New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-17


Havana. Feb. 16.-Out of 35i. the total NUM-
Der Of the crew OF the Maine, 90 were sa'eu
from the appalling disaster which overlook the
splendld battle ship last night as she lay at
anchor in this harbor.
Captain sgsbee, speaking this evening to the
correspondent Of the Associated Press. with ref-
erence 10 the cause Of the explosion said.
Z cannot yet determine the cause, but compe-
tent investigators will decide whether the eX-
ploslon was produced from an interior or eX-
terror cause I cannot say anything until after
such an investigation has been made. VIII not
and cannot conscentously anticipate the decls-
ion. nor do I wish to make any unjust estimate
Of the reason for the disaster"
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright believes
the explosion was due 70 the short-circuitins Of
a dynamo
one report IS that the disaster was due TO the
explosion OF the boiler % the dynamo machine
on board the Maine
Soon after the explosion Chief Of Police Pla-
gllery went on board the Maine. with an Ameri-
can correspondent to act as interpreter. Cap
tain sigsbee expressed total ignorance Of the
cause OF the explosion. and shortly afterward he
left the Maine after doing everything possible
under the circumstances. and went on board
the city % Washington. He refused then to
grant any interviews on the subject OF the dis
aster.
on board the Ward Line steamer city Of
washington. at midnight one Of the officers Of
the Maine said that at 5 o'clock last night all
the magazines on board the battle-ship were
closed and the keys had been turned over to
Captain Sigsbee her commander. The explosion
occurred at 9.45 o'clock. The officer then rushed
on deck and assisted In lowering boat and In
trying to rescue the men IN the water. The
Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII. which was an
chored close 20 the Maine. also lowered her
boats and saved thirty y-seven OF the ere" OF the
American warship.
Another officer said. Il was sitting with two
more officers I'm the messroom when heavy
explosion occurred. II was SO heavy that we
understood the ship would be lost and We went
on the upper deck and found she had been badly
wrecked by an explosion, that she was on fire
and sinking All efforts were then directed
toward lowering the boats and saving lives. but
the Maine settled quickly on the bottom ~ the
harbor. only her upper works remaining above
water a number Of boats from the Spanish
Warship Alfonso XII and boats from the Ward
Line steamer cry Of Washington came along
side and rendered assistance. Twenty four men
who were slightly wounded were carried on
board the CITY Of Washington. and the rest OF
the wounded were carried on board the Alfonso
lf~s a..FInI
quarters. and after receiving valuable assistance
from the naval doctors were sent TO the military
hospitals
WHERE THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED.
This officer said the explosion occurred some
where In the forward part Of the midships sec
t!on OF the battle-shlp Many Of the crew who
were below at the time Of the explosion were
unable TO escape. and those who succeeded In
reaching the upper decks saved their lives with
great difficulty with the assistance OF the OF
GERS and men on watch
At o'clock in the morning while the CORE
spondent OF the Associated Press was going
a.hora there vas another terrible explosion. At
the time boats from the Spanish steamers
Colon and Mexico were taking eight wounded
mon ashore after having saved them from the
water
I'm to . O'Clock in the morning II was known
that 81 men and - officers had been accounted
for
Paymaster Ray said that last Sunday there
were 3l4 men on hts list all told.
Lieutenant jenkins and Assistant Engineer
Merritt are among those who are not accounted
for
Lieutenant Blandln was on watch AT the time
ot the explosion
Some Of the wreckage OF the Maine Yell on
board the City Of Washington aud knocked two
holes In her deck
The chaplain Of the Maine, the Rev. J. /
Chadwick went on board the Alfonso All IN
order to minister 10 the wounded
4 Spanish naval officer said that Captain Siss-
hoe was the last man 10 abandon the sinking
shin His. with the other boats of the Maine,
remained alongside the wreck as long as 1t Was
nosslble 10 do anything In the work Of rescue.
The Discussion" says that fire broke out on
board the Maine at 7.3O p m. and that the
crew were unable 20 extinguish H.
The FIRST explosion is said 20 have been caused
bv over six hundred pounds OF gun-cotton. and
the subsequent explosion IL alleged 20 have been
caused by shells and cartridges.
LOST BOTH OF HIS EYES
Among the saved on board the city Of Wash
ington Is a Mr.. Dressler CGustav G. Dresser OF
The Maine) who has lost both his eyes
The passengers OF the Clty Of Washington save