The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-20
! IlslIE||B|| DESCRIBED ]
Csvt1la slssbss ssys the Explosioo
N lsss Ave- IsspitIao.
rue UTMOST DISCIPLINE PRE- VAILED.
3 I. ..-.----
Ammunition Ia Readiness for Emer-
oeucy Was Exploded.
LIEUTENANT JENKINS Fate.
--------
the UTMOST DISCIPLINE Pre- VAILED.
LIEUTENANT JENKINS FATE,
! evidently Lost MS Life In Rnshing
10 Ills Gun M He Thought tho
Maine WAS Fired On.

&
Havana. February 1s.--captain slgsbce
Of the Maine, In an interview with cor
respondent OF the Associated Press. do-
Ecribed in detail tho explosion which de-
stroycd the great ship.
"Uu tho night OF the explosion sald
Captain sigsbcc, u had not retired | wap
writing letters. find IL Impossible 10 do
scribo the sound or shock, hut the impres-
sion remains OF something awe-inspiriug,
terrific, understanding. vibrating. all-per-
yading. There is9nothing iii Che former OK
/. pcrience of any Que on board 20 measure
shs explosion.
After the first great shock can not
myself recall how many drtonaIonB 1
beAi d not more than two or thfs5
know my ship was gone. Insuch q struc-
turo ~ the Maile. tho citcots d such an
explosion arc not Tor moment rin Doubt.
II made my way tiiUnsh tho long PRS
sage. iiitu tho dark. gfoping tom side 70
side. IL the hatchway and thence 70 tle
poop. being among The earliest To reach
thar part u tho ship. As soon as / ieoog-
ntzed tho Officers / ordered the hiEh OK
ploHiyes TO be Hooded and tnon arrested
that ina nolts ayililabto Da lowered 10 rtB-
cue tJe Wounded discipline IA q perfect
n'iAsifie prevailed | soon saw ny tbs tiglt
OF the l,ftueS Leat all ms officers ana crew
LETT aiiso and on board surrounded tne, ]
( car moi iollii ANY IDEA df tie tnne, hut IL
acnflied hye uiuutc8 from tho time
fearh1u che poop Til 1 lett. the last man
having beer saved.
u Remainder the officers ami tho men
worked toBetner lowering The boats a0d
that the gig took sop1d time TO lower | aid
not notice tho rain az debris desc ihed by
Captain Hlandtn ana othets Wko were on
deck ~ the t;!ne Of tho tiAt uXplpsi0n. but
III did observe the cxplosion Of the DGgd
ammunition ana wonder thai more were
NOT hurt thereby Without going beyond
the limits OF Nfhai We're proper in the h,tl'-
hor OF friendly powfr. | always maintain
precautions agaiaat attack ana the queriei
watch WAS ordered 10 have ammunition for
Tho smaller guns ready 80 that Ia the lln-
probable event OF an attach an the nh y
IL woiiid have been found ready. II was ttts
aniinepition which exploded rs the heat
reached IT,"
Captain Sigsbee and all Tho American
Officers here are very anxious Tor news
ffum tho uelted States as 10 public opip-
ION there. The captain has doge all ho
can to calm the excitement IN the United
States aad TO induce the public to wait
for tie result OF the otficidl investigation
before forming n Judgment as 10 the clplac
OF the explosion
Az the oliyotte entered the harbor early
this morning, the passengers crowded 10
her upper decks, not 20 sac the yellow forts
and long lines OF walls manned by soldiers
or The thousands OF sights new Ia ma V |
eysa. All interest conferred in the nrst ylew
OF the wreck OF the III fAted hattltship and |
tho sight was ehastly enough when reached |
. co tuf AL ..st..s
Messing horrors.
The wreck Ia tho central figure Of au |
otherwise bright picture aud It is saI a. |
II ~ terrible.
The huge mass Of flame charred deb III |
looks as II Il had boon thrown up from a |
suh,erranehn siorehouse OF fused cement. |
steel, wood and iron, Further aft one o
me military masts mottNdes At allghl |
angles from the perpendicular. while The |
foop on which gathered tho band, nIIela |
q resting place for the workmen or divers
OF the predominant white which marks |
Our vessels not yestlPe romalus In ils
place is the hlackness OF dcaolaton and
death
Y is known tlaat lieutenant Tenltlns. who
ls among the misslng. was alive after the
explosion. coloted mess attendant now
at Key West met jenkins running forward.
He evidently thought In The confusion that
the Maine had been hrcd on and he Nns
rushing 70 the foronastlp whore was located
the siS-hch gun, OF which he was IN
charEo
The United States nag Is Hcatins at half
.ns'st from tho poop OF tho Maine today aud
Two oirers with six attendants are M
work abont the wreck under the direction
OF Captain Sigsbee.
~ appears that tho preliminary wnrL a,
The divers VIII he directed towards eaivnse
Dniy. When the Investigation Into the cause