The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-02-18
An Explosion Wrecks the
United States Cruiser
at Havana.
Estimated That 275 of the
Crew We're Killed.
Special TO the Register Gives Latest
Details Of the Awful Catastrophe.
Special TO the REGIsTKR:

report that the explosion on the bat
tleship Maine killed 27O men, only 45
of the crew being uninjured.
The explosion was probably from
the magazine and was perhaps acct
dental, although the officials refuse to
say anything about 1t. The sentry on
the poop says there were no boats in
the vicinity OF the ship when the ex-
plosion took place. The vessel Is o
total wreck.
Associated Pross report:
HAVANA, Feb. i8.-At 9:40 Yesterday
evening a terrible explosion took place
on board the United States cruiser
Maine in Havana harbor. Many were
killed OF wounded. The explosion
shook the whole city. The windows
were broken in ali the houses. The
correspondent of the Associated press
says he has conversed with several OF
the wounded sailors, and understands
from them that the explosion took
place while they were asleep, so that
they can give no particulars as to the
cause. The widest CONSERVATION pre-
vailed in Havana. The wharves were
crowded with thousands OF people. 1t
is believed the explosion occurred in
u small powder magazine. AT li:l5
o'clock what remained of the Maine
was still burning.
Capt. Sigsbee and the other officers
have been saved. 1t is estimated that
over 100 of the crew were killed, but
IL Is impossible as yet to give exact de-
tails. Adm. Mantero!a ordered that
boats OF all kinds should go to the as
sistance of the Maine and her wounded.
The Havana firemen gave aid, tend
ing carefully to the wounded as they
were brought on shore. Gen. Solano
and the other generals have been or
dered by Capt. Gen. Blanco to take
steps to help the Names crew in every
way possible. The correspondent Of
the Associated press has been near the
Maine in one of the boats of the cruiser
Alfonso MI. and seen others OF the
wounded who corroborate the state
they were all asleep when the explo-
sion occurred.
Capt. Sigsbee says the explosion oc-
Cured in the bow OF the vessel. He
received a wound in the head. Orders
were given 10 the other officers to save
themselves as best they could. The
latter, who were literally thrown from
their hunks in their night clothing,
gave the necessary orders with great
self-possession aud bravery.
The hrst theory was that there had
been u preliminary explosion in the
Santa Barbara (magazine) with pow
der or dynamite below the water.
| TELEGRAM FROM CAPT. sIGsBEE.
WAsHINsToN, Feb l6.-The secretary
of the navy received the following
telegram from Capt Sigsbee:
Maine blown up In Havana harbor at $40 and
destroyed Many wounded and doubtless more
killed and drowned Wounded and others on
board Spanish man-of-war and Ward line
steamer. Send lighthouse tender from Key
West for crew and few pieces OF equipment
still above water No one had other clothes
than those upon him. Public opinion should
be suspended It'll further report All officers
believed to be saved. jenkins and Merritt not
yet accounted for. Many Spanish oficers in
GLIDING representatives OF Gen Blanco, now
with me, express sympathy. SIGsBEE
The officers referred to in the above
dispatch are Lieut.. Friend w. Jenkins
aud Assistant Engineer Darwin X.
Merritt. From tho wording OF the
dispatch the navy department thinks
IL IL possible they we're on shore at the
time of the accident The secretary OF
the navy received another dispatch
from Key West At the same time with
made public. The orders for the light.
house tenders were at once sent &c
Key West in plain language, thus
avoiding the delay that would have
arisen from the use of cipher
Secretary Long received Capt. Sigs
bees dispatch but few minutes before
the Associated press dispatches from
Havana were handed TO him. He re
ceived the news with apparent calm,
and his first act was TO comply with
Capt. Sigsbees request that assistance
be sent from Key West. He imme
diately wired Capt. Forsythe at Key
West TO proceed with the naval ten
der Fern to Havana harbor. Secre
| tuTy Long thou ooub tut Shpt. DlChCh'
and the two discussed Capt Sigsbee'
brief telegram. No other naval officer
were present and besides the secretary
and Capt Dickens the naval colony her,
is ignorant of this disaster, the great
est which has befallen the American
navy since the disaster in Apia man,
years ago. The secretary Is inclineC
TO believe that most OF the officers o
the Maine were on shore at the tim
OF the accident, as IL was still early II
the night While neither the secretar!
nor Capt Dickens Is inclined to discus
the probable cause of the accident
several suggestions we're ventures
upon. They believe that it may hav'
been caused by q DIRE in the bunkers
heating the bulkhead neara magazine
or that an accident may have OccnSre'
while inspecting high explosives 10
torpedoes. OF course, this is mer
speculation.
Later the secretary sent anothe