Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-04-01
TOLD BY WITNESSES.

| EXCERPTS FROM TESTlMONl.
The testimony taken by the court OF IN
Quiry which investigated the destruction
| Of the Maine, as submitted to congress,
comprises about one hundred thousand
words. Following are important excerpts:
Ensign w. V. N. Powelson was called
| the third day OF the court. lie testl1leo
that he had been present on the Maine
| every day from the arrival Of the boat
Fern and during great deal OF the div
| ing. In reply to a question to tell the
court about the condition of the wreck.
he said the forward part of the ship. for
| ward of the after smokestack, had been,
to all appearances, completely destroyed.
The coming tower lay in position OPP
posite the door leading to the superstruc-
| ture aft and to starboard, inclined at
about ITO degrees to the vertical, with the
top of the coming tower inboard. Con-
tinuing, he described, with close detail,
| the condition under the man deck on the
port side. The fixtures were completely
wrecked, while fixtures In the same posi-
ton on the starboard side were In some
cases almost intact. The port bulkhead
between the main and berth decks at the
conning-tower support had been blown
aft on both sides. but a great deal more
on the port than on the starboard side.
The 1ireroom hatch Immediately abaft of
the coming tower had been blown in
port. The protective deck under the con-
ming tower supports was bent in two di-
rections, the plates on the starboard side
bent down."
BEAM BENT TO sTARBoARD.
'In reply to an inquiry as to whether
he meant with reference to their original
positions, Ensign Powelson replied affirm
atively. The beam supporting the pro-
tective deck a few inches bait Of the ar
f,,1,r, To NJ fhn i1Sniv Evon
was bent up to starboard of the mfdship
line. Just forward of the coming tower
underneath the main deck two beams met
at right angles: one beam was broken and
pushed from port to starboard. A grating
was found on the poop awning just for
ward of the after searchlight. A piece
of the side plating just abaft of the star
board turret was visible. This plate was
bent outward and then the forward end
bent upward and folded backward upon
itself. This plate was sheared from the
rest Of the plating below the water line.
This plating below the water line has been
pushed out to starboard. The armored
gratingS Of the engine room hatch were
blown of. A composition strainer was
picked up from the bottom on the star
board quarter at a point about opposite
the poop capstan and about seventy feet
from it, The chief engineer thought the
room. 1t was not strainer in the ships
side. Near the piece Of outside plating.
to which witness referred above, he said
there were pieces of red shellacked planks.
On these planks was bolted a composition
track two inches wide and an inch thick"
BEAM BENT TO sTARBOARD.
I'm reply to an inquiry as to whether he
meant with reference to their original
positions, Ensign Powelson replied affirm.
atively. The beam supporting the pro-
tective deck few inches abaft of tho
armored tube, to port of the mdship line,
was bent up to starboard of the midship
line. Just forward @of the coming tow
er underneath the main deck, two beams
met at right angles: one beam was brok-,
en- and pushed from port to starboard A
grating was found on the poop awning just
forward Of the after searchlight. A
piece Of the side plating just abaft Of
the starboard turret was visible. This
plate was bent outward and then the for
ward end bent upward and folded back
ward upon itself. This plate was sheared
from the rest Of the plating below the
water line. This plating below the water
line has been pushed out to starboard.
The armored gratings of the engine room
hatch were blown off. A composition
strainer was picked. up from the bottom
on the starboard quarter at point about
opposite the poop capstan and about sew
enty feet from it. The chief engineer
thought the strainer was from the fire.
mems washroom. 1t was not strainer
in the ships side. Near the piece Of out
side plating. to which witness referred
above, he said there were pieces Of red
shellacked planks. On these planks was
bolted a composition track two inches
wide and an inch thick"
SPANISH ASKED FOR DELAY.
Consul General Fitzhugh Lee appeared
before the court March s. His testimony
related to the official formalities preced-
ing the Names arrival. Jan. "a he re-
ccived a message from the state depart
ment saying that the Maine would be sent
to Havana on q friendly visit to resume
the regular status Of naval relations be-
tween the two countries. and he was or
dered to make arrangements at the pal
ace for the interchange of official cour-
tesies. After q call at the palace he sent
the state department cipher message,
saying:
Authorities profess to think the Unit
cd States has Interior purpose in sending
the ship. Say 1t will obstruct autonomy
and produce excitement. and most prob
ably a demonstration. Ask that 1t not be
done till they can get instructions from
Madrid. Say that II for friendly purpose
as claimed. delay is unimportant.'
ut was too late. however; the Maine
had already sailed. She arrived next day
and Lee reported her arrival to the state
department"
PROBATION AGAINST ACCIDENTS
Lieutenant Commander Richard VAIN
wright testified that the regulations in
regard to paints and infiammables and
all other precautions were strictly car
ried out on board ship. Every possible
care was taken to avoid accident. All
visitors were scrutinized before being al
lowed to come on board ship. Nobody was
allowed unaccompanied Special 'look-
outs were required at night. No unau-
thorlZed boats were allowed to approach
the ship. There was fine discipline, an
obcdient crew, fine men.
lie was in the captains Office at the
time Of the explosion: felt very heavy
shock and heard the noise OF falling OBJ
jects on deck. Thought the ship was be-
ing fired upon. Was told by the captain
to see that the boats were lowered. He
sa" few men coming. mostly officers.
He saw no reason to flood the magazine
because water was coming up. He saw
fire forward. Boats began TO crowd
around the wreck. lie induced the boats
to take the wounded to different vessels.
He ordered list taken of the
saved and wounded. There was
excellent discipline after the ex-
plosion. Orders were followed with
promptness Of drill. The only order not
obeyed was the order to leave the ship.
He first examined the wreck at daylight
the following morning. lie took gig
with Lieutenant Hood and few men and
attempted to board the wreck. He was
warned off by an armed boats crew of
Spaniards and then pulled around tho
wreck. There we're still some burning
fragments.
At Midnight.
First Cat--Why SO sad tonigh44,
ThnrnnG2 Second Caf--I feel 60 lonely