davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
OPINION OF NAVAL OFFICERS.
Various surmises Regarding Cause
of Explosion.

Vallejo, Cal, Feb 16.-Intense excite
ment prevailed al Mare Island navy
yard this morning when the news Of
the disaster TO the Maine was received.
Rear Admiral Kirkland said: If the
plates in the Maine hull are bent out,
the explosion occurred on board. If
they are bent in, then it came from the
outside. You know that much your
self"
Captain Henry Glass, L. S. N. COM
mandant of the navy yard, said: 1t
may have been caused by spontaneous
combustion in the coal bunkers, which
were located next to the magazine. A
leaking fire room might have caused it
These warships use bituminous coal
and it is very dangerous
Naval Constructor William Baxter.
when asked if the United States was
in a condition to carry on war, said:
The loss of the Maine leaves the At
lantic coast with only three battleships.
Then, again, you know about the short
age of powder and the manufacture Of
powder for these big guns is a difficult
thing. Many times after a quantity of
powder is manufactured it has to be
thrown away. as it cannot stand the
test. BY doubling up the capacity of
the mills they might, in few months.
supply enough for our ships, but then
our fleet IS very small. 1t is a very
serious thing to this country"
Admiral Kirkland comedies with Cap
tain Sumner who says that the acct
dent theory is untenable if the explo-
sion occurred in the forward end, near
the mems quarters. and not near the
main magazine.
NO BOILER EXPLOSION.
San Francisco, Feb. 16.-Irving NJ
Scott. vice president and general man
ager of the Union Iron Works, of this
city. which built the battleship Oregon,
upon learning of the loss of the Maine.
said:
While il is impossible, with the facts
at hand. 10 give any definite reason for
the accident, there are several cOndi-
tons which may have occurred, any Of
which might accent for the destruc-
ton of the vessel. For instance. a fire
in the coal bunkers where they abutted
against the magazine might have heat
ed the partitions sufficiently to explode
the powder in the magazine. That the
explosion was not in the boiler rooms
is evident. for the ship was at rest, and
all her steaming capacity was, there
fore. under fun control"
RESULT OF TREACHERY.
Chicago. Feb. 16.-Commander ]. Z.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
BODIES WILL BE RECOVERED.
Most. if not all bodies will be recov-
HISTORIC DISASTER.
Nothing Like Maine Catastrophe
Since Sinking of Victoria.


Since Sinking of Victoria.
Washington, Feb. 16-It is said at the
navy department that this disaster is
the greatest of the kind in naval history
since the sinking of the big British war
ship Victoria, by collision with the
Camperdown, in the Mediterranean, off
Malta, in June, 1898. BY thar accident
the British admiral commanding % Off
GERS and $50 men lost their lives.
The Spanish legation was early adj
vised of the horror by Captain General
Blanco, who expressed his profound re-
gret and added that the occurrence was
a chance accident. the undoubted cause
being an explosion of the boiler of the
dynamo This was the only specific
cause as lgned from an official source
during the day. NJ. Dubosc, the Span
ish charge d'affaires. called at the state
department to express his profound re-
gret, and the entire Spanish staff left
their cards at the navy department, as
a mark OF personal coincidence.
AT all of the foreign establishments
there was the deepest interest and So
licitude over the affair, and during the
dav Ambassador Cambon of France,
Sir Julian Pauncefote of the British en-
bassy, and other foreign representa-
tives, called on the president or at the
state department to express their re-
grets.
The disaster is remarkable in that on
" two officers lost their lives, and these
were of junior grades. They We're Lieu
tenant Friend w. jenkins and Assist
ant Engineer Darwin r. Merritt The
former was unmarried. hut leaves q
mother and sister The latter. it IS
Thought. was also unmarried, but the
department was unadvised concerning
his family.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
LONDON OPINION.
Two Newspapers Who Venture Sus-
picion of Foul Means.

p1c1On Oh FOUL means.
London, Feb. 16.-The Globe this af-
ternoon, commenting on the disaster to
the United States steamship Maine.
says:
1T is impossible to refrain from the
suspicion that the explosion may have
been caused by foul means. Although
anchored, the Maine would have steam
mos and auxiliary machinery. If an
Internal machine had been hidden in
the coal and thrown into the furnaces,
obviously there would have been an
explosion of the boiler. and, as a result,
of the magazine. That this terrible
event should have happened in the
harbor of Havana renders a solution
of the mystery of international import
ance."
The St James Gazette leans to the
supposition that the disaster was
wrought by an explosion in the maya
zine, which is beneath the forecastle
and as far as possible from the engine
fires. adding: 1T remains, however to
be explained how magazine carefully
guarded could be fired. AS bearing
upon this, it must be borne in mind
that the discipline on American war
ships is usually, to English ideas,
rather lax.
Another possibility is that the dis
aster was produced by the explosion
of a submarine mine or torpedo. caused
accidentally or otherwise This sug-
gssts the thought that the, outrage was
perpetrated by d Spanish cOnspirator
or Cuban insurgents incensed against
the United States"
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
THE NAVIGATOR SENATOR.
Perkins Positive the Horror Is Not
Due to Accident.


Washington, Feb. Ex-senator Per-
kins of California, who has been a
navigator all his life and knows thor
oughly every detail in the construction
and handling of great ships, said:
Il cannot conceive that such an ex-
plosion as that which is reported to
have wrecked the Maine could have
resulted from an accident. The
chances. it seems to me. are 999 in 1000
that the calamity did not result from
accident 1t has been suggested that
the explosion might have occurred
while ammunition was being handled,
but that is scarcely credible, as ammu-
milton on a warship at anchor is not
handled at 10 o'clock at night. Then,
too, the ammunition on a warship is
fixed ammunition. which is not in con-
tact with anything at all likely to pro-
duce an explosion. Every electric wire
and every spark of fire on board the
ship is far distant from the magazines,
and there is no possibility OF danger
by those means being communicated to
the ammunition. The discipline of both
officers and men on the Maine, as we'll
as on every other vessel, is such that
the explosion could not have been
caused by any action of any one Of
them. The magazines of the Maine
and other ships of her class and the
mechanism which operates them are
constructed with all the nicely of a
watch. By the simple pressure of an
electric button any magazine on board
the vessel could be instantly sub
merged. and no fire could gain such
Roadway as to endanger any of the
without discovery. 1 am
firmly of the belief that the horror in
Havana harbor last night was not due
to accident. 1 can scarcely conceive
either that it was due to the treachery
of Spanish officials, or was brought
about through their cognizance. How
ever, the situation in Havana is so
critical and the Spanish feel so keenly
what appears to many of them an af-
front that the Maine should have been
in the harbor. that it seems not unlike
~ the catastrophe was due to the ac-
ton of Spanish sympathizers That it
was not an accident 1 feel assured, and
that it was due TO treachery l am con-
WINGED"
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
SORROW IN HAVANA.
Flags at Half Mast and Business Sus-
pended.

Washington. Feb. 1.-THE following
cablegram was received by the state
department from Consul General Lee at
9:1e tonight:
Havana, Feb. 16.-Profound sorrow
expressed by government and NUM-
cipal authorities, consuls of foreign ma
tons, organized bodies of all sorts and
citizens generally.
Flags at half-mast en- government
palace. on shipping in harbor and in
city.
Business suspended. theatres closed
Dead number about go.
Officers quarters being in rear, and
seamen's forward, where explosion took
place, accounts for greater proportional
loss of sailors Funeral tomorrow at
8 p. m.
officers Merritt and jenkins still
missing.
Suppose you ask that naval court of
inquiry be held to ascertain cause of
explosion.
Hope our people will repress excite
ment and calmly await decision
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
TELEGRAPHIC BRIEFS.

1t is stated that the Maine had hard
coal on board. and that, therefore, the
theory that the disaster was caused
by spontaneous combustion is not tan
gible.
Forty men employed in the Tacoma
Mil company's yard struck for an adj
vance of 16 2-3 per cent in wages. The
company claims they can get all the
men they need, and that the strikers
will not be re-employed.
The Madrid Official Gazette records
the resignation of De LONE. but signi-
fies its displeasure that the censure of
the government does not include the
customary statement that the govern
ment is satisfied with the zeal and ser
vices oe the resigning minister.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
SIX sERvIcEABLE VESSELS.
This Our Number Now While Spain
Has Seven.

Washington. Feb. 16.-Both Secretary
Long and Assistant Secretary Roose-
welt called a consultation in the fore
noon of all of the chiefs of the navy
department and several of the officers
Of high rank indirectly attached. like
Commodore Schley, president OF the
lighthouse board. who has a brilliant
reputation as a gallant officer and is
possessed of great discretion. The pur-
pose of these consultations was TO Sc
cure the best expert testimony as to
the probable cause of the disaster.
while at the same time ascertaining to
what extent the navy situation has
been effected by the loss of the Maine
A good deal of disquiet was exhibited
when IL was shown that the loss OF the
fine battleship had done a great deal
to destroy the balance Of power the
oretically between the navies of Spain
and the United States. the American
navy being reduced to six servicea BILE
vessels, as against seven in the Spanish
fleet
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
Maine May Be Raised.

Washington, Feb. 16.-The naval con-
structors, in the light of the dispatches
thus far received, say it is by no means
certain that the Maine cannot be
raised and again carry the flag. They
say that while she is a big ship, others
as large have been raised. and at Ha-
vana the new floating dry dock would
receive her if she could only be gotten
above water.
Captain Sigsbee evidently is taking
an interest in the future of the ship,
for he sent a telegram to Commander
Forsythe at Key West that was
promptly transmitted to Secretary
Long. suggesting that a lighthouse
vessel or some such small craft be sta
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17

of which. in the absence of any facts
on which TO base a reasonable opinion,
were decidedly unsatisfactory.
At the White House, the president
spent the evening. until midnight, in his
office. There was no official conference
on the disaster. however. and but one
caller. Senator Fairbanks of Indiana,
who merely discussed the Maine catas-
trophe incidentally with the other bust
ness which brought him to the White
House. The president displayed the
keenest interest in the appalling story,
and the deepest sympathy for the suf-
ferers. and 1t was at his suggestion that
the order of half-masting all govern
ment flags was issued
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17

disasters as that sustained by the
Maine, all of which can be traced TO ac-
cidental causes. In 1855 the United
States man-of-war Missouri. then "
ing at Gibraltar, was totally wrecked
by the explosion of her magazine. An
other case famous in naval history is
that of her majesty's ship Doterel. In
1887 she was lying at anchor off Punta
Arenas. in the Straits of Magellan. An
explosion occurred and left almost none
Of her crew alive. This was another
case of a magazine explosion, though
it may have originated in the coal bum
kers or boilers
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
FLAGS AT HALF MAST.
All Government Property Will Bear
Symbol of Mourning.

Washington. Feb. 16.-The president
has ordered that tomorrow and until
further notice. the flag at all navy
yards and on naval vessels at ports
army headquarters and on all public
buildings, shall be half-masted.
Late tonight the following dispatch
from Captain Sigsbee at Havana, ad
dressed TO Secretary Long, was re-
ceived:
"All men whose names have not been
sent as saved, probably are lost Have
given up Jenkins and Merritt as lost.
Bodies are still floating ashore this al
ternoon. / keep nine officers, one pri-
vate and Gunners' Mate Bullock here
with me-"
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
ELECTORAL AMENDMENT.
Text of Resolution Providing for
Election of President.

Washington. Feb. 16.-The fouse
committee on the election of president,
vice president and representatives in
congress has authorized favorable
report on a resolution to propose to
the various state legislatures an
amendment to the constitution as fol-
lows:
THE house of representatives shall
be composed of members chosen every
fourth year by the people of the sew
eral states. and electors in each state
shall have the qualifications requisite
for electors of the most numerous
branch of the state legislature
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
HAWAIIAN TREATY.
Senator Morrill, in a Speech Opposed
Ratification.

Washington. Feb Ex-senator Nor
rill of Vermont occupied the entire
time of the executive session of the
senate today with a speech opposing
the ratification of the Hawaiian an
nexation treaty. The speech was in
tended to show that the acquisition of
the Hawaiian islands would be against
both good policy and the traditions of
this country. From military point OF
view he argued that the control of
Hawaii would be a source of weakness
rather than of strength, because
navy would be required for its defense
in time of war, while in time of peace
we should not need the islands on this
account.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17

AIairid. Feb. 10
The following semi
official note has been
issued.
Il lie news of the
disaster of / h {
Maine has caused a
painful impression in
Madrid. 1t was al
first feared that
there had been some
act of imprudence 10
which the catastro-
phe was attributable
Afterwards, as the
details arrived, the
fears dispelled took
those OF feelings OF
sympathy and sor-
row for the misfor-
tune which has oc-
Cured.
The captain gen.
eral, the command
ant of the arsenal,
the sailors of the
cruiser Al { o n S G
XIII the crews OF
merchant vessels,
the merchant yes
sells, ard all the
available ( C e S
hastenad to succor
the injured.
THE government
has expressed to
Minister Woodford
the regret it feels
at the catastrophe.
more especially as it
occurred In waters
within Spanish jul
risdiction. An adj
miral in full uni
form, in the name of
the minister of ma
rine and the entire
Spanish C a b i n e I,
called on General
Woodford today and
informed him that
the government had
telegraphed TO the
authorities in Cuba
to do their utmost
to relieve the dis
tress of the injured
and TO furnish the
officers and crew of
the Maine with ev-
erything which they
may need
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
LATTIMER TRIAL.
Another Witness Who Testified Mar
tin Fired First Shot.

Wilkesbarre, Pa. Feb 16-During the
trial of the Lattimer shooting case to-
day another witness, Frank --eteschick,
told of having seen Sheriff Martin fire
the first shot, which struck down a
striker standing within a few feet Of
the sheriff. Later in the day Mike Null,
lade, said to be the man whom Sheriff
Martin shot, was produced in court, but
Meteschick could not identify him as
the man whom he saw fall.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
DRIED FRUITS ALL RIGHT.
Largest Sale of California Products
Ever Made to Germany.

Sacramento. Cal, Feb. 16.-Heinrich
Haas, representing one of the largest
mercantile houses in Hamburg, Ger
many. has closed contract for Califor-
mia dried fruits to be delivered during
the coming season. The price to be
paid will exceed s4eO. OGO. making it the
largest single. sale of California prod
ucts ever made by a European firm.
Hamburg, being a free port of entry, is
a distributing center, and the fruit
which goes there will be sent through
out Germany, Denmark and Norway
and Sweden.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
Irishmen Send CondoIence

London. Feb. 16-At a largely attended
meeting of Irishmen in st. James hall
today, convened to celebrate the events
OF IS. under the craftsmanship of James
U Kelly. t was unanimously voted to
send dispatch of coincidence to the
American nation upon the loss of the
Maine Messrs Davitt, Dillon and
O'Brien were present.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
Insanity Acouitted Her.

Butte, Mont, Feb. 16.-Mrs. Emma
Baptiste was acquitted last night Of
the murder of her husband, James
Baptiste. The ground of acquittal was
insanity. Baptiste. a telegraph oper-
ator, left her and married frankie Bell.
concert hall singer, claiming ne was
not lawfully welded to Emma. She
went to the pool room where he worked
and shot him.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
Gen. wheeleFs Tender of Service.

Washington, Feb. 16.-General Joseph
Wheeler, the sex-confederate cavalry
commander, now "a member OF the
house from Alabama, sent the following
message to the president today:
TO the Hon. President:
In case of any trouble with Spain,
remember that my tender of services
is on file at the war department
JOSEPH WHEELER"
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
SEA SICKNESS ON LAND.
Argument That This Bears Evidence
of Nicaragua's Salubrioua Climate

New York. Feb. 16.-Mr. Cooley of the
Nicaragua expedition said there never
had been any question as to the feast
bility OF the Nicarag qua canal, but as
the estimates of its cost had varied
from s6l. 100000 tod 1888. 600 GOO. the pub
lie naturally was lacking in confidence
in the project The members Of thu
party, he said. had Travelled about 5000
miles and had inspected every impOr-
tant work between South America and
Mexico. They had walked miles through
swamps and forests, sometimes forced
to swim, yet the worst ailment any had
suffered from was seasickness. This.
he thought. indicated a salubrious eli
mate.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17

competent investigators will decide
whether the explosion was produced
from an interior or exterior cause.
cannot say anything until after such an
investigation has been male l will
not and cannot conscientiously antici
pate the decision, nor do 1 wish to make
any unjust estimate of the reason for
the Disaster
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17

matte powders. Not only is this pow
der most carefully packed in hermet-
ically sealed copper cases. but its heat
resistance qualities are so great that
it cannot be ignited by the flame of
match, 500 degrees Fahrenheit being the
amount of heat that must be applied
for some time to set off the powder
On the other hand it is readily ignited,
as in the case of the charge in the
gun. by the explosion of a good guam
tity OF illuminate. Every precaution is
made aboard ship to safeguard the
magazine
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
CORN AND PRECIOUS METALS
Yield of Former Exceeds Seven Times
the Value of Latter.

Chicago. Feb. 16.-Mr. F. D. Coburn.
secretary of the Kansas state board of
agriculture, said at the corn conven-
ton:
The average annual product of
American silver mines during the three
years ending with 1895 was less than
SAC, 500. 900, while the rage value of
American corn for each of the last ten
years has been nearly $636. 900 goo. or
more than 1872 times the value of all
our silver. Adding to the silver the out
put of gold, we annually produced corn
worth more than seven times as much
as both these precious and coveted
metals
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
TAKE YOUR CHOICE.
Two Opinions Concerning Public
Sentiment in Madrid.


New York, Feb. Is.
"A dispatch TO the
Herald from Madrid
3 says:
The public feeling
here against the
United States is
very highly strung.
In the public MUD
the general conVic-
Ition is that the
United States in
tends to force war
upon Spain and that
the latter must alb
solutely stand her
ground. and in
7 Cuba the autono-
imists would side
with Spain, fighting
against the United
States troops; and
that the Spanish
would encourage the
landing of troops in
the greatest number
possible-now that
the unhealthy sea
son is coming on, ii
would kill them off
Ike flies.
Al the same time
the ships of war
could lombard the
coast towns, which.
with the exception
of New York, are
considered unpro-
tected, the United
States not having
sufficient warsnIps
to protect them. Al
the same time. also.
great calculations
are made on the
widespread ruin
which would fall
upon business men
in the United States.
whereas the bourse
here would scarcely
change. as is the
case with the United
States. It would
merely be the first
step toward the
solution of the ques-
ton which is slowly
bleeding the re-
sources of the coun-
try to death.
Such is the repre-
sentative idea of
public Spanish feel
ing TODAY.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
ACCIDENT OR INTENT.
Three Theories Expressed as to Cause
of Explosion.

Washington. Feb. 16.-At this moment
the naval officers cannot agree upon any
theory to account for the destruction
of the Maine. Perhaps a majority are
inclined to the belief that the explosion
was purely accidental; another consid-
cradle number feel that a torpedo was
exploded under the vessel, and third
theory is that some internal machine
was Struggled aboard the ship and set
off. In the present lack of knowledge
it is not thought possible to say to
which theory the balance of probable
ity inclines. An examination by a di-
yer of the hull of the Maine would
demonstrate instantly whether or not
a torpedo had been used, for in case it
had the plates would surely be driven
in. On the other hand, protruding
plates would be an evidence that the
explosion was purely internal.
NO SMOKELESS POWDER ABOARD.
Tboro vr-ac raOvy-f3a,-
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
President Displays the Keenest Anxi-
ETY. Regarding the Event.

Washington. Feb. 16.-The efforts of
all government officers TO remain calm
in the face of the shocking disaster 10
the Maine and its at nding mystery
was apparent, and number of naval
officers volunteered their theories in
support. of the accident hypothesis, all
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
Telegram to Red Cross.

New York. Feb. 16-The following
instructions have been cabled to Miss
Clara Barton. president of the Ameri-
can Red Cross, now at Havana:
Save neither trouble nor expense to
render every possible assistance TO our
wounded sailors"
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-17
Full of PITY

Madrid. Feb. 16.-The Heraldo. COM
menting on the Maine disaster. says:
In the face of provocative Ameri-
cans. we shall always remain a proud
people; but in the face of men in mis-
fortune of whatever nationality. our
hearts are always full of pity"