The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-29

replied the witness SIS that an explo-
sion took place well to port of nlidship
line, and at point in the length about
opposite the coming tower"
Witness then replied TO further ques-
lions that his opinion was based upon
the observation of things above water.
He gave no weight to Mr.. Morgan S
statement about falling into hole on
the port side, because Morgan might
have been mistaken all the time. Re
ferring TO his notes made OF things on
the Maine. Ensign Powelson said that
the arch OF the engine room, telegraph
and the shaft of of the steering gear
coming down through the armoreo tube
(turreD was bent from port to star
board. The port side of the protected
deck was covered with a greasy de-
post, the starboard side being compar-
atively free from ii.
The forward smoke pipe between the
main and superstructure decks did not
show any signs of the internal pres
sure Of gases. On the main deck for
ward OF the coming tower, where the
fore and aft angle bulb was located,
the planking was blown OFF on the only
remaining plate of the main deck on
the port side while the wood was still
attached to that part Of the starboard
side between the coming tower base
and the turrets. What witness saw
would indicate that the pressure lifted
the protective deck up on the port side,
and the protective deck on the star
board side held fast and bent that deck
downward.
Witness here exhibited two sketches
To the court showing a diagram Of var
ioUs parts of the SunSen ship and eX-
planned them TO the court.
The witness evidence about the strip
on the starboard side of the outside
plating of the ship. which was folded
and rolled backwards, was recalled TO
him. Powelson said he could see the
plate bent outward, as it was only two
feet under water where the spear oc-
CURED. Witness had taken soundings,
and had found five fathoms of water
on both sides of the Maine down to
the mud Taking. l4-pound lead line
and dragging with a wherry for OBJ
structions on the port side. dragging
close to where he thought the water
ways would be found, he found no OBJ
structions whatever. On the starboard
side he found distractions for 20 feet
where he had reason TO believe the
water ways had originally been
IL answer TO questions, Powelson
said there was nothing left Of the port
plating at all. He dragged along the
outside to see if anything had fallen
out, and found nothing. Witness
thought the ship or the port side was
entirely gone opposite a point indi-
court. 1t was entirely blown up.
This concluded Ensign Powelson's
testimony on the third day.
Ensign PoWelson was recalled on the
sixth day. when he said since his last
testimony he had received a book of
specifications from the Maine. Refresh
ing his memory from these records, he
said the plates on the protective deck
We're one inch thick, weighing 40 pounds
per square foot
THE KEEL PLATES.
Ensign Powelson. wishing 20 give
some testimony regarding the condi-
ton Of the wreck. Gunners Mate Olsen,
the diver. was admitted IN order hat
he might correct any erroneous state
ment the TWO having worked lo5Vtn~r.
Mi. Powelson said that on Feb. IS,
Diver Olsen reported 10 him that on
coming up from below. he had followed
the forward and aft wings Of the V
shape, made by the bottom plating at
frame 10, and said the forward wing of
the V, the plates ran down on q very
steep slant and then turCed under and
out under the starboard side, that just
above where the plates turned to go
under the starbOard side. he found two
dents as if the plating had been bulged |
in between the frames from outside in. !
The court asked the size OF these two !
dents
Mr. Powelson replied that they were |
about two and one-half feet long and /
bUlged IN about six inches. He further /;
testified that Olsen again went down 4
and again came to the surface at II !
O'Clock, saying he thought he had found |
the fat keel. Olsen had reported that ]
the keel was sloping downward about |
DO degrees and TO port with the after /
part of the keel upDermost He said /
he had explored the after wing Of the !
V, and had found a semi-circular hole /
about two feet below the rivet holes all |
around it.
He said that a semi circular hole was !
about 20 feet from the top of the Y, /
made by the bottom plating. He said !
the plate presented jagged appear
ance. as if it had been torn and that !
crack had extended from the bottom /
edge of the semi-circular hole 20 a dis
lance of about eight inches and that l
the plates about this hole were bent 1
away from the green side OF the plat
ing Mr.. Powelson continued, Olsen had |
told him he had found hole cut in
plate % feet from the angle of the Y.
ard exhibited a sketch showing that
the keel line was found by him sloping
down 65 degrees below the horizontal
and to port.
The point where he had found the
keel was about 20 feet under water He
had not followed the keel at that point
as the platings between which he was
wedged opened out so that he had moth
ing TO support him.
Mr. Powelson said Olsen testified that
about 90 feet from the siuice valve, ne
found an opening in the ships side He
had found boarding near the sea sue
ton in apartment \, 10, about q feet
from the sluice valve, in an almost
vertical position although it was origi-
nally horizontal.
IF you consider the section of the
ship between frame IS and -" con-
tinued Mr.. POwelson. and consider that
the part of the bottom floating between !
frame IS and frome Is, is bent oHt at
a right angle. and then that the whole
section is turned forward through 80
degrees. you will picture the position in
which the plates are now found. This
plating could either have been showed
out from the after side. or it could have
been pushed IN from the forward side.
The only Indication as to how this was
done is the wooden boarding. If the
after part Of the plating had been push
ed out from the inside. the boarding
would have been broken at the angle
which the plates make. If the for
ward part OF the plating had been
rushed in, the boards would have been
pulled away from the after plating, as
is the case with the plates now"
The Judge advocate asked Mr.. Pow
elson how he looked upon Olsen's testi-
mony IN view of his knowledge OF the
Maine and the drawings Of the vessel.
He replied that ne regarded it as eX-
tremely accurate.
PCWELSON'S DEDUCTIONS.
The Judge advocate asked Mr.. Pow
olson what he deduced from all this
testimony received from the diver that |
forenoon. together with what irfOrma-
tiun as he had had before.