The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-02-16

Havana, Feb. 16.-At a quarter before
10 o'clock last evening a terrible ex-
plosion took place on board the United
States cruiser Maine, in Havana har-
Dor. Many were killed or wounded. All
the boats of the Spanish cruiser AL
fonso XIII are assisting. AS yet the
of the explosion is not apparent.
The wounded sailors of the Maine are
unable to explain it. Ii is believed that
the cruiser is totally destroyed.
The explosion shook the whole city.
The windows We're broken in all the
houses.
A press correspondent has c~onversed
with several of the wounded sailors
n understands from them that the
explosion took place while they were
asleep, so that they can give no par
ticulars as to the cause.
The widest CONSERVATION prevails in
Havana. The wharves are crowded
with thousands of people. 1t is be-
lieved that the explosion occurred in a
small powder magazine.
Captain Sigsbee and the other officers
have been saved. 1t is estimated that
owe a hundred Of the crew were killed,
but it is impossible as yet to give the
exact details.
Admiral Manterola has ordered that
boats of all kinds should go to the as.
sistance of the Maine and her wound.
ed. The Havana hremen are giving aid
tending carefully to the wounded as
they are brought On shore. 1t is a ter.
rible sight. General Solano and the
other generals have been ordered by
Captain General Blanco to take steps
to help the Names crew in every way
possible.
Captain Sigsbee says that the ex.
plosion occurred in the bow of the yes.
sci. He received a wound in the head
Orders were given to the other officers
to save themselves as best they could
The latter, who were literally thrown
from their hunks in their night cloth
ing, gave the necessary orders will
great self possession n bravery.
The first theory was that there hat
been a preliminary explosion in the
Santa Barbara (magazine) with powder
or dynamite below water.
The Maine was a battleship of the sec
ond class, and was regarded as n Of tn,
best ships in the new navy. She wa
built at the Brooklyn navy yard, and il
318 feet long, 81 feet broad, PIG fee
mean draught and 6,6S2 tons displace
ment. She has two ten inch vertica
turrets and two military masts, anC
her motive power is furnished by twin
screw vertical triple expansion engines
having a maximum horse power of g.,
293, capable Of making a speed of IA
knots. She carries four ten inch ant
six six inch breech loading guns in he
main battery and seven six FOUNDER
and eight one pound rapid fire gun
and four Cuttings in her secondary bat
terry, and four Whitehead torpedoes
The Maine cost $2,5SS, 900. She had
steel hull and a complement Of S74 men
The officers Of the Maine are: Cap
tain Charles D.. Sigsbee, commanding
lieutenant commander, Richard Vain
wright; lieutenants, George Il. w. Hol
man, John Hood and Carl w. Jungen
lieuentants (junior grade), George T
Blow, John G.. Blandin and Friend w
Jenkins; naval cadets, Jonas II. Hol
den, Watt T, Cluverius, Anon Bron
son and David f. Boyd, Jr.; surgeon
Lucien G.. Heneberber; paymasteI
Charles w. Littlefield; chief engineer
Charles p. Howell; passed assistant en-
gineer, Frederic c. Bowers; assistan
engineers, John r. Morris n Darwi,
r. Merritt; naval cadets engineer di
vision, Pope Washington and Arthu
Crenshaw; chaplain, John p. Child
wick; first lieutenant of marines, Al
bertus w. Catlin; boatswain. Franci