Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-29

visit afterwards and, as he states, was
pleasantly received and his visit
promptly returned by certain members
OF the council. Later party of ladies
and gentlemen called and the president
or the council made a speech, which
Captain Sigsbee could not understand
but which was interpreted to him
briefly, TO which he replied:
My reply, said Captain Sigsbee
was afterwards printed in at least
Two papers In Havana, but the terms
made me favor the autonomistic gov
eminent In the island. / am informed
that the autonomistic government in
Hanaya Is unpopular among a large
class or Spanish and Cuban residents
| have no means If knowing whether
my apparent interference in the politi-
cal concerns of the island had any re-
lation to the destruction of the Maine.
Asked whether there was any DEM
onstration of animosity by people
afioat, Captain Sigsbee said that there
never was on shore, as he was inform
ed, but there was afoat He then re-
lated that on the first Sunday after the
Names arrival, ferry boat crowded
densely with people, civil and military,
returning
FROM A BULL FIGHT
in Regla, passed the Maine and about
forty people on board INDUCED in yeils,
whistles and derisive calls. During the
stay in Havana Captain Sigsbee took
more than ordinary precautions for the
protection of the Maine, SlacinS SEN
tries Oh the fOrecastle and poop, quar-
antine and signal buoys on the bridge
ana on the poop. A corporal of the
guard was especially instructed to look
out for the port gangway, and the Of
hcer of the deck and quartermaster
were especially instructed to look out
Tor the starboard gangway; quarter
watch was kept on deck all night; SEN
tries cartridge boxes were filed, their
arms kept loaded, and number of
rounds of rapid fire ammunition kept
IN the pilot house and in the spare
captains pantry under the after-super-
structure was kept additional charges
OF she'll close at hand for the second
battery; steam was kept up on two
boilers instead of one and positive in
structlons were given to watch careful
~ all the hydraulic gear and report
defects. He said he had given orders
to the master at arms and the orderly
sergeant
TO KEEP A CAREFUL EYE
on everybody that came on board and
TO carefully observe any packages that
might be carried, on the supposition
that dynamite or other high explosives
might be employed and afterwards to
inspect the routes these people had
taken, and never lose sight of the i'm
portance of the order. He states that
very few people visited the ship,
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright
being rather severe on desultory WISH
tors. There were only two visits of
Spanish military officers. Once oar
" of five or six Spanish officers came
on board, but, according to the cap
tain, they were constrained and not de-
sirous Of accepting much courtesy.
This visit was during the absence of
the captain. He said he made every
effort 10 have the Spanish officers visit
the ship and to show good will accord
ing TO the spirit of the Names visit to
Havana, but with exceptions stated no
military officer of Spain visited the
ship specially.
Captain Sigsbee then went into de-
tails regarding the precautions In
force, especially in relation to quarter
watches, which he said had never been
rescinded One of the cutters was IN
the-E7ater at the time of the accident,
and one of the steam launches, the
first, was riding at the starboard boom.
The captain said that the night was
quiet and warm, and that he remem-
bered hearing distinctly the echoes OF
the bugle at tattoo, which were very
pleasant. Stars were out. the sky, how
ever. being overcast. The Maine at
the time of the explosion was heading
approximately northwest, pointing to-
ward the shears. He was writing at
his
PORT CABIN TABLE
at the time of the explosion and was
dressed. He then went into a de-
scription of the explosion when he felt
the crash. He characterized 1t as a
bursting. rending and crashing sounc
or roar of immense volume, largely
metallic in its character. 1t was sue
ceeded by a metallic sound, probably
of falling debris. trembling and
lurching motion of the vessel, then an
IMPRESSION of subsistence, attended by
an eclipse of electric lights and intense
darkness within the cabin. He knew
Immediately that the Maine had blown
m and was sinking. He hurried to the
starboard cabin port, but changed his
course to the passage leading TO the
superstructure Then he detailed the
manner of meeting Private Anothon,
which is much the same as has been
published. Lieut.. Commander Vain
wright was on deck when Captain Sigs.,
be emerged from the passageway and
turning to the orderly he asked for the
time. which was given as $40 p. m,
Sentries were ordered placed about the
shin and the forward magazines food