The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-02-24

the Spaniards Did it-WM not Un.
dertake to Account for the Occur.
renee. Leaving that for an Official
Investigation to Determine.
KEY WEST, Fla, Feb. r7.-Lieu,.
John ]. Blandin, Of Baltimore, one of
the Names survivors, who is a, the
Key West Hotel, gave the correspond
ent Of the Associated Press this evening
succinct account of the disaster,
saying that not until now has he been
able to recollect the sequence ofevents
in the awful ten mieutes following the
explosion Tuesday evening. Lieuten-
ant Blandin was on the Trenton at
the time of the terrible disaster off
Samoa, in March, 1859, when Ameri-
can and German vessels lost 244 men
all told.
Lieutenant Blandin says: 81 was
on watch, and when the men had been
piped below l looked down the main
matches and over the side of the ship.
Everything was absolutely normal. 1
walked aft to the quarter deck behind
the rear turret, as is allowed after s
O'Clock in the evening, and sat down
on the port side, where remained for
few minutes. Then, for some reason
l cannot explain to myself now, l
moved to the starboard side and sat
down there. l was feeling a bit glum,
and, in fact, was so quiet that Lieut..
J. Hood came up and asked, laughing
ly, if l was asleep. l said, "No, l am
on watch"
"Scarcely had l spoken when there
came dull, sullen roar. Then came
sharp explosion some say, numerous
denonations. l remember only one
1t seemed to me that the sound came
from the port side forward. Then
came a perfect rain Of missiles OF all
descriptions, from huge pieces of ce-
ment to blocks of wood, steel ratings,
fragments of grating and all the debris
that would be detachable in an ex-
plosion.
81 was struck on the head by a
piece of cement and knocked down,
but | was not hurt, and got to my feet
in moment. Lieutenant Hood had
run to the poop, and l supposed, as
followed, he was dazed by the shock
and about to jump overheard. hailed
him and he answered that he had run
to the poop to help lower the boats.
When got there, though scarce
minute could have elapsed, 1 had TO
wade in water to me knees, and al
most instantly the quarter deck was
awash. On the poop found Captain
Sigsbee, as cool as if at bal, and soon
all the officers except jenkins and
Merritt joined US. The poop was above
water after the Maine settled to the
bottom Captain Sigsbee ordered the
launch and gig lowered, and the officers
and men, who, by this time had as
sembled, got the boats out and rescued
number in the water. Captain
Sigsbee ordered Lieutenant Comman-
der Wainwright forward to see the
extent of the damage, and if anything
could be done to rescue those forward
or to extinguish the flames, which fol-
lowed close upon the explosion and
burned 6ercely as long as there were
any combustibles above water to feed
them.
"Lieutenant Commander Vain
wright on his return reported the total
and awful character Of the calamity,
and Captain Sigsbee gave the last sad
order, abandon ship to men over
whelmed with grief indeed, but calm
and apparently unexcited.
"Meantime four boats from the
Spanish cruiser Alfonzo XIII arrived,
to be followed soon by two from the
Ward Line steamer City Of Washing
ton. The two boats lowered first
from the City of Washington we're
found 10 he riddled with flying de-
bris from the Maine and unfit for use.
Captain Sigsbee was the last man to
leave his vessel and left in his own
| gig.
81 have no theories as to the cause
of the explosion. l cannot form any.
An examination by divers may tell
something to court of inquiry. /,
with others, have heard that the Ha-
vana harbor was full of torpedoes, but
the officers whose duty it was to exam
inc into that reported that they found
no signs Of any. Personally, l do
not believe the Spanish had anything
to do with the disaster. Time may
tell. hope SO.
awe were in delicate position on
the Maine so far as taking any pre-
cautions was concerned. We were
friends in friendly, or alleged friend
ly, port, and could not fire upon or
or challenge the approach Of any boa.
boarding US unless convinced that her
intention was hostile.
81 wish to Heaven l could forget il.
have been in two wrecks now and
have had my share. But the reverber-
ations Of that sullen yet resonent roar
as il. the bottom of the sea were groan-
ing in torture, will haunt me for many
Cay, and the reflection of that pillar
Of fame comes TO me even when