The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-18
THE SAD STORY

VI tno uaine Dlshster Snccinetfy neIated
By Lieutenant tlandIn. One or the SUR
sivors-rhs Appalling Scenes That At.
tended the Explosion.
KEY WEST. Fla, Feb. 17-Lieuten.
ant John D. Blandin. OF Baltimore. one
OF the Maine's survivors, who Is nt the
Key West hotel. gave the correspond
ent OF the Associated Press, this even
Ing. succlnct account OF the disaster,
saying that not until now has he been
able to collect the sequel OF events In
the awful ten minutes following the e1-
ploslon Tuesday evening. Lieutenant
Blandln was on tho Trenton at tho
time of the dlsaster OF Samoa, in
March, 1859, when American and Ger
man vessels lost 2ii men all told
Lieutenant Blandin says: 1T was on
watch and when the men had been pip.
ed below, looked down the main
matches and over the Side of the shIp.
Everything was absolutely normal. I
walked aft to the quarter deck behind
the rear turret as Is allowed after s
O'clock In the evening. and sat down on
the port side. where remained for a
Few minutes. Then for some reason I
cannot explain to myself. now. ! mov-
ed to the starboard side and sat down
there. was feeling b,. glum and In
fact was so quiet that Lieutenant J,
HOOD came up and asked laughingly,
II was asleep. l said no. an on
watch
Scarcely had spoken when there
came dull. sullen roar. Would to
God that could blot out the sound and
scenes that followed. Then came q
sharp explosion, some say numerous
detonations. / remember only one. II
seemed TO me that the sound came from
the port side forward. Then came
perfect rain OF missiles Of all descr!p-
tions from huge pieces OF cement TO
blocks OF wood. steel ralllngs, frag-
ments OF gratings and all the Debris
that would be detachable In an explo-
sion.
II was struck on the head by q piece
OF cement and knocked down. but was
not hurt and got on my feet in a mo-
mcnt. Lieutenant Hood had run to
the poop and supposed. as I followed,
he was daZed by the shock and about to
jump overheard. hailed him and he
answered that he had run to the poop
to help lower the boats. When I got
there, scarcely minute had elapsed, I
had to wade in water to my knees and
almost Instantly the quarter deck was
awash. On the poop I found Captain
Slgsbee as cool as II at ball. and soon
all the officers except Jenkins and Mer-
ritt Joined US. The poop was above
water after the Maine settled to the
bottom. Captain Slgsbee ordered the
launch and gig lowered and the officers
and men who by this time had assem-
bled. got boats out and rescued q NUM-
ber In the water. Captain SIgsbee or
dered Lieutenant Commander VAIN
wright forward to see the extent OF the
damage. and II anything could be done
to rescue those forward. or to extin-
guish the flames, which followed close
upon the explosion and burned nercely
as long as there were any conbust!bles
above water to feed them.
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright
on his return, reported the. total and
awful character Of the calamity and
Captain S!gsbec gave the hast and or
der abandon shIp,' to the men over
whelmed with grief, indeed. but calm
and apparently unexcited.
Meantime, four boats from the Span
fst cruiser Alfonso, arrived to be fol-
lowed soon by two from the Ward lire
steamer City OF Washington The two
boats lowered from the City OF WASH
irgtor were found to be riddled with
flying debris from the Maine and unfit
for use. Captain S!ssbee was the last
man to leave his vessel and left in his
own gig.
IT have no theories as 10 the cause Of
the explosion. cannot form any. An
examination by dlvers may tell some
thing TO a court OF Inquiry. 7. with 9TH
ers, had heard that the Havana harbor
was full OF torpedoes, but officers whose
duty It was to examine into that re-
ported that they found no signs OF any.
Personally. do not believe the Span
ish had anything to do with the dis
aster. Time may. tell. hope SO.
Eve were in a delicate position on the
Maine. so far as taking any precautions
was concerned. We were friends in
friendly, or alleged friendly port, md
could not fire upon or challenge the ap-
proach OF any boat boarding US unless
convinced that her intention was hos
tile.
IT wish to heaven could forget It, I
have been In two wrecks now, and
have had my share. But the reverbera-
tons OF that sullen, wet resonant roar,
as II the bottom OF the sea were groan-
ing In torture. will haunt mo for many
day. and the reflection Of that pillar
OF fame comes to me even when close
my eyes."