Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-29
Ees that might be held on the supposition

ages that might be held on the supposition
that dynamite or other high explosives
might be employed and afterwards TO in
spect the routes these people had taken
and never TO lose sight of the Importance
of the order. He states that very few
people visited the ship, Lieutenant Com
mander Wainwright being rather severe
on desultory visitors. There were only two
visits of Spanish military officers. Once a
party Of five or six Spanish officers came
on board but, according to the captain.
they were constrained and not desirous of
accepting much courtesy. This visit was
during the absence of the captain. He
said he made every effort to have the
Spanish officers visit the ship to show
good will according to the spirit of the
Names visit to Havana, but with excep-
tions stated no military officers of Spain
visited the ship socially.
Captain Sigsbree then went into details
regarding the precautions in force. es-
pecially in relation to quarter watches,
which, he said, had never been rescinded.
One of the cutters was in the water at the
time of the accident and one of the steam
launches, the first. was riding at the STAR
board boom.
The captain said that the night was quiet
and warm and that he remembered hearing
distinctly the echoes of the bugle at tattoo.
which was very pleasant. Stars were out,
the sky, however, being overcast. The
Maine at the time of the explosion was
heading approximately northwest. pointing
toward the Shears. He was writing at
his port cabin table at the time of the eX-
plosion and was dressed. He then went
into description of the explosion when he
felt the crash. He characterized 1t as a
bursting. rending and crashing sound. or
roar, of immense volume, largely metallic
in its character. 1t was succeeded by a
metallic sound, probably of falling debris.
a trembling and lurching motion Of the
vessel, then an impression of subsistence,
attended by an eclipse of electric lights
and intense darkness within the cabin.
He thought Immediately that the Maine
had blown up. and She was sinking. He
hurried to the starboard cabin port, but
changed his course to the passage leading
to the superstructure. Then he detailed
the manner Of meeting Private Anthony.
which is much the same as has been pub
lished. Lieutenant Commander Wainwright
was on deck when Captain Sigsbee emerged
from the passage way, and. turning to the
orderly, he asked for the time, which was
given as $40 p. m.
Sentries were ordered placed about the
ship, and the forward magazine flooded If
practicable. He called for perfect silence.
The surviving officers were about him at
the time on the poop. He was Informed
that both forward and after magazines
were under water.
Then came faint cries and he saw dimly
white floating bodies in the water. Boats
were at once ordered lowered, but only
two were found available, the gig and
whale boat. They were lowered and
manned by officers and men, and by the
captains directions they left the ship and
assisted in saving the wounded jointly
with other boats that had arrived on the
scene. Fire amidships by this time was
burning fiercely. and the spare ammunition
in the pilot house was exploding in detail.
At this time Lieutenant Commander VAIN
wright whispered to the captain that he
thought the ten-inch magazine forward had
been thrown up into the burning mass and
might explode in time. Everybody was
then directed to get into the boats over
the stern, which was done, the captain
getting into the gig and then proceeded
to the City Of Washington, where he found
the wounded in the dining saloon being
carefully attended by the officers and crew
of the vessel.
He then went on deck and observed the
wreck for few minutes. and gave direc-
tons to have muster taken on board the
City of Washington and other vessels, and
sat down in the captains cabin and die
tated a telegram to the navy department
Various Spanish officials came on board
and expressed sympathy and sorrow for
the accident. The representatives of Gen.
eral Blanco and of the admiral of the sta
ton were among the Spanish officials who
rendered their respects. About eighty-four
or eighty-five men were found that night
who survived.
By the time Captain Sigsbee reached the
quarter deck, 1t was his impression that an
overwhelming explosion had occurred.
When he came from the cabin he was
practically blinded for few seconds. His
only thought was for the vessel, and he
took no note of the phenomena Of the ex-
plosion. In reply to the direct question of
whether any of the magazines or she'll
rooms were blown up the captain said it
was extremely difficult to come to any con-
clusion. The center OF the explosion was
beneath and a little forward of the con-
ming tower on the port side. In the region
of the center or axis of the explosion was
the six-inch reserve magazine which con-
tained very little powder. about 300 pounds.
The ten-inch magazine was in the same
general region, but on the starboard side.
Over the ten-inch magazine Is the loading
room Of the turret and in the adjoining
passage a number of ten-inch shells were
permanently placed. According to Captain
Sigsbee, It would be difficult to conceive
the explosion involved the ten-inch maga-
zine, because of the location Of the ex-
plosion and that no reports show that any
ten-inch shells were hurled into the air
because of the explosion.
The captain went into details as to the
location of the small ammunition. He said
that he did not believe that the forward
six inch magazine blew up. The location
of the guncotton was aft. under cabin.
The guncotton primers and the detonators
were always kept in the cabin.
He stated that he had examined the
wreck himself. conversed with other officers
and men, but as the Spanish authorities
were very much averse to an investiga-
tion except officially. on the ground, as
stated by the Spanish admiral, that the
honor of Spain was involved, he forebore
to examine the submarine portion of the
wreck for the cause OF the explosion until
the day the court convened.
FIe said the discipline of the ship was ex-
celient. The marine guard was in excellent
condition. The reports of the medical de-
partmsnt show that about one man and a
ing the past year. In the engineers de-
partment the vessel was always ready and
always responsive.
He paid tribute to the crew and said
that a quieter. better natured lot of men
he had never known on board any vessel
on which he hac served. Ie lad no fault
TO find with the Sehavior of any man at
the time of the disaster and considered their