The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-20
REPAIRS 10 nE MADE HERE.
befachnbie Parts of,hc Ship will Be
brought 10 NOrroIk for ne.AsScln-

The contract for the work Of saving
portions OF Vhe Maine, and if+possible
raising her. was not closed to-day, al
though representatives. of wrccking con-
Germs were in conference with Navy
department officials throughout the
DAY. Captain 1.emly, who will frame
me contract. said rhat progress had
peen made toward understanding The
SehSFal pan OF operation, but final
aSre%inent had not been reached
Until to-day the Merritt and Chan
man wrecking Companies and the Hns-
Ton Tow Boat company have been
| 'Nnc III the icld, and the department
understood they had combined thrIr.
iniefeGts This would have insured the
/ government the double facilities of
,1ioSc extensive wrcckcrs, ana would
~ gwen them the contract. but
t"-u1S the l1uckenhach WrCcliin- COM
pany, of New York CITY. entered unon
4 competition for the work. ana before
me day closed it had made a bid The
other concerns did not bid to-day, but
expect 10 do SO Monday The plan
hf"po*od by them is to use the large
W'ccki0S tug Orion. Of the Enston com
hahy, in conjunction with the powerful
cranes of the Merritt company. If
TINS plan is adopted the Orion will
carry the wrccEing material to Havana
'hn then serve i'll transporting the
heaNy turrets, guns and dcGnchable
aTts OF the Maine back To the Norfolk
NaNN-Nard. where is is proposed to as
Scnble the remnants OF uhe shin.
Thc Luckenhach company propose a
uiiierent plan. Their bid contenpIates
the use Of large barges, hauled by
ocean tugs, in bringing parts of the
wreck to Norfolk. In other. respects
the plan OF operations of all bidders is
10 assume the entire work of furnish
In IL
crihS Such material aF Is saved ut Nor
iolk. y Government official is to make
general inspection Of The work as il
proceeds. The Luckcnbach company
claims that the use of bargcs will cost
one-Iourth less ana will give better
results. The tugs drawing the barges
make eight knots un hour: the Orion
SAID to be immaterial, making a differ
ence OF only two days in the time of
delivery at the Norfolk Navy-yard.
While the disaster To the Maine has
created temper in the House in favor
"i liberal appropriations, for the navy,
ana ana while it is undoubtedly true that
the House in It's present frame of
h!nd would not hesitate 10 vote for
Two new battleships, one to replace
the Malnc. this temper is predicted
upon the theory that the Maine was
blown up by external agencies. Ir the
icaull 'i me "iilciIl inquiry should de-
Feiop the ilct. beyond peradvcnture
that the ships mamzinc cynInJai
rom lire or other cause within her
null, II is believed Il sentiment in
Congress will be created against tie
expenditure Of millions in the construc-
non OF warships that may blow M Mt
any time. 1t seems likely that Con
Srcss.nnal Investigation Will follow n
Ecrort from the board of inquiry at
tr.bniinS the loss of the Maine 10 an
explosion of her magazine.
IIhe President has presented loving
CUPS S2ch duly inscribed, to Jose Men
d.@y Herrera, suh-lieutcnant OF r;Dan-
i"h marines and TO EuGcniC Monterey
ltcEUera, lieutenant of the Spanish
Navy. i'll recognition of their humane
services 10 the captain and crew of
the American brig Wau-Eun. wreckcd 4
eight miles north Of Cape san Antonin
light, Island of Cuba.