The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1898-02-25
WILL RAISE THE SHIP
THE SUNKEN STEAMER WILL BE
BROUGHT UP.
Uncle sam Wants to LOOK Mt Her and II
Possible Determine the Cause OF the
Explosion-TwO Hundred Ihousah"
Made Available for the Purpose-'ai-
liable Property to be Recovered.
Maine Matter In the Senate.

WASHlNG1ON.f req. 10 Gum s'ioSi
the senate opened Mr.. Hale (Me) OBJ
tanned the floor and introduced Inc
following joint resolution:
That the secretary OF the navy be,
and he is hereby authorized, TO engage
the services of a wrecking company.
or companies, having proper faclllties
for the prompt and efficient perform
ance of submarine work for the pur-
pose of recovering the remains OF the
officers and men lost on the United
States steamer Maine and or saving
the vessel, or such parts thereon, ana
so much of her stores, guns, material,
equipment, fittings and appurtenances
as may be practicable; and for this
purpose the sum of 100000, or so
much thereof as may be necessary, IS
hereby appropriated and made immed-
lately available.
The resolution was prepared at the
navy department and introduced at
the request of Secretary Long, VINO,
in forwarding it to MI. Hale, also sent
a letter explaining its purpose He says
in this letter:
It is deemed proper and important
that steps should be taken immedl-
ately to recover the remains or the OF
ficers and men lost on the occasion OF
the most deplOrable catastrophe; TO
raise the vessel, or to recover such
parts of her armament and equipment
as may be practicable.
To this the secretary adds:
The meager information receive
respecting the nature and the extent
of the injury sustained by the hull of
the Maine renders it difficult to deter
mine at this time whether there is
reason to hope that the vessel herself
may be raised; but it seems probable
that as she lies within the protection
of a harbor and is not wholly sub
merged that much valuable property
may be recovered if the necessary ac-
tion is taken without delay. The YES
sci. with her stores. guns, material,
equipment, fittings and aDDurterances,
cost approximately, $5.000,000. AS an
illustration of the single items which
may have escaDed serious injury, it
NAV be said that the ten-inch guns. of
which the Maine carried four. were
worth, with their mounts, $43.500 each.
Aside from the melancholy duty rest
ing upon the government to recover
and to bring to this country for burial,
if this may be done. the bodies of the
officers and men who lost their lives
in this disaster. it is believed that
much valuable property may yet be
saved from the vessel. In any event
it is of the utmost importance that
whatever is to be done in this matter
should be entered upon without de-
lay.
The sinking of the Maine will he
made the subject OF immediate and ex-
hanstive INQUIRY and congress will be
fully advised Of the result of such in
vestigation
Mr.. Long stated that the department.
is at this time unable to estimate the
neicessary expense with any degree
of accuracy, but he saws he has con-
ferred with the bureau of construction
and repair and that in case of the an
proDriatiOn requested. only so much
OF it as NAV be found necessary will
be expended in the work.
The secretary enclOseS @ table show
ing the cost Of a number of items Of
the ordnance outfit of the vessel all
ag"regating $502,152.
The aDprOpriation resolution was
passed without division.
Mr.. Mason has offered Hn amend
ment 10 the Allen resolution for an
Investigation of the Maine disaster
providing for a special committee to
make the Investigation. Mr.. Hale
asked that the matter he not pushed.
Mr.. Mason in reply said that it was
evident that the facts in regard to
Cuba were being concealed from the
people CT the country and from con-
gress. Mr.. Mason said the policy of
the government was delay, and moth
ing was done to stop the murder of
people in Cuba. The De LONE letter
had not stopped the murders. The
Maine disaster had not stopped them
Jt was time for the senate to act. Mr..
Mason said he did not want the facts
regarding the Maine locked I'D in the
executive. Mr., Mason said we have
waited while the diplomats have de-
cefved us. They have sat p orr table
and misrenresented the situation. Mr.
Mason said that while diplomats de-
laved 250 Of our brave seamen were
lying in the harbor at Havana,
Mr.. Hale honed there would be no
exasperrating debate in the senate
while this matter was being inyesti-
deplored the reflections which were
made unon the navy denartment. Mr..
Hale sHid the whole world depEored the
gre7t tragedy. He honed the senator
tMr Mason would see the improprietv
OF the nosition he was taking.
Mr.. Mason said that he meant no re-
fecticns on Secretary Long. hut on
investigation bv congress could NOT
interfere with the navy department,
Mr.. Mason said tho no0n1e ware tired
OF investigation behind closed doors.
that with $50 seamen lviro at the hot
tom nf Havana harbor the necple of
the United States warsred to know
whether the shin was blown I'M hv her
enemies Or from spontaneous combus-
tion Mr.. Mason said that IF If vras
found th9t the Maine disaster was q
result Of 9n"idert the reonTo would ba
better setisfed if committee CT con-
sresF sho'1'd find it so and no harm
would be done.
Shonid ce Stopped.
CINCINNATI, Feb. 19.-CaparaI
oF