The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-26
BOARD OF INQUIRY
In Substance Says to the Span
iards e"YOu Put Her There
Now You Can Remove the OBJ
structiOn Yourselves"

Pittsburg. Pa, Feb. 26.-The Post
says:
The United States government has
just placed contracts for the delivery of
three hundred thousand tons of coal at
the different coaHng' stations of the war
vessels of this country in the West In
dies and along the Florida and gulf
coasts.
It was learned today in Pittsburg,
through an officer of one of the largest
coal corporations doing business in this
district, that the navy department had
closed contracts with the incorporated
firm of Gastner, Curoan and Bullitt, of
Philadelphia for the delivery at Key
West, Sand Keys, Dry Tortugas, Sa-
vannah, Charleston and Fortress Mon
roe, of 250,000 tons of Pocahontas coal,
and with the Rhodes and Bedler COM
pany of Cleveland, o., for the delivery
of $4,000 tons of the Goshen coal of that
company.
The stipulations Of contracts just
placed are that the coal so ordered shall
be delivered at the designated coaling
stations as soon as it is possible to do
so, and that the utmost secrecy be OBJ
served about the matter.
In carrying out these contracts, the
railroads play a most prominent part
and for the purpose of moving every
thing as eXpedftiously as possible Pres
1dent NJ. L. ingalls,, of the Chesapeak Ike
& Ohio railroad; Receiver Oscar O. Muir
ray, of the Baltimore & Ohio. and Cen
eraI Manager L. +. LOree of the Penn
sylVania railway went to washington
last week and consulted with Secretary
Long, OF the navy and Assistant Secre-
Iary George d. MeiklejOhn, of the war
department, on the matter. Contracts
and all arrangements for the rapid
handling and shipping of the coal were
made and the government it is under
stood, Will pay bonus to both the coal
miners and the railroads if the 300 600
tons are delivered within a specified
time.
New York, Feb. 26-The Mail and
Express prints the following from Ha-
vana:
While, Of course the members of the
court viii not talk for publication I
am informed on the highest authority
that the evidence of Diver Morgan as
10 the condition of the Maine shows al
most beyond the possibility of doubt
IN the opinion of my informant. that
the Maine was blown up by an outside
agency.
Furthermore, NIorgan's report was
Nerlned by the other American divers
who descended today
The court will finish it's work here
NN@AeNS anu BIOCEGQ at once to Kew West
10 take the testimony of the survivors
there 1t has also been decided not to
return TO Havana, all the information
as to the cause of the disaster obtain
aDie mere having already been secured
1t is believed that a decision has bee1,
practically reached. The witnesses vet
verdict. 'i
The court has decided apaiDs+ INV
attempt to raise the ruined battleshin
-lS,,l AlisIilpeIs iSl are convinced that it
@ @Moulu pe useless, as she could never be
Kept aIloat and the Spanish authorities
mere viii be informed that if they wish
Ihe wreck removed from the harhor
lhey must attend to the work them
serves Thts decision gives a bettar
idea of the terrible havoc w-rol1obt -
could do. = 'iOl MS
The Merritt Wreckfne coD7Dspxv -
y announced, wanted 81, 600, coo to raise
tne wreck. The company's represenfa-
i've made this demand after viewing
the condition of the shin
The wreckers have turned +bafr Of
tentlon to salving the great gums These
a. I5ast can be recovered in sufficiently
Sood condition to warrant the eff
twenty unknown bodies of the crav-
We're recovered from the wreck bv the
- IS AT noon today. The bodies were
1rlghtfully burned and mangled. ana If
of them" 4e-AS Soiiie
New York, Feb. 26.-The BROOKLYN
EagIe today says: =
AT WilIett's Point precaution is heinz
taheh 10 make the East river entrance
70 New York invulnerable. A so-caIied
sla shlIInlsh line of torpedoes is projected
+toln lhe W lHett's Point shore across
lhe channel to Ft. Schuyler The tor
Peuoes VIII be anchored so close To-
sether that it may be made imDossibIe
-ot a hostlle vessel to cross the lire
without being blown up. The torDedoes
WIN pe connected with electric wires
ana 10 make doubly sure that their
@ @Plans cannot be frustrated, the engi-
neers have arranged to have bat+erias
located at each end of the line. SO that
"a case an apparatus was used by the