The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-04-05
FINDING OF THE COURT.
The First Explosion Caused by a
Mine Under the Ship.

1he FIRST Explosion CauSeU ny
Mine Under the Ship.
The following is the full text Of the
report of the court of inquiry
y. S. S. Iowa. list rate. Key West, Fla.
Monday, March p 199S.-After full and
mature consideration of all the testimony
before it, the court finds as follows:
1. That the United States battlesh1p
Maine arrived in the Harbor of Havana,
Cuba, the 18th day of January, 1898,
and was taken to buoy No. 4. in from
five and one-half to six fathoms of water,
by the regular government pilot. the
United States consul-general at Havana
had notified the authorities at that place,
the previous evening, of the INTENDED ar
rival of the Maine.
g The state of discipline on board the
Maine was excellent, and all orders ana
regulations in regard to the care and
safety of the ship were strictly carried
out All ammunition was slowed away
in accordance with instructions, ana
proper care was taken whenever ammu-
milton was handled. Nothing was slowed
in any one of the magazines or SheH
rooms which was not permitted TO De
slowed there. The magazines and smell
rooms were always locked after having
been opened and after the destruction OF
the Maine the keys were found in their
proper place in the captains cabin, every
thing having been reported secure that
evening at p. m.
shell rooms were taken daily and re-
ported. The only magazine which had an
undue amount of heat was the alter ten
inch magazine, and that did not explode
at the time the Maine was DESTROYED: Inc
torpedo war heads were all stored In the
after part of the ship under the WARD
room, and neither caused nor participated
in the destruction of the Maine.
The gun cotton primers and intonaters
were stored in the cabin aft and remote
nf
waste was carefully looked after on board
the Maine to obviate danger. Special or
ders in regard to this had been given by
the commanding officer. Varnlsnes, dry
ers alcohol and other comDuStlles Oh tIlis
nature were slowed on or above the main
deck and could not ndo any IHllS ~
do with the
Destruction of tho Maine.
The medical stores were slowed aft I'M
der thu, ward room, and remote from the
zone of the explosion. No dangerous
stores of any kind were slowed below IN
any of the other store rooms.
The coal bunkers were inspected. "
those bunkers adjoining the forward ma
gaines and shell rooms four were empty,
namely g. 4, B 5, b 6. "A 10 had
been in use that day and "A 10 was Aull
OF new river coal. This coal had Deen
carefully inspected before receiving II on
hoard. The bunker in which it was slowed
was accessible on three sides at all times
and the fourth side at this time on ac-
count of bunkers B A. and y o pelhS
empty. This bunker "a 49, had epen IN
spected that day by the engineer oIlcer
on duty
The fire alarms in the bunkers were In
working order and there had never peen
case of spontaneous combustion OF coal
on board the Maine.
The two after boilers of the snip were
in use at the time of the disaster, but Tor
tivelv low pressure of steam, and Delng
tended by reliable watch. These Doll
ers could not have caused the explosion
of the ship. The four forward boilers
have since been found by the u1Vels anu
are in fair condition.
ON the night of the destruction OF the
Maine everything had been reported Sc
cure for the night at p M, py renaole
persons, through the proper autnorltles'
to the commanding officer. Al the TINE
nuiet and therefore least liable to accl-
dent caused by movements from those on
board.
The destruction of the Maine occurred
at $40 D. m on the 10Th DAY OF feptu-
ary. 1905 in the harbor of Havana, Cuba'
being at the time moored in the same
buov TO which she had been taken upon
her arrival
There were two explosions of distinctly
different character, with very snort
but distinct 1nL6INdA OClWOOh
the forward part of the ship was lifted to
a marked degree at the time of the hrst
explosion.
The first explosion was more in the nat
IRE of a report like that of gun;
while the second explosion was more
open, prolonged, and of greater volume;
The second explosion was, in the opinion
of the court. caused by the partial ex-
plosion of two or more of the forward
magazines of the Maine.
Condition of the Wreck.
The evidence bearing on this. being
principally obtained from divers, did not
enable the court to form definite con-
cIusion as to the condition of the wreck,
although it was established that the after
part of the ship was practically intact