Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-03-28

the occasion of the inauguration of a
president, no such crowds as surged
through the corridors and stormed the
galleries for admission, have been seen
at the capitol in quarter OF a century.
People were seeking entrance to
the capitol at daylight this morning.
Not an inch of space remained In the
galleries at o o'clock.
Presidents Message.
Washington, March 20. The president
today sent the following message to con-
gress:
To the congress of the United States:
For some time prior to the visit of the
Maine to Havana harbor, our consular
representatives pointed out the advant-
ages to follow the visit Of national ships
10 Cuban waters, In accustoming people
to the presence of our flag as symbol
of good will and our ships, in the fulfil
ment of the mission Of protection to
American interests, even though no i'm
mediate need therefore might exist
Announcement Received With Appreciation
Accordingly on the 25th of January
last, after conference with the Spanish
minister, In which the renewal of visits
OF our war vessels to Spanish waters
was discussed and accepted, the peninsu-
lar authorities at Madrid and Havana
were advised Of the purpose of this gov
ernment to resume friendly naval visits
at Cuban ports, and with thatin view, the
Maine would forthwith call at the port
OF Havana. This announcement was
received by the Spanish government
with an appreciation of the friendly
character of the visit of the Maine and
with notification Of the intention of a
return OF the courtesy by sending Span
ish ships to the principal ports of the
United States. Meanwhile the Maine
entered the port OF Havana on the 25th
of January, the arrival being marked
with no special incident besides the ex-
change of the customary salutes and
ceremonial visits.
Feeling of Relief Followed.
The Maine continued in the harbor OF
Havana during three weeks following
her arrival. No appreciable excitment
attended her stay, but on the contrary,
feeling of relief and confidence fol-
lowed the resumption of the long inter-
rupted friendly intercourse. So notice.
able was this immediate effect of our
visit that the consul general strongly
urged that the presence of our ships in
Cuban waters should be kept up by re-
tanning them at Havana, or In the event
OF q recall of the Maine, by sending
other vessels there to take her place.
Destruction Of the Maine.
At 9:40, on the evening of February
10, the Maine was destroyed by an ex-
plosion, by which the entire forward
part Of the ship was utterly wrecked.
In this catastrophe two officers and 26O
OF her crew perished, while those who
were not killed outright In the explosion
were penned between the decks by the
tangle Of the wreckage, and drowned BY
the Immediate sinking Of the hull.
Prompt assistance was rendered by the
neighboring vessels anchoredin the haf-
Dor, aid being especially given by the
boats Of the Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII
and the Ward line steamer, City OF
Washington, which lay not far distant.
The wounded were generally cared for
by the authorities Of Havana, the hos
pitals being freely opened to them,
while the earliest recovered bOdiesof the
dead were inferred by the municipality
in the public cemetery in the city.
Tributes Of grief and sympathy were Of
fered from all the official quarters Of
the island.
Effect Of the Calamity.
The appalling calamity fell upon the
people of our country with q crushing
force, and for brief time an intense ex-
citement prevailed, which In commune