River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-03-31

ne received a message from the state de-
partment saying that the Maine would be
sent to Havana on n friendly visit to re-
sumo the regular status of naval elatlons
between the two countries, and he was
ordered to make arrangements at the pal
ace for the exchange of official courtesles.
After call at the palace he sent the state
department a cipher message saying:
Authorities profess to think The United
States has Interior purpose III sending the
ship Say it Will obstruct autonomy and
produce excitement, and most probably a
demonstration. ASK that it not be done
till they can get instructions from Mad
rid say that if for friendly purpose, as
claimed, delay is important"
1t was too late, however, the Maine had
already sailed She arrived next day and
Lee reported her arrival 10 the state &C.
partment
All Regulations Carried out
Lieut. Commander Richard Wainwright
testified that the regulations in regard TO
paints and infammables and all other pre-
cautions were strictly carried out on board
ship. Every possible care was taken TO
avoid accident All visitors were scru-
tinized before being allowed to come on
board the ship. Nobody was allowed I'M
accompanied. Special ''lookCuts" were re-
quired at night. No unauthorized boats
were allowed to approach the ship.
There was fine discipline, obedient crew
quiet men. lie was In the captains office
at time of the explosion: felt very heavy
shock and heard noise of falling Objects
on deck Thought the ship was being iired
upon Was told by captain to see boats
were lowered. He saw few men coming,
mostly officers. He saw no reason to flood
the magazine, because water was coming
IN He saw fire forward. Boats began TO
crowd around the wreck. He induced boats
to take the wounded to different vessels.
lie ordered Il list taken Of the saved ana
ytrsra la n 8
after the explosion orders were followed
with promptness OF d drill, The only or
der not ubeyed was the order to leave the
ship
He first examined the wreck at daylight
the following morning. lie took a gig with
Lieut. Hood and few men and attempted
to hoard the wreck. He was warned of
nv an armed boats crew of Spaniards and
then pulled around the wreck. There were
still some burning fragments.
Capt. Sigsbee Testihes.
Cant. Sigsbee, in testifying before the
court of inquiry which convened in the
barbor of Havana Monday. February n.
said that he assumed command Of the
Maine on April TO- 1881 and that his ship
arrived in the harbor of Havana the last
time January q, 1888. The authorities at
Havana knew of the Names coming Con-
sul-General Lee having informed the au-
thorities according to official custom. After
he took on an official pilot sent by the
captain of the port of Havana the ship
was berthed in the man-of-war anchorage
off the Machina. or the Shears. and, ac-
carding TO his understanding, was one OF
the regular buoys of the place.
lie then stated hat he had been In Ha-
vana in 1872 and again in 1855.
He could not state whether the Maine
was placed in the usual berth for men
of-war. but said that he had heard re-
marks since the explosion, using Capt.
ri the
Ward line steamer City of Washington, as
authority for the statement that ne had
never known in ali his experience, whlch
covered visits to Havana for hVe or SIX
wears 4 mdn-of-war to be anchored al
that buoy: that he had rarely known
merchant vessels to be anchored there. and
that il was The least used buoy in the mar
Dor. In describing the surroundings when
first moored to this buoy Capt Sigsbee
stated that the Spanish man-of-war Al
phonso XII was moored in the position
now occupied by the Fern, about go yards
to the northward and westward OF the
Maine The German ship Grtesenau was
anchored At the berth now occupied by
the Spanish man-of-War Legaspe. which Is
about 900 yards bout due north from the
Maine He then located the German man
of-war Charlotte. which came into the
harbor a day or two later, which was an
chored to the southwark of the Maine :
berth about 400 or so yards.
In describing the surroundings at the
time OF the explosion, Capt. Sigsbee stated
that the night was calm and still. The
Alphonso XII. was at the same berth.
The small Spanish dispatch boat Legaspe
had come out the day before and taken the
berth occupied by the German man-of- war
Griesenau which had left The steam
er City OF Washington was anchored about
200 yards 10 the south and east of the
Names stern slightly on the port quarter
The Maine coaled at Key West. taking on
about $50 tons. the coal being regularly
Inspected and taken from the government
coal pile. This coal was placed generally