Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-04-07

no fault to find with the behavior of any
man at the time Of the disaster. and con-
sidered their conduct ADMIRABLE. On his
examination by the court Capt Sigsbee said
that the highest temperature he could re-
member was 1l2. but that was In the a fter
magazine, the temperature In the forward
magazines being considerably lower.
No Loose Powder.
There was no loose powder kept in the
magazine. All the coal bunkers were ven-
tilated through air tubes examined weekly
by the chief engineer. and were connected
electrically to the annunciator near his
cabin door. The forward coal bunker on
the port side was full. The forward coal
bunker on the starboard side was half
full. and It was being used at the time of
the explosion.
Coal Bunkers Not Overheated.
Capt Sigsbee, being recalled. stated that
he had detailed Lieutenant Commander
Wainwright, Lieut.. Holman and Chief En-
gtneer Howell. all of the Maine, to obtain
Information In regard to snySoutsiders who
may have seen the explosion.
Capt. Sigsbee also gave as his opinion
that II coal bunker A 16 had been so hot as
to be dangerous to the six-inch reserve
magazine. that this condition would have
been shown on three sides where the bunk
er was exposed, and that men constantly
passing to and fro by II would have neces-
sarily noticed any undue heat.
Capt. Sigsbee was recalled and examined
as to the ammunition on board the Maine.
He stated that there were no high explo-
sives. gun cotton, decorators or other ma
terial in magazines or shell room, which
the regulations prohibited. He testified
that no warheads had been placed on tor
pedoes since he had command of the ship.
PoweIsOn Again ON the stand.
Ensign Powelson was recalled on the
sixth day when he said that since his last
testimony he had received book of speci-
fications of the Maine. Refreshing his
memory from these records he said the
plates Of the protective deck were one inch
thick. weighing 40 pounds per square foot.
Ensign Powelson wishing to give some
testimony regarding the condition OF the
wreck, Gunner's Mate Olsen the diver, was
admitted, in order that he might correct
any erroneous statement. the two having
worked together.
Mr.. Powelson said that on February &c
Diver Olsen reported to him that on coming
up from below he had followed the forward
and after wings of the V-shape made by
the bottom plating at frame II, and said on
the forward wing of the the plates ran
down on very steep slant and then turned
under and out under the starboard side
that just above where the plates turned to
go under the starboard side he found two
dents as II the plating had been bulged In
between the frames from outside in.
The court asked the size of these two
dents. Mr.. Powelson replied they were
about two and one-half feet long and
bulged in about six inches. He further
testified that Olsen again went down and
again came to the surface at II o'clock, say
ing he thought he had found the fiat keel,
Olsen had reported that the keel was slop-
ing downward about 45 degrees and to port
with the after part Of the keel uppermost.
He said he had explored the after wing of
the V, and had found a semi-circular hole
about two feet in diameter with rivet holes
all around II. He said that semi-circular
hole was about 20 feet from the top OF the
made by the bottom plating. He said the
plate presented a jagged appearance as II
ii had been torn and that crack had ex-
tended from the bottom edge of the semi
circular hole to a distance of about eight
inches, and that the plates about this hole
were bent away from the green side of the
plating.
Mr.. Powelson continued to say that Olsen
told him he had found hole cut in plate
Is feet from the angle Of the V and eXhib-
tied q sketch showing that the keel line
was found by him sloping down 65 degrees
below the horizontal and top port.
The point where he had found the keel
was about 20 feet under water. He had
not followed the keel at that point, as the
platings between which he was wedged
opened out SO that he had nothing to sup
port him.
Mr.. Powelson said Olsen testified that
about 20 feet from the sluice valve he found
an opening In the ships side. He had found
boarding near the sea suction in apartment
A 10 about q feet from the sluice valve in an
almost vertical position, although it was
originally horizontal
IF you consider the section of the ship
between frames IS and 49," continued Mr..
Powelson, land consider that the part OF
the bottom floating between frame IS and
frame Is is bent out al right angle, and
then that the whole section is turned for
ward through 80 degrees, you will picture
the position in which the plates are now
found. This plating could either have been
showed out from the after side or II could
have been pushed in from the forward
side. The only indication as to how this
was done is the wooden boarding. If the
after part of the plating had been pushed
out from the inside, the boarding would
have been broken at the angle which the
plates make. If the forward part Of the
plating had been pushed In the boards
would have ueen pulled away from the aft
err plating as Is the case with the plates
now"
The Judge advocate asked Mr. Powelson
how he looked upon Olsen's testimony, in
view of his knowledge Of the Maine and the
drawings of the vessel. He replied that he
regarded 1t "a extremely accurate.
The judge advocate asked Mr.. Powelson
what he ded iced from all this testimony
received from, the diver that forenoon, to-
gether with what information as he had
had before.
Mr. Powelson replied that he thought the
explosion occurred on the port side some
where about frame 49, center of impact.
The ship yielded at II and also at Is, but
1T was pretty hard to say exactly where
the impact came. frame Is was blown in.
How do you account for the immense
damage done abreast of the reserve mag
azine, where there is nothing left, whereas
between frames II and Is you have found
damaged plates7" Mr.. Powelson was asked.
Exploded Powder Tanks.
MY idea he replied, els that after the
ship was raised up at frame IS the maya
zines. one or all of them, after that were
exploded, for sumo powder tanks that
have seen think were exploded, while 9TH
ers I have seen were not exploded. ] saw
coffee can that was brought up this
morning which was about as badly bat
tered as most Of the powder cases that
came up. 1t looked in very much the same
condition.
when you say some of the powder tanks
had, In your opinion, exploded. and some
had not. do you refer to six-inch tanks
only or two-inch tanks also?'
II refer to both, as have seen a six-inch
tank that was very little ripped open. and