The Monte Vista journal., 1898-02-26
A CONTRACT SIGNED.
wREcxzRs WILL BEGIN WORK
I've 81 the Largest Conpaaies Uaits to
Raise the AAiae and Her APmamsat.

Washington, Feb. 23.-All the gov.
ernment departments were closed IN
Washington yesterday, save the Navy
Department. where n few Of the ON
cials assembled TO receive any dis
patches TINT might arrive and to close
the contract with the wreckers for the
recovery Of the effects Of the Maine
and the vessel herself. II that be prac-
ticable.
The plans OF the wrecking expedition
for the relief Of the Maine were COM
pleted yesterday. after long confer
ences between Secretary Long and the
representatives OF the Merritt 4 Chap
man Company Of New York and the
Boston Tow Boat Company. The CON-
panies had expected TO begin work in
Havana hnrbor in about week, hut
Mt the last moment Secretary Long in-
sisted that Il provision should he made
for sending forward ut once nt least
one large wrecking boat with divers
and equipment. This was agreed TO,
and n dispatch was sent to the captain
of the sea wrccker Right Arm. now mt
Key West. to suspend his private work
there and proceed at once to Havana.
II the Right Arm Inns started north, n
torpedo boat Will bc sent after her
with orders to proceed 10 Havana. At
the same time u dispatch was sent to
the New York offices of the company
TO send two OF the most experienced
divers by train TO Key West, where
they will go TO Havana and join the
divers and wreckers on the Right Arm.
The commander Of the Right Arm
IL ordered to plnce himself with his
divers and machinery under the orders
Of Captain Sigsbee. who thus will he
free to avail himself OF their services
In the recovery OF bodies or any partic-
ularly desirable piece Of equipment or
property before the regular wrecking
operations begin. These are emergen-
cy steps which precede the main
wrecking expedition. which will be
outiitted Mt Boston. New York and
Norfolk with n view to beginning ex-
tensive operations within week.
The terms OF the contract concluded
and signed yesterday provide for the
payment to the wrecking companies
the sum OF SSH per day for the regular
plant and M additional payment Of
$500 per day for the use OF the Mon
arch while the latter IL actually en-
ployed. An express provision Is made
that the government may terminate
provided that the compensation shall
not exceed the sum OF x2O0.0O0. nppro-
priated by Congress for this purpose
in the joint resolution passed. 1t is nl-
NO provided that IL the companies sue
her to New York they shall receive u
bonus OF xlOO.OOO.
Captain Humphreys and Mr.. Chap
man rapras.ptinu two cnnnanias Hyhn
will do the work. explained TO the As
socintcd Press the plans they will
adopt in wrccking the Maine. In addi-
tlon to the emergency work to In pros
ccuted by the Right Arm the main ex-
pedition will liz made up Of about 100
men, including six skilled divers: the
wrecking steamer Underwater OF Bos-
ton OF UO-horsc-pOwcr: the wrecking
steamer John q. Jones OF Norfolk. OF
similar power: the iron barge Lone
Sfnr Of Boston. capable Of carrying
1900 tons: the floating derrick Mon
arch. capable OF lifting 40 tons. the
largest hoating derrick In the coun-
try. and another derrick capable OF
lifting thirty tons. The forwarding OF
the boats, derricks and the men will
begin nt once. Telcgrums were sent
to-day to begin the Ositfitting. the TAX
ing ON Of coal and the assembling Of
men nnd equipment. TIL" boats are
ready to start nj any time. hut II will
take day or two to get together the
exceptional facilities required for this
large undertaking. The wreckcrs say
II will be impossible TO assemble this
material and get II Into Havana har-
bor ready for work for week They
VIII make every effort. however. To
expedite the work, and leaving Sccrc-
tary Long at o'clock they took trains
for New York and BOSTON with the de
termination OF rushing the work.