Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-29
STORY TOLD BY WITNESSES.
fcontinued from page Three,I



Inclined at about 10 degrees TO the Ver-
teal with the top OF the coming tower
lnboard. Continuing, ne descrlpsu WIZ
close detail the condition ufutr sht
Maine deck on the port sue. ihe "
lures were completely wrecked, whi'c
fixtures in the same position on the
starboard side were In some cases AZ
most intact The port bulkhcad, pc
tween the main and berth deck az the
coming tower support had been pl9Wn
aft on both sides. but great deal
more on the port than ON the starDoaru
side. The fire room hatch Immediately
abnft of the coming tower hau oeeh
blown In three directions art 70 star
board, and to port. The protective decks
and the coming tower supports We're
bent in two direction, the plates on
tbe mort side being bent up and
on the starboard side bent down;
In reply to an inquiry whether ne
meant with reference TO their original
positions, Ensign Powellson replied
afIlrmatively. The beam supporting the
protective deck few inches abaft OF
the armored tube, TO port OF tne miu
ship line. was bent up to starpoard OF
the midship line. just forward OF tne
coming tower. underneath the main
deck two beams met at right angles;
one beam was broken and pushed from
port to starboard. grating was 1ouhu
on the poop awning Just forward OF
the after searchiight. 49,.
abaft OF the starbonrd turret was visi-
HE. This plate was bent outward and
then the forward end bent upward ana
folded backward upon Itself
This plate was severed from the rest
Of the plating below the waterline. This
plating below the waterllne hau peeh
pushed out to starbonrd.
The gratings of the engine room
hatch were blown off. composition
strainer was picked up from the bot
...I stNnn vi
point about opposite the poop eapstan
and about 20 feet from II. The cher en-
rrlneer thought the strainer was from
the nreman's washroom There was NOT
n strainer in the ships side. Near the
niece Of outside plating 20 which was
referred to above, he said there were
pieces OF red shellaced planks. on these
ulnnks was bolted composition track
two inches wide and an Inch thick
Ensign Powellson asked II the court
meant for him to say anything apout
what the divers reported, or just what
he saw.
The ge-advocate replied that ne
would like to have him state any Inn
portant discoveries which might lead
the court to draw some conclusion as
to the cause and II Il diver gave such
information. to state the divers name
Before doing so, the judge-advocate
asked witness to state II the forward
and afterpnrt of the ship We're IN hne'
Ensign Powellson replied that, as lar
as he could Judge. they were NOT. Ihe
end where the explosion occurred
seemed to be pushed from port to star
board from Ave to ten degrees ne
should Judge, with the apex to the
starboard.
The divers reported to witness that
Mt a point where the ten-inch shell
room should be. they discovered tens
inch shells regularly arranged. but the
ship sunk down so much that some OF
the shells were in the mud,
Gunner Morgan reported That IN
walking on the bottom, he fell into h
hole on the port side and went down
In the mud He also reported. as far
as he could Judge. everything seemed
10 be bent upward In the vicinity or
this hole. He also reported that the
plates seemed to have been pushed over
TO the starboard and then bent down.
Ensign Powellson then said that a
powder calk that he saw appeared to
be an empty tank broken by the explo,
sion, as It was not badly dented and
merely ripped the length of the seam.
The ten-inch tank was badly battered
out of any conceivable shape.
Continuing, witness said the divers
up to the night before he was then on
the stand had not been on the outside
of the ship. The mud was too deep for
them to walk on the bottom.
what is the condition of the star
board turret?" witness was asked.
ITO my knowledge. 1t has not been
found, sir" was the reply.
He understood something had been
found under the place were the turret
formerly we but its exact character
had not been determined
about what impression Ia produced
upon your mind?" Ensign Powellson
was asked.
From reports alone,or of the appear
nnce OF the wreck?"
EITHER from such reports or the con
dltion which you believe to exist"
1.-THE Impression produced upon me,
replied the witness, rs that an eX'
plosion took place well to port OF mid
ship line and at u point In the length
about opposite the coming tower"
Witness then replied TO further ques
lions that his opinion was based upor
the observation of things above water
He gave no weight to Mr.. Morgan:
statement about falling into hole OF
the port side because Morgan nigh
have been mistaken all the time. Re
ferring to his notes made of things OF
the Maine. Ensign Powellson said tina
the arch of the engine room, tele
graph and the shaft Of the steering
gear coming down through the ar
mored tube UurreD was bent from
port to starboard. The port side o
the protected deck was covered with
greasy deposit, the starboard side be
ing comparatively free from 1t.
The forward smoke pipe between tn
main and superstructure decks did no
show any signs of the internal pres
sure of gases. on the main dec
forward of the coming tower, wher
the fore and aft angle bulb was locat
ed, the planking was blown off on tn
only remaining plate of the main dec
on the port side, while the wood wa
still attached to that part OF the star
board side between the coming towe
and the turrets. What witness SAY
would Indicate that the pressure llfte
the protective deck up ON the por
side, and the protective deck on tn
starboard side held fast and bent tina
deck downward. Witness here eS
hibted two sketches to the cour
showing n diagram Of various parts {
the sunken ship, and explained ther
TO the court.
The witnesses evidence about tn
strip on the starboard side OF the out
side plating of the ship, which wa
folded and rolled backwards, was re
called to him. Powellson said h
could see the plate bent outward, a
It was only two feet under watt
where the spear occurred Witnes
had taken soundings and had foun
I'VE fathoms OF water on both sides
the Maine down to the mud. Takln
14-pound lead line and draggln
with wherry for distractions on III
mort side dragging close To where 1