The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-24
NO LIGHT YET.
fConcIuded from Fir.t PACE


Captain Sampson A clause of the con-
tract itemizes the amounts to be paid for
each branch of wrecking work, viz:
Wrecking tug Underwater, $50 per day;
wreching steamer Jones, $500: lighter Sey-
mour, So; derrick Chief, SIS; barge Lone
Star, $50; wrecking tug Right Arm, $500;
wreckmaster, SIS; wreckers, $3.50 each;
divers, $50 each.
Evidently the president of the court of
inquiry at Havana is fearful of the effect
on the public of ill-judged attempts to ac-
count for the destruction of the Maine, for
this afternoon he telegraphed Secretary
Long, doubtless having in mind certain pub
locations of this morning, as follows: ANY
reported interview with divers untrue.
Every precaution has been taken. officer
always present" This brief statement dis
poses of all the allegations that have been
made pro and con to the blowing up of
the forward magazine.
The officers here are still thinking of
Captain Sigsbee's request of yesterday to
be furnished with the plans of the Names
section through the magazines and coal
bunker pockets. The reference 10 the lat
ter is particularly interesting, and leads to
a desire to be informed on the exact guam
tity and quality of the coal supply at the
II.
pocket bunkers are rarely emptied, being
designed as much for the protection of the
ship against gunshots as for capacity to
hold coal. One expert said that these
bunkers, in his own experience, have not
been emptied in months. All of this has to
do with the spontaneous combustion theory,
as the bunkers abut on the magazines and
might have set off even the safe brown
nOWdar tha Iaftor vyaS avnocad IN a de-
gree of heat above 600 degrees for some
time. The request, besides, may show that
Captain Sigsbee is not yet satisfied as to
the cause of the explosion, Notwithstanding
the expressions that have been attributed
to him by unauthorized persons.
A REMINDER OF THE DISASTER.
A reminder of the disaster reached the
Navy Department this morning in the shape
of a water-Stained and brine-tlavored pack
age inclosing the medical journal of the
Maine. This document came through Con-
sui General Lees mail pouch to the State
Department instead of through the mails,
from which it was probably barred by it's
weight. 1t was turned over. to the chief
clerk of the Navy Department, and by him
referred to the Bereau Of Medicine and Sur
gerry, where it will be kept for future ref
erence in case of necessity The officials
say the package was under water four days
from it's appearance, and it still bears evil
dence of that fact, besides having an I'M
pleasant brackish odor. The blue mark lines
ruled on the paper by the Government
Printing Office are nearly faded out, but
the reading in the journal in the metallic
ink used by the navy is clear and distinct.
OF course, there is nothing in the book
bearing upon the disaster, but it is d tribute
to the methodical habit of Surgeon Hene-
berger, the Names medical officer, that the
record was brought to the last moment be-
fore the wreck of the ship, the last entry
being Feb is.
The noon mail brought to Secretary Long
letter from Admiral Sicard at Key West
The admiral wrote that he has not yet re-
covered his health and will be unable to go
to sea with the squadron. He will remain
on shore at his hotel in Key West and re-
tain command of the squadron from that
place so long as it remains in harbor there
relinquishing it only when it becomes nee
essary for the vessels to go to sea as a
squadron. 1t will be remembered that the
admiral had suffered an attack of malarial
fever and had secured leave of absence of
two weeks from the department just before
the explosion of the Maine He got as far
as Tampa, but returned Immediately to his
command, which for only one day he had
left in the hands of Captain Sampson.
Should the squadron be obliged to go to sea
with the admiral i'll at Key West and the
senior officer of his fleet, Captain Sampson,
engaged in the investigation at Havana,
probably the command of the squadron
would devolve upon Captain Taylor, now
commanding the battle ship Massachusetts,
and commonly regarded as one of the
brightest and brainiest officers in the naval
service.
THE RIGHT ARM AT HAVANA.
Admiral Sicard wired this afternoon from
Key West that the wrecking tug Right Arm
had arrived at Havana this morning. Cap
tain Magee," the admiral said, seems to
be an experienced man who will be able to
give good advice. Captain Sampson wired
me that the condition Of the wreck is such
as to require the most powerful appliances
the government can secure. The court rec
ommends contract with the best equipped
wrecking company to remove the material
and lift the ship without delay. The for
ward half is apparently destroyed, but the
after half is apparently intact except in
minor Matters
A formal order was made out this after
noon for Lieut.. Commander Wainwright to
take station at havana ana look afJefs the
governments interests while the work of
wrecking the Maine progresses. 1t has been
arranged that he shall be provided for on
board one of the wrecking steamers
One of the private letters received here
to-day, in speaking of the disaster, says it
was all over in five minutes. The writer
was ashore and heard the noise. He hastily
took boat and started for the Maine, ar
irving there in about twenty-five minutes.
Then all was quiet and smooth, and, in fact,
as he said, in five minutes after the blast,
the Maine was in about her present condi-
ton.
An regard to the statement coming from
Key West that naval officers there had
been warned by Admiral Scard, at the
instance OF the Navy Department, not to
discuss the Maine disaster publicly, and
officers that this is only the usual course,
for the regulations especially prohibit such
discussions, as they are calculated to af-
feet improperly the conclusions of the court
of inquiry, and also perhaps to cause in
terposition of obstacles to the investiga-
ton 1t is probable that like instructions
have been given to the few naval officers
who remain with Sigsbee at Havana, en-
gagged in paying the last sad rites to the
bodies of the victims
NO WARNING GIVEN BY LEE.
Consul General Lee, in the course OF a
friendly talk in Havana with Americans,
are at present other places more desirable
as resorts for persons who have no partic-
ular business there than Havana, but the
State Department authorizes the announce
ment that it has not yet been advised that
he has either officially or semi-officially
1alfx n 1co1f Of A..