The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-17
VARIOUS SENTIMENTS

E1prcfed by Scnntnrf, Representatives and
Others tn Washington AZ to tho Cause
and Efrec, ofthe Wrcck,ng ofthe Maine.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 1S-The
greatest interest prevailed among sem
ators and representatives as, to the ex-
tent OF the MaIne's accident and many
OF them hurried to the navy and state
departments to learn II there were any
further details. With only the first re-
ports before them and recognition OF
the graveness of any utterances. there
was hesltancy to express opinions at
this time.
The immense gravity OF the situation
In case later advices should show that
the disaster was not purely accidental
was admitted by all public men. Con-
sentative public men in the face OF the
appalling catastrophe. the meagre infor-
nation at hand and It's possible conse-
quences. therefore declined to express
any opinion at this time.
Chairman Hit, OF the foreign affairs
committee; Chairman Dingley, OF the
ways and means committee and the
members Of the naval committee OF the
. .house all said they preferred to oval.
fuller Information before expressing
themselves. Mr.. Hit said It would be
we'll for the public to follow the cue giv-
en- by Captain Slgsbee and suspend
Judgment until the cause OF the disas-
ter was asce-tained.
Senator Platt, OF Connecticut, express
ed the opinion that the explosion would
be found to be the result of an acci-
dent from within, and ne doubted that
anyone could have planned and carried
out plot 10 bring about an explosion
Of the ship.
Ex-senator Butler. OF South Carolina,
who was member OF the committee on
foreign relations In the senate during
his service said that 1t was decidedly
strange that American vessels have
visited every port In the world and no
accident befallen them, but that as soon
as vessel visited Havana this great
disaster should occur. General Butler
was Of the opinion that some bold man
had some aboard the Maine and placed
grenade with q slow match, where It
would explode the magazine. II was
probable. he thought, that many people
had been permitted to visit the warship
and that some one Of the visitors had
carried grenade aboard.
A very prominent naval officer who
did not wish his name used because OF
the meagerneSs OF present information
as TO details expressed the informal
opinion that the accident occurred from
spontaneous combustion IN the coal
bunkers. the heat OF which exploded
the powder In the supplementary maga-
zines adjoining. Still another promI-
nent officer was very confident that the
forward magazine OF the Maine could
not have exploded. Had the maga-
zine exploded" he said, the ship would
have been blown to tlinders.'
The news OF the disaster created a
profound impression at the capitol. Sem
ntors and members OF the house, as a
rule, expressed the opinion for publicn-
ton. that the catastrophe was the re-
suit of accident and not OF design. but
there were some opinions, generally ex-
pressed under the breath with the ad-
monition not to publish TO the effect
that the affair locked very mysterious
and doubtful. AS a rule senators ex-
pressed the opinion that the department
would and should make thorough in
vcst!gntion and added that for the pre-
sent 1t would be unnecessary for Con-
gress to take up the matter. \
Senator Hale, chairman Of the COM
mittce on naval affairs and member OF
the committee on appropriations. said
that he had Just come from an inter.
view with the secretary Of the navy and
that he felt confident that the navy de-
partment would institute a thorough in
restigation into the disaster. There
is no OCCASION" said the senator, "for
Congress to take the matter up. Surely
something should be left to the depart
ment and this Is one Of the things
which, In my opinion, should be so left.
1t Is of course, impossible from the In
formation received, TO say how the uccI-
dent occurred. but feel confident that
the facts when developed, Will show
that It was an accident. The Maine
was. Of course, prepared for action in
case action should be necessary, and
had, therefore, many vulnerable points
exposed. A hattleshlp Is little less than
n volcano under the most favorable cir
eumstanccs and when legislating for the
increase OF the navy always feel that
n war vessel may prove to be almost as
dangerous to those on board as to those
whom It might engage In hostile con.
fllct. For this reason. am sure the
affair In Havana harbor Will prove n
genuine sensation In naval circles aside
from any political aspect OF It."
The senator expressed the opinion
that Congress would take steps to pre-
vent tho decrease OF the navy. but did
not undertake. 10 say thnt there would
be immediate efforts TO replace tho