The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-29
Dexter Horton hank Building
FIrss Avenue scush.


for the protection Of the Maine BY piaeins
s<nfineis on the sorecastls poop. quar-
tsriine and single decks. on the bridge and
on The poop. a corporal Of the guard was
especially sEstfucted TO lock out for the
port Eaasusy. and the officer Of the deck
and qxartermaster were especially Ia
ssrueted 10 lock out for the stashoard gang
way quarter watch was kept On deck
ali night. sentries' cartridge boxes were
rapsa-fire guns and ammunition KEEP, in the
piiot room, and Ia the spare captains pan
try. and under the aft superssrueture were
kept additional supplies Of shells close AT
hand for the secondary battery; steam
waz kept In two boilers. instead OF one.
and positive instructions were given to
watch carefully al. the hydraulic gear and
report definitely.
Hs said he had given orders to the
master ~ arms to keep careful eye on
carefully observe any packages that might
be- held on tie supposticn THAI dynamite
or other high explosives might be en-
pioyed. and afterwards to Inspect the
routes these people had taken. and not 10
lose sight OF the order. lie states that
very few peop.e visited the ship. Lieut..
Comma nder Wainwright being rather Sc
we're on visitors.
There were only two or three OF the
Spanish military officers came on board.
but according to the captain they were
constrained and not DESTROYS of accepting
much courtesy. The visit was during the
absence CT Capt. Slgsbee. He said he
made every effort 10 induce Spanish on
GERS TO visit the ship. to show his good
VIII. according to the spirit of the Names
visit in Havana. but with the exceptions
stated no military officers Of Spain visit
ed the ship officially.
Capt. Sissbee then went Into details re-
garding the precautions in force. and
especially Ia relation to quarter watches.
which. he said. had never been rescinded.
One OF the cutters was In the water at
the time of the accident, and one OF the
steam launches. the first. was riding at the
starboard boom. The captain said that
the night Was quiet and warm. and he re-
membered hearing distinctly the echoes
Of the bugie at tattoo. which vas very
pleasant. The stars were out. the sky
however. being overcast.
The Maine at the time of the explosion
was riding approximately northwest.
pointing toward the Shears He was writ
Ing at his port cabin table at the time Of
the explosion and was dressed.
How IL Feels 10 he DIown In.
He then wen. into description of the
explosion when he felt the crash He char
ac'erized II as a bursting. a rendlng and
crashing sound or roar OF immense VOL
une. largely metallic In i.s character. II
was succeeded BY = metallic sound. prob
ably OF falling debris. a trembling and
lurrhing motiea OF the vessel. then an
impression OF subsistence. attended by an
eclipse OF electric lights and intense dark
ness within his cabin. He thought imnse-
distsly that the Maine had blown up and
she was sinking. He hurried 30 the star
board cabin. but changed his course to- the
passage leading to the superssructure.
Then he detailed the manner Of meeting
Private Anthoay. wh!ch Is much the same
as has been published. Lieut., Commander
Wainwright was on deck when Capt. slSS-
bee emerged from the passageway, and
turning 90 the orderly he asked for the
,inse. which was given as $40 +. m. SEN
tries were ordered placed about the shin.
ana the forward magazine flooded.
He called for perfect silence The sur
VIKING officers were aboa, him at the time
OF the poop he was informed that both,
the forward magazines were under water
Then came faint cries. and white reaf-
inx bodies IN the water Beats were Al
once ordered lowered. bat only two were
found available. sA- gsx and whalebaa,
They were lowered and manned by on
GERS and men. and by the captains ahec.
'icas they lett the ship ana helped to save
the wounded Jointly with ether hoa,s tina,
had arrived On the sc~as
Fire amldshirs by this time wss barn
Ing tereeiy ard sAs spare ammunition In
the pssotheuse was exploding. Ar ;Ass tlzue
t4eus, Commander watnwrixht sad ~
thought the sen-lach magazine sorwars.
bad hesn thrown up sgte The burning mass
sn3 mtShs explode IN iiase.
isveryho~iy Was thea direase. 10 gsi fn,s
sse beats over TIE stern. which was aan~
the esptsia getting iuto the gig ard iAer
pvcsessi.ns - tns C4sy ~ Washington
wsers se saan1 the wogndva sn the dsnIns
xsas9u e~snT carefully at'enass, by IN,
Officers ard crew - ths vessel. He ther
vsat on deck and observed she wreck set
se~ minutes ans gave directions % have
guusser sAsen ea board sse Cisy az WASH
lassan ara other vessels. G9ing ~ ~
captains cabin he S.Etatea 3 teiexsa z
50 sAs navy department Various Spsx.lss
atscisls ssnse 81 board zsa expressed syn.
pssNs &ai ssrvow for ghe &reiaszt Tn.
- 49,