Evening journal., 1898-02-18
LIEUTENANT BLANDIN's STORY
Graphic Description of the Disaster by
One of the Maine's Officers.

OMt oA Amt NAAAht'h OHlttEhs
KEY WEST, Feb. IS. 81 Lieutenant
John j. Blandin of Baltimore one Of
the Names survivors. who is at the
Key West hotel, gave our correspondent
last evening a succinct account Of the
disaster, saying that not until now had
he been able to recollect the sequence OF
events in the awful ten minutes follow
ing the explosion. Lieutenant Blandin
was on the Trenton at the time of the
terrible disaster off Samoa in March,
1889, when American and German YES
sells lost 244 men all told
Lieutenant Blandin says: Il was on
watch. and when the men had been
piped below, 1 looked down the main
matches and over the side of the ship.
Everything was absolutely normal.
walked aft to the quarter deck, behind
the rear turret, as is allowed after
o'clock in the evening. and sat down on
the port side, where l remained for
few minutes. Then. for some reason I
cannot explain to myself now. I moved
to the starboard side and sat down
there. I was feeling a bit glum and in
fact was so quiet that Lieutenant J.
Hood came UP and asked laughingly II
] were asleep. I said, Mo- L am on
watch.
Scarcely had I spoken when there
came dun, sullen roar. Would to God
that could blot out the sound and the
scenes that followed. Then came a
sharp explosion; some say numerous
detonations. I remember only one. 1t
seemed to me that the sound came from
the port side forward. Then came
perfect rain of missiles Of all descrip-
tions from huge pieces of cement to
blocks of wood, steel railings fragments
Of gratings and all the debris that
would be detachable In an explosion.
ct was struck on the head by a piece
OF cement and knocked down, but I was
not hurt and got 20 my feet in a mo-
ment Lieutenant Hood had run 10 the
poop. and 7 supposed. as I followed he
was dazed by the shock and about TO
Jump overheard. I hailed him, and he
answered that he had run to the poop
to help lower the boats. When 7 got
there though scarce minute could
have elapsed I had TO wade in water
to my knees. apd almost instantly the
quarterback was awash. on the poop
found Captain Sigsbee, as cool as II at a
ball. and soon all the officers except
jenkins and Merritt Joined us. The
poop was above water after the Maine
settled 20 the bottom. Captain Sigsbee
ordered the launch and gig lowered. and
the officers and men. who by this time
had assembled. got the boats out and
rescued a number in the water. Captain
Slggbee ordered Lieutenant Commander
Wainwright forward to see the extent
OF the damage and II anything could be
done 20 rescue those forward or to ex-
tinguish the flames. which followed
, close upon the explosion and burned
fiercely as long as there were any com
bustihles above water TO feed them.
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright
on his return reported the total and
! awful character OF the calamity. anC
Captain Sigsbee gave the last sad or
j der. Abandon ship" 10 men overwheIm
p cd with grief indeed but calm and ap
, parently uneXcited.
T. Meantime four boats from the Span
a ish cruiser Alfonso XII arrived. to b
h followed soon by two from the War,
i line steamer city OF Washington. TIL
n two boats first lowered from the cit,
n Of Washington were found to be rid
died with flying debris from the Main
II and unfit for use Captain Slgsbee wa
- the last man TO leave his vessel and LEI
70 i'm his own gig.
p 81 have no theories as TO the caus
y Of the explosion. I cannot form any
= An examination by divers may te
y. something to a court OF inquiry. /. wit
e others. had heard that Havana har
t. bor was full OF torpedoes but the Off
Re GERS whose duty It was TO examine int
be that reported that they found no sign
IT OF any. Personally 1 do not believe III
Spanish had anything TO do with III
l. disaster. Time may tell. I hope so.
10 I'VE We're in a delicate position on n
* Maine so far as taking any precautior
ss were concerned. We were friends in
l. friendly. or alleged friendly, port an
D. could not fire upon or challenge the al
Is, proach Of any boat boarding us unle,
d. convinced that her intention was ko
3 tile
OF Il wish 10 heaven / could forget IT,
al have been in two wrecks now and ha'