The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-29

dence. attended by an eclipse of cleo
trio lights and intense darkness within
his cabin. He thought Immediately that
the Maine had blown up and she was
sinking. He hurried to the starboard
cabin. but changed his course to the
passage leading to the superstructure.
Then he detailed the manner of meet
ing Private Anthony, which is much the
same as has been published.
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright
was on deck when Captain Sigsbee
emerged from the passageway, and
turning to the orderly he asked for the
time, which was given as $40 p. m
Sentries were ordered placed about the
ship and the forward magazine flooded.
He called for perfect silence. The sur
viving officers were about him at the
time on the poop. He was informed
that both forward and after magazines
were under water.
Then came faint cries and white float
ing bodies in the water. Boats were at
once ordered lowered, but only two were
found available, the gig and whale
boat. They were lowered and manned
by officers and men and by the cap
tain's directions they left the ship and
helped to save the wounded, jointly
with other boats that had arrived on
the scene.
Fire amidships by this time was burn
ing fiercely and the spare ammunition
in the pilot house was exploding At
this time Lieutenant Commander VAIN
wright said he thought the 10-inch
magazine forward had been thrown UP
into the burning mass and might eX-
plode in time. Everybody was then di
rected to get into the boats over the
stern. which was done, the captain get
ting into the gig and then proceeding
n n of Kx-ha 10
found the wounded in the dining saloon
being carefully attended by the Off
GERS and crew of the vessel. He then
went on deck and observed the wreck
for a few minutes and gave directions
to have a. muster taken on board the
City of Washington and other vessels
and sat down in the captains cabin and
dictated a telegram to the navy de-
partment.
Various Spanish officers came on
board and expressed sympathy and
sorrow for the accident The repre-
sentatives of General Blanco and of the
admiral of the station were among the
Spanish officials who rendered their
sympathies.
About four or five men were found
that night who survived. BY the time
Captain Sigsbee reached the quarter
deck it was his impression that an over
whelming explosion had occurred.
When he came from the cabin he was
blinded for a few seconds.
His only thought was for the vessel,
and he took no note of the phenomena
of the explosion.
EXPLOSION OF MAGAZINES.
In reply TO the direct question of
any of the magazines or shell
rooms were blow up, the captain said ii
was extremely difficult to come to any
The center of the explo-
sion was beneath and a little forward
of the coming tower on the port side.
In the region of tho center of axis of
the explosion was the six-inch reserve
which contained very little
powder, about 800 pounds. The ten
inch magazine was in the same gen.
eral region, but on the starboard side.
Over the ten-inch magazine in the load
ing room of the turret and in the adj
joining passage, a number of ten-inch
shells were permanently stored. Ae-
cording to Captain Sigsoee 1t
would be difficult TO conceive the
explosion involved the ten-iach ma
gazine, because of the location /
IF the explosion, and that no reports
show that any ten-inch shells were
hurled into the air because of the ex-
olosion.
The captain went into details as to
he location of the small ammunition.
He said that he did not believe that the |
'orward magazine blew up. The loca-
ion of the gun cotton was aft. under
he cabin. The gun cotton primers and
he decorators were always kept in the
,abin. He stated that he had exam |
ned the wreck himself. conversed with |
lther officers and men. but as the SPAN
sh authorities were very much adverse