennington Explosion

ENSIGN f BLAMED fOR THE BENNINGTON EXPLOSION f Report of the Court of Inquiry on the Terrible Disaster Cauces Complete Com-Plete Surprise Washington Secretary Bonaparte pn Monday received and as soon as he had himself read made public tho findings of the court of inquiry which Investigated the explosion on the gun boat Dennlngton at San Diego Cal on July 21 The findings were a complete com-plete surprise for they at once set at rest the stories that had been clrcu lated to the effect that the Denning tons boilers and perhaps those of other naval vessels of the same ago wero defective As a matter of fact the court found the explosion resulted from closing a valve which connected the exploded holler with Its steam gauge so that the pressure on the boiler may have been several hundred pounds to the square Inch when the accident occurred While praise was accorded to the officers and ships company for their conduct during the harrowing scene following the accident acci-dent the officers and men who were responsible In tho opinion of the court are pointed out and courtmar tlal proceedings suggested In the case of the only one of them surviving Ensign Charles T Wade