The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-24

Washington. Feb. 23.-The arrival of
mail in Washington from Key West
| this afternoon bringing several priv
| ate letters from naval officers lately
attached to the Maine caused a wave
OF excitement to run over the DEPART
ment and the capitol, for there were all
sorts OF rumors as to the contents of
| these letters, very few of which ru-
mors, in point of fact, had any sound
basis. The only feature, so far as ii
could be discovered, of real Importance
as throwing any light on the cause of
the explosion contained in the letters
was the statement that the two after
boilers in the after-boile space, and
all of the eight boilers of the Maine.
were under steam at the time of the
explosion. This fact had a negative
value, for it disposed at once of the
theory that a boiler explosion had
caused the wreck The experts saw
that by no possibility could the after
boilers explosion have wrecked the fore
part of the Maine and left the other
part almost unharmed
Much interest was shown in a dis
patch received shortly before O'Clock
from Admiral Sicard, giving the rec
concentrations of Captain Sampson of
the court of inquiry as to the raising
OF the wreck. Ihe view of the naval
officers was that Captain Sampson and
his associates were giving this advice,
not as a court, but as officers in a no I
sit1on to speak as TO the pest methods |
to be adopted for wrecking the Maine. I
various interpretations We're put on the /
expression forward half completely /
destroyed. This was regarded as a I
partial confirmation of the theory that
the forward magazine had exploded. as
that is one of the most important por-
tons of the forward half of the ship,
AT the same time, it was held by some
naval authorities that the destruction
OF the forward half of the ship did not
necessarily mean that the forward
magazine had exploded, as this might
be still intact, although part of the
general Wreckage.
In the absence of an explicit state-
nent as to the forward magazine there
vas disposition not to accept any i'm
Piled statement as to it's destruction
captain SIMPSONS recommendation
hat contract be made with the best
,quipped wrecking company to remove
he machinery and lift the ship with
'ut delay was in line with the policy
llready taken in closing a contract
WITH the two largest wrecking con-
'erns in the country, by which their
,on1bined facilities would be at the
efVice of the govel nment. The con-
ract contains a clause binding the
vreckers to use their utmost efforts
o expedite the work SO that the de-
feels that everything has !
'een done to carry out the views ex-
ressed by Captain Sampson. {
clause OF the contract itemizes the J
mounts to be paid fer each branch of
'reeking work: Wrecking tug Under
ritter, $50 Per day; Wreckine steam
T Jones. s2oo: lighter Seymour, SIS;
errick Chief. SIS; barge Lone Star, $50 !
trecking tug Right Arm, 5000: wreck
laster. sl5 wreckers. $3.50 each; div
rs, $40 each.
Evidently the president of the court
inquiry is fearful of the effect upon
ie public of ill-judged attempts to ac-
,unt for the destruction of the Maine, !
II ne telegraphed Secretary Long.
9ubtless having in mind certain publi-
luons of this morning. as follows !
my reported interviews with divers !
ltrue. Every precaution has been
ken. Officers always present" This
lief statement dispeses of all the allie !
'fions that have been made pro and $
n as 70 the blowing up of the forward
agazines.
The officers here are still thinking of I
lptain Sigsbee's request Of Yesterday u
be furnished with the plans of the
aines section through the magazines
"a coal bunker pockets The reference
the latter Is particularly interesting II
q Ieads TO desire to be Informed on
exact quantity and quality of the :
al supply al the time of the explosion :
Is said that these pocket bunkers are -
rely emptted being designed as much =
the protection of the ship against !,
n shots as for capacity 10 hold coal =
e expert says that these hunkers in =
own experience have nor been emp- :.
q IN months. All of this has much j
do With the spontaneous theory. as r
: hunkers abut on the magazines and 4
Snt have set off even the safe brown ~
Nder. if the latter We're exposed IL. a n
zee of heat above 600 degrees for 81
re time. The request besides may =.
~ that Captain Sigsbee Is not yes -
isfed as to the cause Of the explo- Il,
n. Notwithstanding the expressions n
: have been attributed TO him hy in
authorized persons. n