Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-02-26
ACCIDENT TO THE MAINE
A GREAT SENSATION
Out of a Crew of $50 but 33 Are
Known to Have Been
Saved.
THEORIES AS TO THE CAUSE
No One Is Certain as TO What
Caused the Explosion - Moth
ing but the Awful Re-
suit IL In Evidence.

New York, Feb. l6.-A Havana spe-
cial to the Evening Telegram says:
Of the crew of $50 men and officers OF
the Maine only thirtythree are known
TO have been saved.
Washington, Feb. 1G.--The navy de-
partment was the scene Of intense ex-
element this morning. The first news
was from Commandant Forsythe Mt
Key West, who wired that he had been
notifcduy Captain Sigsbcc of,lhc Maine
to inform Admiral Sicard In command
Of the North Atlantic squadron, that
the Maine has been blown up and de-
stroycd. lie requested that n light
house tender be sent TO Havana and
added that there were many killed and
wounded. Commandment Forsythe fur
thcr said the lighthouse tender Man
grove left Key West at , o'clock this
morning for Havana and the tug Fern
would promptly follow her.
A second dispatch said he had Sent
the torpedo boat Ericsson to Admiral
Sicard at Dry Tortgus with a message
concerning the disaster 10 the Maine.
Captain Dickins chief Of tho navigation
bureau, expressed the opinion that the
IN DlJSlDl lbON llti'N III wv llhEhNlil'
Of the Maine. This is evident for the
reason the ship was aloat an hour af-
ter the explosion. Had n torpedo been
fred under the battleship she would
have sunk almost Immediately.
Two Of the members OF the cabinet
who spent some time with the prcsi-
dent state that everything received
indicates the loss of the Maine was due
to accident. Captain Sigsbce d2c,in $
10 express an opinion.
President Sends II Telegram.
Washington, Feb. l6.-About noon
Secretary Long received the following
unsigned telegram from Havana: ON
" two officers were unaccounted for.
The explosion was forward and with
all indications that it was in the maya
zine, but il cannot he told until inves-
tigation. The sentry OH the poop deck
reports that no boats were in the vi
cinity when the explosion occurred"
A telegram from G.. B. Rea, said to
be a newspaper correspondent, said:
"No excitement, all quiet. Only feel
ings Of sympathy and sorrow for the
accident
Another stated the missing would
probably number 27O. Secretary
Long sent the following: THE prCsi-
dent directs me to express for himself
and the people Of the United States
his profound sympathy with the OIL
GERS and crew Of the Maine, and desires
no expense TO he spared in providing
for the survivors, and care of the
Word From Sigsbec.
While with the president Secretary
Long received the following from
Sigsbcc: 4
advise sending a w%recking vessel
1t once. The Maine is submerged eX-
rcpt the debris. IT, is mostly the work
for divers now. Jenkins and Merritt
are still missing. There is itt!e hope
for their safety. Those known TO be
saved are: Officers, 81; uninjured
rev.. Is: wounded now on board the
Ward line steamer and in city hoSpi-
.al and at the hotel 80, so far as known.
All others went down on board or nesr
he Maine. The total loss or missing
IS 1853. With several exceptions no Off
rer or man has more than a part Of q
suit Of clothing, and that is wet with
water. The Ward leaves for
Mexico at = o'clock this afternoon with
he officers saved and uninjured. The
was in the compartments of
he crew. | am preparing a telegraph
list of the wounded and saved. The
Oliver leaves for Key West at / p. IN.
Win send by her TO Key West the Off
.crs saved, except wainwright, Holman,
Ie]unchcrgcr, Ray and Holden, and
win turn over the three uninjurcd
to the captain of the port with
request for safe keeping. VIII see
Ill wounded to the hospital at Ha-
ana. Sigsbec."
Among Congressman.
Washington, Feb. 1G.-The greatest
interest prevailed among the senator's
nd representatives as TO Ia extent
4 the Maine disaster. With only the
Irst reports before them and the rec
.gnition Of the gravity of any utter
noes, there is Il hcsitancy to express
pinions. The immense gravity Of the
.ituation in case later advices should
how the disaster was not accidental
vas admitted by all.
Chairman Hit of the foreign affairs
ommittce and Chairman Dingley of
ways and means committee and
lcmbers Of the naval committee of
house all said they preferred to
wait fuller information before eX-
ressing themselves. Ilitt said it.
be well for the public to wait
Or a cue given by Captain Sigsbee and
Judgment until the cause of
he disaster is ascertained.
Ex-senator Butler of South Carolina,
OF the committee OF foreign
during his service, was of
he opinion that some bold nan had
one aboard among the many doubt
'ss allowed TO visit the ship and had
laced n grenade with n slow match
here it would explode the magazine.
The members OF both houses, as a
llc expressed no opinions for publ
alton on the catastrophe or result OF
naAthIr nyCspr-n 10 AinnE