Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-03-03
The Maine Burying Itself.

A dispatch from HAVANA dated last
Thursday stated that the wreck OF the
Maine is slowly but surely sinking IN
the mud. Before the hull could be
raised it would be necessary to r1-
move the guns and deck debris. For
lack of proper appliances practically
nothing in this line has been accom-
plished. Aside from the officers and
cabin effects the salvage thus far has
been pitifully small The cloudy
weather and rain made the work of the
divers unsatisfactory to-day and very
little was done 1t is said that hole
has been made by the divers in one of
the forward matches, and it Is hoped
that number of bodies will be recoy-
cred.
The court of inquiry sat longer than
usual to-day, the six divers being exam
ined more in detail than heretofore.
The time of the departure of the Man
grove with the court for Key West has
not been determined. Capt. Sampson
said to day tha. it was doubtful wheth-
er his vessel would sail tomorrow
that all depended on the Developments
of the testimony
The Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII.
has been towed to a buoy further with
in the harbor to make room for the
cruiser Vizcaya, which is expected here
tomorrow or the next day from the
north.
No word has been received at the
consul generals Office from Mr.. Walter
p. Barker, the United States consul at
Sauga la Grande and it is believed that
the report of Mr.. Barkers illness is
untrue.
At the afternoon session of the court
of inquiry the examination of divers
was continued A civilian, whose
testimony Is said to be of some import
ance, was also examined. The name of
the witness and all the particulars of
the evidence are withheld.
Late to-day the paymasters safe with
S22, 800 and his papers was taken from
the wreck. Beyond this no state
ment is made as to the value and ma
ture of the contents A large quantity
of water ran out when the safe was
raised above tbs surface.
The complaint is still made that the
electric lamps are of little use TO the
divers, as the light is faint and uncer-
tain, and to hold them takes one of the
divers hands. They have assuredly
proved of little value in the present in
vestigation So far as reports made
public go, the workmen on the tug
Right Arm, with the assistance OF the
naval divers, are laboring hard to re
cover the bodies under the hatch which
led to fire room platforms. Snoring
with timbers was necessary, and the dl-
vers had to wait for the lumber to-day.
1t is hoped the bodies will be taken out
to morrow.
The Havana papers print long ex-
tracts from the American dailies, but,
of course, only the delayed Dews All
the Americans are anxiously awaiting
the arrival of tomorrow Mail.
William Gartrell, the only surviving
fireman of the battleship Maine, has
written two letters home to his brother
George Gartrell, of Washington d. G.
In his description of the explosion.
Gartrell gives the first authentic ac-
count Of the death of Lieutenant Jen-
klns and he relates in graphic way
the manner in which the lieutenant
met his death.
About $40 o'clock" he says, II was
crossing the third lower deck and was
preparing to turn in, when of a sudden
terrific explosion occurred and when l
staggered to my feet found myself in
the dark. There was one light in the
distance and l made toward that. On
the way | met Lieutenant Jenkins and
soldier named Garnett.
1--WE made for the ladder and the
ship was rapidly filling with water.
We reached the hatchhole and the water
was gaining on us fast. Garnett said,
We're lost and seemed about to give
up, but Lieutenant Jenkins, who was
the last man to reach the ladder and
who was following, said, Go ahead.
don't give up Garnett pulled through
and pulled me after him. AS fell up
on the deck, | heard Lieutenant Jen-
kins cry, My God! l am drowning,
and remember nothing more.
A ward room boy named McCann
saw me lying there, and, picked me up,
threw me overheard The water re
vived me and | swan ashore"