The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-19


Without Objection Being offered.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 1S.-Prompt ac-
ton was taken in both houses OF con-
gress today 10 recover the bodies of the
officers and men lost on the Maine: TO
save such guns, material and stores as
may be valuable, and also, if possible.
TO raise the sunken battleship.
AS soon as the senate met, Mr. Hale
introduced resolution authorizing the
employment OF the services of a wreck
Ing company for this work and appro-
priating 100000 to meet the necessary
expense.
The resolution was prepared at the
navy department and introduced at the
request of Secretary Long, who, in for
warding it TO Mr.. Hale, also sent a let
ter explaining it's purpose.
He says in this letter that 1T is
deemed proper and important that
steps should be taken immediately To
recover the remains OF the officers and
men lost on the occasion of this most
deplorab bic catastrophe. and TO raise
the vessel, or to save such parts of her
armament and equipment as NAV be
practica BILE"
To this the secretary adds: The
meager information received respecting
the nature and extent of the injury
- ~ tl4S nun OF the Maine rem
ders 1t difficult to determine at this
time whether there is reason TO hone
mat the vessel herself may be raised
Out IL seems probable, as she lies with
IN the protection of a harbor. and "a
not wholly submerged, that much yaIu-
aole property may be recovered. if tba
necessary action Is taken without de-
Iay The vessel, with her stores. guns
material, equipment and fittings COST
approximately 5000. 600
MT Allen thought it very desfra b1A
that provision be inserted in the
isSoluuon Tor the TRANSPORTATION and
purlal or the remains Of those WHO
lost their lives in the disaster.
MI: Hale called attention TO the faot
tHdt IN many cases 1t would be impossi-
ole 70 bring to this country the ren,af ns
or the men killed as the bodies u-a,.a
EadIy mutilated and the facilities FOR
feriOr III
Mr.. Mason hoped that provision
would be made for the TRANSPORTATION
OF the bodies to the United States and
LOT thelr burial in this country. To
that end he proposed an amendment TO
the resolution.
The amendment was agreed to. and
the resolution as amended was passed
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1s.-The house
uepdleu the bankruptcy bill until noon
today, and then, Immediately after the
reading OF the journal. Mr.. BouteIIa
CRep., Me-, chairman of the naval
committee, asked unanimous consent
FOR the consideration of a resolution
prepared by the navy department and
passed by the senate
The mere mention Of the Maine dis
aster on the floor brought members in
crowds from the cloak rooms and Iob
pies, and they thronged down the aIsles
70 listen. The spectators in the gall
ler1es leaned over with GREATNESS in
terest as Secretary Longs letter was
read.
Mr.. Bailey called attention to the
1act that the resolution only spoke of
recovering the bodies, not OF their re-
turn TO this country, but he added that
there need be no sticking on this point.
Mr.. Sulzer Dem, N. " asked Mr.
Boutelle II he had any information. Of
nclaI or otherwise, that threw auy
hght upon the cause of the disaster.
must reply as 1 did yesterday"
replied Mr.. Boutelle, that I regret 10
say L have not. But all the fnforma
ton at hand seems to strengthen the
belief that 1t was due to an accident"
The resolution was then adopted
unanimously.
The debate on the bankruptcy bin
filed in the day.