Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-02-24

The cause of the explosion is,
so far as reports received would
indicate, involved in mystery, nc
hint an yet being given that would
tend to point in any manner to the
cause.
The explosion created the utmost
CONSERVATION in Havana, windows be-
ing smashed by the conclusion in all
parts of the city. The fire police and
military were prompt in rendering as
sistance, while the boats of the Spanish
cruiser Alphonso XII. did good service
in rescuing many of those who were
either blown overheard or jumped into
the water to avoid the flames of the
burning vessel.
The Maine was a battleship of the
second class, and was regarded as one of
the best ships in the new navy. She
was built at the Brooklyn navy-yard,
and was 31s feet long,75 feet wide, 21.6
mean draught, 6,6s2 tons displacement.
She carried four 1O-inch and six six-inch
breech-loading guns in her main bat
terry, and seven six-pounder and eight
one-pounder rapid-fire guns and four
Gatlings in her secondary battery, and
-Four Whitehead torpedoes.
Secretary Long Expresses Himself Care
fully.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.-After a day
of intense excitement at the navy de-
partment and elsewhere, growing out
of the destruction of the battieship
Maine in Havana harbor, Tuesday
night, the situation, after the exchange
of a number of cablegrams between
Washington and Havana, can be
summed up in the words of Secretary
Long, who, when asked, as he was
about to depart for the day, whether
he had reason to suspect that the dis
aster was the work of an enemy, re-
piled:
81 have not. In that am influenced
by the fact that Capt. Sigsbee has not
yet reported to the navy department
on the cause. He is evidently waiting
to write full report. So long as he
does not express himself 1 certainly
cannot. / should think from the indi-
cations, however, that there was an
accident-that the magazine exploded.
How that came about 1 do not know.
For the present, at least, no other war
ship will be sent to Havana"
Had n Soldering Eject.
The appalling nature of the disaster
and the gravity of the situation that
would arise should investigation give
basis for the undercurrent of sus-
picion of treachery and foul play that
ran through all minds, had SOLDERING
effect upon public men of all shades OF
political opinion.
The fact stands forth, and is little
less than remarkable, that not single
resolution was introduced or a single
speech made in either house of congress-
save one of coincidence with the fami
lies of the killed, offered by Mr.. Bou
telle and adopted by the house of rep
resentatives-
Public men expressed their opinion:
with reserve when approached, but
everywhere there was demand for ar
investigation and full details in the
light of which the horror may be justly
viewed.
General Opinion Summarized.
Secretary Long undoubtedly sum
married the general opinion of the ma
jority of the naval experts in finding il
impossible just now to state the cause
of the destruction of the Maine. There
are q great number of theories, but
most of them are of a character thai
makes it easy to prove or upset them by
a single investigation by diver.
Secretary Long has taken immediate
steps to make this investigation. Late
yesterday afternoon he telegraphed Il
Admiral Sicard at Key West, to appoint
q board of naval officers to proceed a.
once to Havana, employ divers, anC
generally to make such inquiries as tn,
regulations of the navy demand shall
be made in the case of the loss of
ship.
Investigation W. a RARs Some Time.
1t is expected that this work will
take some time, ard while there are Off
GERS who say that in their opinion it will
not be possible, owing to the probabl,
disrupted condition of the hull of TIN
iship, 20 make out the cause of the eS
,plosion, the opinio~ Of the majority
that the question VIII be easily settles
Iby the simple observation of the condi
Aion of the ship's hull plates in tn