Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-04-01

used buoy IN the narDor. In describing
the surroundings VIXEN first moored
to this buoy, Captain Sigsbee
stated that the Spanish man
of:war, Alfonso XIII was moored
in position now occupied by the Fern
about 25 yards to the northward Of the
wre,kage Of the Maine. The German
ship G%riesenau wa anchored at the berth
now occupied by the Spanish man-of-war
Legaspe, which is about 400 yards about
due north from the Maine. He then To-
Gated the German man-of-war Charlotte,
which came into the harbor q day or two
later. which was anchored to the south
ward Of the Names berth about 400 OF
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. wa at the
same berth. The small Spanish dispatch
boat Legaspe had moved the day before n
taken the berth occupied by the German
man-of-war Griesenau, which had left.
The City of Washington was anchored
about 200 yards east.of the Names stern,
slightly on the port quarter.
Coil Had Been Inspected.
The Maine coalcd ut 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 tho bunkers,
and the fire alarms in the bunkers We're
sensitive.
In so far as the regulations regarding
inflammables and paints on board, Cap
tain Sigsbeo testified that the regulations
were strictly carried out in regard to stor-
age, and that the waste also was subject
to the same carefuldisposition. AS to b
situation of the paint room, he fixed 1t as
in the ''eyes Of the ship" inst below h
berth deck, the extreme forward compnrr-
ment. AS for the disposition of inflam-
mables, they were slowed away according
to the regulations, and when inflamma~
bles were in excess of chest capacity they
were kept in the bath room of the cab
In. Regarding the electric plant of the
Maine, Captain Sigsbee stated that there
wa no serious grounding nor q sudden
up of the lights before the explosion, but
q sudden and total eclipse. AS for regu-
lations affecting the taking Of tempera-
ture of the magazines, ETC., Captain Sigs-
bee said there were no special regulations
other than the usual regulations required
by the department. He examined the
temperature himself and conversed with
with the ordnance officer as to the various
temperatures and the contentso of the mag
azines, and according to the opinion of
the officer, the temperatures were never
at the danger point. II do not think
there was any laxity in this direction
said the captain i'll reply to question of
Judge Advocate Marix.
No Work on tho Magazines.
He had no recollection of any work 60
Ing on in the magazine or shell rooms on
the day of the explosion. The keys were
called for in the usual way on the day in
question and We're properly returned. At
the time of the disaster the two after boil
ers i'll the after fire room We're in use be-
cause the hydraulic system was somewhat
leaking. Speaking generally Of his rcla-
lions with the Spanish authorities, Cap
tain Sigsbee stated that with the
officials they were outwardly cordial.
The members Of the autonomist council
of the government, however, seem to have
brought to the attention of the navy
department the fact that he did not visit.
them and that fact brought embarrass-
ment to the government at Washington.
He took the ground to the department.
that it was unknown etiquette to call on
the civil members of the colonial govern
mcnt other than the governor. Without
waiting for such an order Captain Sigs-
bee made a visit afterwards and, us he
states, was pAeasantly received and his
visit promptly returned by certain men,
bers of h council. Later a party Of
ladies and gentlemen called and the pres
ident of the council made II speech which
Captain Sigsbee could not understand but
which was interpreted to him briefly, to-
which he replied.
'My reply" said Captain Sigsbee, twas
afterwards printed in at least two papers
In Havana, but the terms made me favor
autonomistic government in the island. /
am informed that the a~utonomistic gov
ernment in Havana is unpopular among
a large number of Spanish and Cuban res
tdents. I have no means of knowing
whether my apparent interference in the
political concerns of the island had n
relation to the destruction of the Maine"
Tells of the Explos on.
The captain said the 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, the sky, however, overcast. He
was writing at his port cabin table at the
time of the explosion and was dressed.
He then went into Il description of the ex-
plosion when he felt the crash. He char
acterized 1T as a bursting. rending and
crashing sound or roar of immense vol.
ume, largely metallic in character. 1t
was succeeded by metallic sound, prob
ably: Of falling debris, a trembling n
lurching motion of the vessel, then an
impression of subsidence, attended by an
eclipse of electric lights and intense dark
ness within the cabin. He Thought inn
mediately that the Maine had been blown
up and she wal sinking. He hurried to
the starboard cabin port, but changed