The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-02-25
THE MAINE
DISASTER
RumOrs OfStartling Discoveries
Are Not Verified.
NO MORE DEVELOPMENTS.
The Bodies Of Merritt and Jenkins
Still Undiscovered.
M pp HOME
DEAD oANNo BE BROUGHT HOME


essary and Imperative-The Increase
In Our Naval strength.
Washington, Feb. 25.-Rumors of
startling discoveries in the wreck of the
Maine were less frequent, but there
were enough of them still afloat yester-
day to warrant Secretary Long in
making this statement to the newspa-
per men as he left his office: Sum
ming up the situation, l should say that
the navy department knows today
nothing more about the cause of the
disaster tina it did five minutes after
the receipt of the first dispatch from
Captain Sigsbee."
The secretary's attention was drawn
to the published statement that Cap
tain Crowninshield, chief Of the bureau
of navigation, had just arrived at
Tampa, Fla, on the Montgomery from
a trip to Cuba, where he a been in
specting prospective coaling stations
near Matanzas. The secretary's COM
ment was simply this: Captain Crow
ninshield has not been in Cuba. He
has been off with his boy on matters
not in any wise connected with the
business of the navy"
Until the conclusion of the investiga-
ton of the court of inquiry at Havana
the principal business of the navy de-
partment in connection with the Maine
will relate to the conduct of the wreck
ing operations. Captain Lemly, the
Judge advocate general, who has this
branch of the work Immediately in
charge, received kilograms from the
Merritt & Chapman Wrecking COM
pany, at New York, stating that the
steamer Merritt and Wrecking lighter
Sharpe had sailed for Havana, and that
the tug Underwater, with the chlet,
would leave New York tomorrow for
the same place. The assistant wreck
ing master is going to Havana on the
Ward line steamer tomorrow.
The only exact information received
by the navy department from Havana
during the day was conveyed in Cap
tain Sigsbee's telegram, as follows:
"Wrecking tug Right Arm arrived
Yesterday. Begins work today. Much
encumbering metal must be blasted
away in detail. Navy divers down aft
seven days, forward four days. Bodies
of Jenkins and Merritt not found. Two
unidentified bodies of crew found yes
terday. After compartment filled with
detached, broken and buoyant furnl-
ture and fittings, mud and confusion.
Spanish authorities continue offers OF
assistance and care for wounded ana
dead. Everything that goes from the
wreck to the United States should be
disinfected. Wrecking company should
provide for this.
Surgeon Of the Maine, after con-
sulting with others, recommended that
all bedding and clothing should be
abandoned. Might go to
poor. Useless fittings and equipments
might be towed to sea and thrown over
board. Will take all immediate re-
sponsibility, but invite departments
wishes. Shall old metal of superstruc-
ture and like be saved? Friends of dead
should understand tina we are in the
tropics. Chaplain Chadwick charged
with all matters relative to the dead.
His conduct is beyond praise. Don't
know what reports are being printed,
but the intensely active representatives
of the press here have been very con-
siderate of me and my position"
Secretary Long Immediately answer
ed Captain Sigsbee, approving all his
menda To the captains In
ouiry as to the saving of old metal and
partsJ of the superstructure the answer
was given that such material was OF no
use to the bureau of equipment. Ii
was left to Captain Sigsbee to say
what of this shattered material was
worth preserving. His statement that
much blasting will be required to clear
away encumbering material indicates
that 1t is essential further to destroy
the upper portions of the wreck in or
der to get at what is more valuable be-
meath. Captain S~igsbee's statement
that the divers have been down ait
seven days and forward four days
gave the navy department he hrst IN
formation of the time that the divers
had been in the vicinity of the zone OF
explosion as he has termed it. This
zone is confined to the forward part OF
the ship, and while the divers have
been down aft for the last week their
work forward in the vicinity of the
lower magazine has been in progress
only four days.
The statement in the Sigsbee dis
patch that friends of the dead should
understand we are in the tropics" is
understood at the navy department. Ia
refer to the urgent pleas of relatives
of the dead that they be brought to the
United States. These appeals continue
to be received here, and while they eX-
!, CHE the deepest sympathy of officials
no hope can be held out that the dead
can be brought back. One of these ap'
peals makes a pitiful plea against the
burying of the cad by alien hand'
in an alien country"
There are circumstances which, Il
they could be made known, would enc
such appeals and would show that tn
department has not been wanting in {
desire to bring the remain to thi'
country. These circumstances hav'
been withheld, mainly through a desire
to save friends n relatives from thu
pain which would be caused by a full
4 disclosure of the effect of the eXplo
D sion. The press reports have given IL
part the terrible mutilation of th'
bodies, but 1t Is feared this has no
been fully realized by friends and rela
tives. The men were sleeping on TIT
berth deck, with metal floors and cell
tngs, which, by the force of the ter
rife explosion, were ground togethe
into a confused mass, Knowing this
there is little hope that many Of tn