The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-03-31
SlGSBEE ON THE STAND.

SlGSBEE ON THE STAND.
Commander of the Maine Tells What He
Knows of the Disaster.
CAPTAIN Sigsbee, in testifying before the
court of inquiry which convened in the
harbor of Havana, Monday, Feb. 81, said
that he assumed command of the Maine
on April 10, 1897, and that his ship arrived
in the harbor of Havana the last time
Jan. %, 1893. The authorities at Havana
knew Of the Names coming, Consul Gen.
eral Lee having informed the authorities,
according to official custom. He took in
the pilot sent by the captain OF the port of
Havana and the ship was berthed in the
man-of-war anchorage of the Machina
or the Shears and according to his under.
standing, was one of the regular buoys
of the place. He then stated that he had
been in Havana in 1872, and again in $685.
He could not state whether the Maine
was nlaced in the usual berth for men-of-
war, but said that he had heard remarks
since the explosion, using Captain Stew
ems, temporarily in charge of the Ward
liner City of Washington, authority for
the statement that he had never known in
all his experience, which covers visits to
la
war to be anchored at that buoy; that he
had rarely known merchant vessels to be
anchored there, and that it was the least
used buoy in the harbor. In describing
the surroundings when first moored
to this buoy, Captain Sigsbee
stated that the Spanish man.
of-war Alfonso XIII was moored
in position now occupied by the Fern
about % yards to the northward of the
Wreckage of the Maine. The German
ship Griesenau was anchored at the berth
now occupied by the Spanish man-ofwar
Legaspe, which is about 400 yards about
due north from the Maine. He then To-
Gated the German man-of-war Charlotte,
which came into the harbor a day or two
later, which was anchored to the south
. : ,rd OF the Names berth about 400 or
,Ou yards In describing the surroundings
1t the time of the explosion, Captain Sigs-
Tee stated that the night was calm and.
still. The Alphonse XIII. was at the
same berth. The small Spanish dispatch
boat Legaspe had moved the day before aud
taken the berth occupied by the German
man of-war Griesenau, which had left.
The City of Washington was anchored
about 200 yards east of the Names stern,
slightly on the port quarter.
Coal Had Been Inspected.
The Maine coaled at Key West, taking
on about $50 tons, the coal being regularly
inspected and taken from the government
coal pile. This coal was placed generally
in the forward bunkers. No report was
received from the chief engineer that any
coal had been too long in the bunkers,
and the fire alarms in the bunkers were
sensitive.
In so far as the regulations regarding
inf1ammables and paints on board, Cap
tain Sigsbee testified that the regulations
were strictly carried out in regard to stor-
age, and that the waste also was subject
to the same careful disposition. AS to the
situation of the paint room, he fixed it as
in the 'eyes of the ship" just below the
berth deck, the extreme forward compart-
ment. AS for the disposition of infam.
mables, they were slowed away according
to the regulations, and when inflamma-
5les were in excess of chest capacity they
were kept in the bath room of the cab
in. Regarding the electric plant of the
Maine, Captain Sigsbee stated that there
was no serious grounding nor sudden
up of the lights before the explosion, but
a sudden and total eclipse. AS for regu-
lations affecting the taking Of tempera-
ture OF the magazines, etc., Captain Sigs-
bee said there were no special regulations
other than the usual regulations required
by the department.. He examined the
temperature himself and conversed with
with the ordnance officer as to the various
temperatures and the contents of the mag
azines and according to the opinion of
the officer, the temperatures were never
at the danger point. II do not think
there was any laxity in this direction"
said the captain in reply to q question Of
Judge Advocate Mark.
No Work on the Magazines.
He had no recollection of any work 60
ing on in the magazine or shell rooms on
the day of the explosion. The keys were
called for in the usual way on the day in
question and were properly returned At
the time of the disaster the two after boil
ers in the after fire room were in use be-
cause the hydraulic system was somewhat
leaking. Speaking generally of his rela-
tons with the Spanish authorities, Cap
tain Sigsbee stated that with the
officials they were outwardly cordial.
The members Of the autonomist council
OF the government, however, seem to have
brought to the attention of the navy
department the fact that he did not visit
them and that fact brought embarrass-
ment to the government at Washington.
He took the ground to the department.
that it was unknown etiquette to call on
the civil members of the colonial govern
ment other than the governor. Without
waiting for such an order Captain SiRs-
bee made visit afterwards and, as he
states, was pleasantly received and his
visit promptly returned by certain men,
bers Of the council. Later party Of
ladies and gentlemen called and the pres
ident of the council made q speech which
Captain Sigsbee could not understand but
which was interpreted to him briefly, TO
which he replied.
My reply" said Captain Sigsbee, "was
afterwards printed in at least two papers
In Havana, but the terms made me favor
autonomistic government in the island. I
am informed that the autonomistic gov
ernment in Havana 10 unpopular among
large number Of Spanish and Cuban res
idents. ! have no means Of knowing
whether my apparent interference in the