The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-18
at BIandin Escaped by a
lscky Change Of Position.
\ ONLY ONE SHARP EXPLOSION
| Had Been Preceded by a Sui
len Roar.
|fEXANT H0LMAN'S ESCAPE
s,tt,ng Opposite Jenkins, who
Z. one Of the Two Ofacers
Who Are Missing.

Vsst, Fla, February 17.-Lieutenant
Blandin of Baltimore. one of the
4 survivors. who is at the Key West
nye the correspondent OF the Associ-
v,ss this evening succnct account CT
aster, saying that not until now has re
M to recollect the sequence of events
awful ten minutes following the cx-
aenant Blandin said: II was on the
md when the men had been sent he
looked down the main matches and over
i Of the ship. Everything was abso-
normal. i walked aft to the quarter
kehlnd the rear turret, as is allowed
o'clock in the evening, and sat down
port side, where remained for few
u Then, for some reason / can not
to myself now, moved to the star
tde ana sat down there. was feel
tt glum, and, in fact, was so quiet that
|nant Hood came up and asked laugh
In was asleep. said: No; l am on
Ifceiy had I spoken when there came a
ALLEN roar. Would to God that | could
rt the sound and the scenes that fol-
Then came sharp explosion some
hmerous dstonations. / remember only
II seemed to me that the sound came
The port side forward. Then came
rain of missiles of all kinds, from
pieces of cement to blocks of wood, steel
Is fragments of gratings and all the
. that would be detachable in an explo-
ku struck on the head by piece of ce-
and knocked down, hut I was not nurs,
n to my feet in n moment.
tutenant Hood had run to the poop and
ned. He was dazed by the shock and
3hut to jump overheard. i hailed him
answered that he had run to the poop
b lower the boats. When I got there,
3 scarce minute could have elapsed, l
wade IN water to my knees. and almost
,uy the quarterback was awash. On the
found Captain Sigsbee, as cool as II
ball. and soon all the officers except
b and Merritt joined US. The poop was
water after the Maine settled to the
n Captain Sigsbee ordered the launcn
urge lowered and the officers and men.
III this time had assembled, got the
/ out and rescued number in the water.
ID Sigsbee ordered Lieutenant Com
n Wainwright forward to see the extent
: damage and If anything could be done
Stue those forward or to eXtinguish the
=, which followed close upon the expio-
/ ind burned fiercely as long as there
Iany combustibles above water to feed
Slstenant Commander Wainwright on his
: reported the total and awful character
= calamity, and Captain Sigsbee gave the
3nd order, Abandon Ship to men over
BED with grief indeed. but calm, appar-
unexcited
kantme four boats from the Spanish
n Alphonso Mi arrived, to be followed
by two from the Ward line steamer City
Ashington. The two boats lowered from
Dir Of Washington were found to he rid
/ With flying debris from the Maine and
i for use Captain Sigsbee was the last
! 10 leave his ship, and left in his own
| have no theories as to the cause of the
)son. ! can not form any. An examina-
|hy divers may tell something to account
q /, with others, had heard that the
)na harbor was full of torpedoes, but the
Rn whose duty 1t was to examine into
| report said they found no signs OF any.
trslly ] don't believe the Spanish had
hing to do with the disaster. Time may
hope so.
{e were in a delicate position IN the
so far as taking any precautions was
ned. We were friends In friendly, or
e friendly. port, and could not fire upon
fhallenge the approach of any boat board
M unless convinced that her intentions
hostile.
wish to heaven I could forget it. ! have
10 two wrecks now and have had my
But the reyerberations of that sullen
Is II the bottom of the sea were grohh>
ntorture, will haunt me for many day,
TIE reflection of that pillar of fame comes
even when | close my eyes
euteaant Holman, navigating officer OF
Maine, was sitting at the table opposite
fiw when the explosion occurred and
among those who were saved. He fert'
Explosion and before he could recover
sund the ship going down. He was
a by the rushing waters. against the
o. the room and put up his hand to
ct bis head. He cut his finger on the
Of the propeller of torpedo and at
realized where he was, and swimming
feeling his way along, reached the
away ard escaped. This illustrates his
Presence of mind and also the rapidity
which the big ship sank after the
alon. jenkins has never been heard
o. found.