Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-03-31

kind were stored below in any OF the
other storerooms.
THE coal bunkers were inspected, OF
those bunkers adjoining the forward
magazines and shell rooms, four were
empty. namely, B3. ia, B5. BIG. ALE
had been In use that day and A16 was
full OF new river coal. This coal had
been carefully inspected before receiv-
ing it on board. The bunker Ia
which it was slowed was accessible on
three sides at all times, and the fourth
side at this time on account of bunk
ers B4 and B6 being empty. This
bunker A16 had been inspected that
day by the engineer officer on duty.
The fire alarms in the bunkers were
in working order, and there had never
been a case Of spontaneous combustion
of coal on board the Maine.
THE two after boilers of the ship
we're in use at the time of the disas-
ter, but for auxiliary purposes only
with a comparatively low pressure OF
steam, and being tended by reliable
watch. These boilers could not have
caused the explosion of the ship. The
four forward boilers have since been
found by the divers and are in fair
condition.
"On the night of the destruction OF
the Maine everything had been re-
ported secure for the night, at p. M,
Ivy reliable persons, through the prop
err authorities, to the commanding Of
f1cer. At the time the Maine was de-
stroyed the ship was quiet and, there
fore, least liable to accident caused
by movements from those on board.
1.-The destruction of the Maine oc-
Cured at $40 d. m on Feb. 10 in the
harbor of Havana, Cuba, being at the
time moored in the same buoy to
which she had been taken upon her
arrival. There were two explosions OF
distinctly different character with
very short but distinct interval be-
tween them, and the forward part of
the ship was lifted to marked de-
gree at the time to the first explosion
THE first explosion was more like
that of a gun; while the second ex-
plosion was more open, prolonged
and of greater volume. The second
explosion was, in the opinion OF the
court, caused by the partial explosion
of two or more of the forward maya
zines of the Maine.
"The evidence bearing on this being
principally obtained from divers does
not enable the court to form a definite
conclusion as to the condition of the
wreck, although it was established
that the after part Of the ship was
practically intact and sank in that
condition very few minutes after the
destruction of the forward part. The
following facts in regard to the for
ward part of the ship are, however,
established by the testimony:
"That a portion of the port side OF
the protective deck which extends
from about frame 80 to about frame
The main deck from about frame 30
to about frame Al was blown up aft
and slightly over to the starboard
folding the forward part of the middle
superstructure over and on top Of the
after part.
This was, in the opinion of the
court, caused by the partial explosion
of two or more of the forward maya
zines of the Maine.
"At frame II the outer shell of the
Oh
middle line of the ship and 6 feet
above the keel when in its normal
position, has been forced up so as to
be now about four feet above the sur
face of the water; therefore about "a
feet above where it would be had the
ship sunk uninjured. The outside
bottom plating is bent into a reversed
W shape, the after wing of which,
about Is feet broad and 80 feet in
length (from frame II to frame 25),
is doubled back upon itself against
the continuation of the same plating
extending forward.
AT frame Is the yertica! keel is
broken in two, and the fiat keel bent
into an angle similar to the angle
formed by the outside bottom plating.
This break is now about six feet be-
low the surface of the water and about
thirty feet above it's normal position.
In the opinion of the court, this effect
could have been produced only by the
explosion Of a mine situated under the
bottom of the ship at about frame Is.
and somewhat on the port side of the
ship.
The court finds that the loss of the
Maine, on the occasion named, was
not in any respect due to fault or neg
ligenoe on the part of any of the off,
GERS or members of the crew of said
vessel.
"ln the opinion of the court the
Maine was destroyed by the explosion
of submarine mine which caused
the partial explosion OF two or more
Of her forward magazines.
The court has been unable to OBJ
tain evidence fixing the responsibility
for the destruction of the Maine on
any person or persons.
O.