The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-03-31

forward of the transverse armor being
weaker than they are aft, the ship might
have been lifted up there by this cushion
pressure from further aft"
1T struck me-" continued Mr.. Powelson.
speaking of the same part of the vessel,
that the mine there could not have been
very close 10 those plates that were lifted
up because, as / say, the plates are not so
much damaged or bent in the form of a Y
and raised up vertical distance. 1t seems
to me that the mine was somewhat re-
moved, and the pressure came through the
water which produced that cushion sort OF
pressure"
Plates Identified.
Ensign PoweIIson was recalled on Feb
ruary % and showed the plans OF the
Maine, from which he had identified the
bottom plates that were blown up
through the upper deck The finding OF
these plates on top of the wreck clear
above water was among the first and most
important points of evidence clearly dis
proving the possibility of an internal ex-
ploSion.
After infinitely describing the bottom
plates, with their green coating of paint
and the other marks by which they were
identified. Powellson stated that they must
have been blown up IS or 80 feet 70 reach
their present position.
Beside the bottom plates, Powellson
found some powder from the bottom COM
partment lodged in the angle of the bot
tom plates that protruded above the water
The berth deck over this bottom compart-
ment was also on top of the wreck, and %
feet forward of the plates, while this sec
ton of the main deck had disappeared.
The diver who had been working for Pow
ellison on this investigation Informed HIM
he had found the ammunition for the six
inch magazine pushed over to the star
board side.
Ensign Poweilson was recalled on the
18th day, and described the reports made
to him by the divers which were afterward
directly testified to before the board.
PoweIlson's Sketches.
Ensign Powellson was recalled on March
10 and explained how he got the data for
his sketches, which played such an impor-
tant part in the work of the court He said
he sent divers down at various points along
the line of the keel as it lay broken and
twisted on the barbor bed. Then he got
in a boat and located the points on the
keel by lead line. On the wreck he es-
tablshed stations at the main mast, the
port crane, the smokeStack and so forth,
and from these bases he would get the
bearings by angles of his lead line as it
rested on the keel and other points of the
wreckage under water. Thus he was able
10 pat d ma Oh lLlc "ISCh pOtil dbOHS anu
below water that was mathematically cor
rect. BY comparing this with theoretical
plans of the vessel it was possible to tell
just how much and in what direction any
part of the Maine had been distorted by
the explosion without relying on under
water estimates by the divers.
March g." testified Powelson, Il sent
Olsen down to the piece of keel. the vertical
keel, to make further explorations of the
ten-inch magazine. He went down to where
the keel became horizontal at frame 3D.
walked aft about 20 feet and climbed over
a lot of wreckage consisting of plates and
bulEheads standing upright. The upper
ends were ragged and he crawled over them
TO where he thought was part of boiler
lie could not give definite details but he
thought it was a boiler.
"A little after this he walked out to port
clear of the ship in the mud. He was at
this time forward of the break of the ship
at frame Al. Returning about ten feet in
he found wreckage. He examined this plate
and found it curved if it were part of
the ship 1t pointed toward the starboard
bow, but it was SO dark he could not dis
tinguish the color. All the edges of the
plating were rough. The compartment
seemed to be about 2ia or three feet wide.
Forward from this point he found a six
inch tank. 1t was intact and was sent up.
1t proved to be a full tank He found lot
of broken tanks split up on the seams and
in one tank at the cover which has holes in
it He found a lot of mud which was
brought up and which looked like dissolved
powder. There was any quantity of Sim
liar mud in the same place. The mud
around the tanks was black, that of the
harbor is gray"
Testimony of Private Anthony.
Private William Anthony, of the United
States marine corps, whose GOODNESS at the
time of the explosion in reporting to Capt.
SigSbee has become the theme of admra-
ton throughout the world, was the next
witness. He testified that he had the first
watch from eight to twelve o'clock on the
night of the explosion. There was drill that
day and it was not necessary to open the
magazines. In response to questions Pri-
vate Anthony told his story.
Il was standing on the main deck just
outside the door on the starboard side. 1
first noticed a trembling and bucklng of
the decks and then this prolonged roar
not a short report, but a prolonged roar.
The awnings were spread and where the
wing awning and the quarterback awning
should join there was a space of at least
IS inches. looked out and saw an immense
sheet of flame and then l started in to
warn the captain"
Did you notice any perceptible list to the
ship at the first shock?"
AT the first shock, the ship instantly
that Is the quarter deck, where / was
standing-dipped forward and to port, just
like that Gndicating). 1t apparently broke
in the middle, like that Gndicating), and
surged forward and then went over to
port"
Witness said the upshoot of fame he saw
was wei forwaiu. ii must nave been for
ward of the superstructure. l could see
the debris going up with it. l do not know
what 1t was, but i saw firebrands going
up"
Was it on the port or starboard side?"
1t looked more to port than ii did 10
starboard. 1t looked like it covered the
whole ship. 1t was an immense glare that
illumined the whole heavens for the mo-
ment, as much as could see for the avn
ings.''
Did you see any water with it?''
4 didn't notice that, sir. / started in
the cabin at once"
This closed the brave marines testimony
As Seen by the Chaplain.
Chaplain John Chadwick of the Maine,
was in his room on board the night of the
occurrence. He said:
Il heard a loud report and everything at
once became dark. The lights went out and
there was a crashing sound of things fall
ing. rushed on deck and got to the cap
tain's poop, where l saw the captain giving
his orders After trying to cheer up the
men VINO were crying out on the water for
help was ordered by Lieut.. Jungen to GO
into boat, which did. He rowed around
the ship and picked up one man. Then
at the orders Of the captain. we pulled for