Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-04-01

ward Of the Names oerth about 400 o.
500 yards. In describing the surroundings
ct the time of the explosion, Captain Sigs-
bee stated that the night was calm and
still, The Alphonse XIII. was at the
same berth. The small Spanish dispatch
boat Legxpe had moved the day before and
taken thu berth occupied by the German
man of-war Gricsenau, which had left.
The City Of Washington was anchored
about 200 yards east Of the Names stern,
slightly ON the port quarter.
Col Had Been Inspeoted.
The Maine coaled at Key West, taking
on about $50 tons, the coal being regularly
inspected and taken from the government
coal pile. This coal was placed generally
in the forward bunkers. No report was
received from the chief engineer that any
coal had been too long in the bunkers,
and the fire alarms in the bunkers We're
sensitive.
In So Tar as tho regulations regarding
infiammables and paints on board, Cap
tain Sigsbes testified that the regulations
were strictly carried out in regard to stor-
age, and that tho waste also was subject
to the same careful disposition. AS to the
situation of tho paint room, he fixed 1t AZ
in the "eyes Of the ship" just below the
berth deck, the extreme forward compart'
ment. AS for the disposition Of infiam'
mables, they were slowed away according
to tho regulations, and when inflamma-
bles were in excess Of chest capacity they
were kept in the bnth room of the cab
in. Regarding the electric plant Of tho
Maine, Captain Sigsbee stated that there
was no serious grounding nor . sudden
up of the lights before the explosion, but
sudden and total eclipse. AS for regu-
lations affecting the taking Of Temporal
ture of the magazines, etc, Captain Sigs-
bee said there were no special regulations
other than tho usual regulations required
by tho department.. He examined tho
temperature himself and conversed with
with tho ordnance officer as to the various
temperatures and the contents of the mag
azines and according to the opinion OF
the officer, the temperatures were never
at tho danger point. 81 do not think
there was any laxity in this direction
said the captain in reply to u question OF
Judge Advocate Mark.
No WORK on the Magazines.
ing on in the magazine or sholl rooms on
tho tlay of the explosion The keys were
called for in tho usual way on tho day in
question and were properly returned. At
the time of tho disaster tho two after boil
ers in the after fire room were in use be-
cause the hydraulic system was somewhat
leaking Speaking generally of his rcla-
tons with tho Spanish authorities, Cap
%uiy tnt tod ~
officials they were outwnrlly cordial.
The members of tho nutonomist council
of the government, however, seem to have
brought to tho attention Of tho navy
department tho fact that he did not visit
them md that fact brought embarrass-
ment to tho government at Washington.
He took tho ground to tho department
that it was unknown etiquette to call ON
tho civil members Of the colonial govern
mrnt other than the ,crnur. Without
waiting for such IN order Captain Sigs-
bee made Il visit afterwards and rs ho
stntes was p4cnslLntly received and his
visit promptly returned by certain lneni-
bers Of the council. Later IL party OF
ladies and gentlemen called and the pres
!dcnt of the council made a speech which
Captain Sigsbee could not understand but
which was Interpreted to him briefly, to
which he replied.
"Nly reply" said Captain Sigsbce, twas
afterwards printed in vt lcast two papers
in Havana but tho terms made mo favor
alltOnomistic government In tho island. l
am informed that the autOnOmlstic gov
ernment in Havana is unpopular among
a large number Of Spanish and Cuban res
iClents. I have no means OF knowing
whether my apparent interference In the
political concerns Of the island hud any
relation to tho destruction of Tho Mnino.
Tells Of the ExpIos on.
| The captain said tho night was quiet
and warm, and that he remembered hear.
ing distinctly the echoes Of the bugle at
tattoo, which was very pleasant. stars
were out, tho sky, however, overcast He
was writing ut his port cabin table ut the
time of the explosion and WAS dressed.
He then went into description Of tho OK
plosion when he felt the crash. He char
acterizcd it rs bursting, rcnding and
crashing sound or rOnr Of immense vol.
ume, largely metallic in character. 1t
was succeeded by a metallic sound, prob
ably: of falling debris, a trembling and
lurching motion Of the vessel, then an
impression of subsistence, attended by an
eclipse of electric lights and intense dark
ness within the cabin. He thought i'm.
mediately that the Maine had been blown
up and she was sinking. He hurried to
the starboard cabin port, but changed
his course to tho passage leading to the
superstructure.
Discusses the Explosion.
| The captain told Of the escape from the
sinking boat and in reply to the direct
question Of whether any of tho magazinea
i or shell rooms were blown up the captain
said it WAS extremely difficult to come to