Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-29

strainer was picked up from the bottom on
the .starboard quarter at a point about op,
posite the poop capstan and about seventy
feet from it The chief engineer thought
the strainer was from the firemen'S wash.
room. -.,-...- -
Near the piece of outside plating to which
Powelson referred above he said there were
pieces of red shellaced planks. On these
planks was bolted a composition track two
inches wide and an inch thick.
Ensign Powelson then asked II the court
meant for him to say anything about what
the divers reported, or whether he was to
! state only what he had seen.
The judge advocate replied that he would
like to have him state any important dis
| coveries which might lead the court to
draw some conclusion as to the cause, and
| if a diver gave such information to state
the divers name. Before doing SO the judge
| advocate asked Powelson to state If the
forward and after part of the ship were in
line. Ensign Powelson replied that as far
as he could Judge they were not. The end
where the explosion occurred seemed to be
pushed from port to starboard from five to
ten degrees. he should judge. with the apex
to the starboard.
The divers reported to him. Powelson
| said, that at point where the 10-inch
shells regularly arranged. The ship had
sunk down so much that some of the shells
were in the mud.
Gunner Morgan, q diver, reported that in
walking upon the bottom he fell into a hole
on the port side and went down in the mud.
He also reported that as far as he could
judge everything seemed to be bent up
ward in the vicinity of this hole. He also
reported that the plates seemed to have
been pushed over to the starboard and then
bent down.
Ensign Powelson then said that q six
inch powder tank that he saw appeared to
be an empty tank, broken by the explosion,
as it was not badly dented and merely
ripped the length of the seam. A ten-inch
tank was badly battered out Of any con-
ceivable shape.
Continuing. Powelson said the divers. up
to the night before he was then upon the
stand, had not been outside of the ship.
The mud was too deep for them to walk
upon the bottom.
What is the condition Of the starboard
turret?" he was asked.
ITO my knowledge 1t has not been found
SIR" was the reply.
He understood something had been found
under the place where the turret formerly
was, but it's exact character had not been
determined.
"What impression is produced upon your
mind by the reports SO far as you have
heard them?" Ensign Powelson was asked.
From reports alone, or from the appear
ance Of the wreck?"
Either from such reports or the condi-
tions which you believe exist
THE impression produced upon me-" re-
piled the witness, 'is that an explosion took
place well to port Of the midship line and
at a point in the length about opposite the
coming tower.
Powelson. in reply to further questions.
said his opinion was based upon observation
of things above water. He gave no weight
to Mr.. Morgan's statement about falling in
to hole on the port side. because Morgan
might have been mistaken about it. Re
ferring to his notes made as to things on
the Maine, Ensign Powelson said that the
arc Of the engine room telegraph and the
shaft of the steering gear coming down
through the armored tube (turreO was bent
from port to starboard. The port side of
the protected deck was covered with a
greasy deposit. the starboard side being
comparatively free from It,
The forward smokepipe, between the main
and superstructure decks. did not show any
signs of the internal pressure of gases. On
the main deck forward of the coming tow
er, where the force and after angle bulk
beam was located. the planking was blown
off on the only remaining plate of the main
deck upon the port side. while the wood
was still attached to that part upon the
starboard side between the coming tower
base and the turrets. What witness saw
would indicate that the pressure lifted the
protective deck up on the port side and
the protective deck upon the starboard side
held fast and bent that deck downward.
Witness here exhibited two sketches to the
court, showing diagram Of various parts Of