The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-03-01
A SENSATIONAL REPOR
MIR. PEPPER THINKS THE CAuNE
WAS EXTERNAL.
SPANlARDs EXULT OVER THE EXPLOSION
BIanco Sends Lee a Dispatch of Coincidence
The Magnitude of the Work May Pre-
vent the Raising'of the Maine
Officers Not Found.
Officers Not Found.

NV |
Washington, Feb. 24.-Rumors OF
startling discoveries in the wreck OF ln'
Maine were less frequent but there We're
enough Of them still aloat to-day to
warrant Secretary Long i'll making TINS
statement to the newspaper men as he
left his office for the day
Summing up the situation l should
say that the Navy Department knows
TODAY nothing more about the cause of
the disaster than it did five minutes
after the receipt of the first dispatch
from Captain Slgsbee.'
The. Secretary's attention was drawn
TO the published statement that captain
Crowinshicld. Chief of the Bureau OF
Navigation, had just arrived at Tampa,
Fla. on the Monterey, from a trip tn
Cuba, where he had been inspecting
prospective coaling stations near Matan-
zas. The Secretary's Comment was sim
ply this:
Captain Crowninshield has not been
to Cuba. He has been off with his boy
on matters not III any wise connected
with t{2e business of the Navy
Secretary Long further said that he
rather expected to see Captain CrOWnln-
shield tomorrow
until the conclusion of the inyestiga-
ton of the Court Of Inquiry at Havana,
the principal business OF the Navy De
partnIent in connection with the Maine
will relate to the conduct of the wreck
ing operation. Captain Lemly, the
Il no. All.
branch of the work Immediately iii
charge, to-day received kilograms from
the Merritt and Chapman Wrecking
Companies at New York stating that the
steamer Merritt and wrecking lighter
Sharpe Ghad sailed for Havana and that
the tug Underwater with the chief
could leave New York Saturday for the
same place. The assistant w%recking
master was going to Havana on the
Ward Line steamer Saturday, and it
was suggested to the department that
its inspector should take the same
steamer Inasmuch as Lieutenant Com
mander Kimball, Who is now at Ha-
vana. has been assigned to the duty of
inspecting the w%recking operations il
will not De necessary to observe this sug-
gestion.
CAPTAIN SIGSBEES DISPATCH
The only exact Information received al
the Navy Department from Havan;
during the day was conveyed in Captain
Slgsbee's telegram, as follows:
Havana, Feb. 24.
Long. Secretary of the Navy:
"WreGki1.g tug Right Arm arrived
yesterday. Begins work to-day. Mucl
encumbering metal must be blasted ava
in detail. Navy Divers down after tn,
seven days, forward four days. Bodie:
OF Jenkins and Merritt not ound. Two
unidentified bodies of crew found yes
terday. After compartment filled Will
detached, broken and buoyant furniture
and fittings, mud and confusion. Span
ish authorities continue offers of assist
NICE and care for wounded and dead
Everything that goes from wreck to tn,
United States should be disinfected
Wrecklng company should provide 70
this.
Surgeon Of the Maine after consult
ing with others, recommend that all bed
ding and clothing should be abandoned
Might go to acclimated poor. Useles
fittings and equipments might be towe
to sea and thrown overheard. VIII tai,
all immediate responsibility, but inyit
departments wishes. Shall old metz
OF SuperStructure and like De saved
Friends OF dead should understand tina
we are in the tropics. Chaplain Chic
wick, charged with all matters relativ
to the dead. His conduct is beyon
praise. Don't know what reports ar
being printed but the intensely activ
reports of the press here have been yer
considerate of me and my position.
(Signed) "SIGSREE."
CARTE BLANCHE TO SIGSBEE.
Secretary Long Immediately answere
Captain Sigsbee, approving all his re
concentrations. He was directed
have Lieutenant Wainwright. the ex,
cutiye officer OF the Maine. make a
engagements with the wreckers for til
disinfection Of everything sent to IL
United States. The recommendatic
that all bedding and clothing be aba
doned, and if need be given to the accl
mated poor. was approved without con
ment. The same approval was given
the suggestion that useless fittings an
equipment he tOwcd to sea and throw
overheard, il being left to Captain Sig
bees Judgment to determine how f;
this destruction should be carried o.
10 the captains inquiry as to the sayiI
Of Old metal and parts of the supe
structure. the answer WAS given tn:
such material was of 10 use to the bu
eau Of equipment. II was left to Ca
idln HiSSb"c TO say Wnat of this Sha
tered material was worth preseryin
His statement that much blasting w
Ike required to clear away %encumberir
material indicates that it is essenti
further to destroy the upper porto,
of the wreck in order to get at VIII
is more valpuable beneath.
Captain Sigsbee's statement that Il
divers have been down aft seven day
and forward four days, gave the Ma,
Department the first information of +
time that the divers had been in T
vicinity Of the zone of the explosion
rs he had termed it. This zone is &C
fined 10 the forward part of the sh
and while the divers have been do,
aft for the last week their work f,
ward, in the vicinity of the large mas
zine, has been in progress only fo