The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-18
Leads all Oh0r North Carolina Da88 BO1 News andzrGJaOn

a sharp explosion, some say, numerous
detonatiOns. | remember only one. II
seemed to me that the sound came from
the port side forward. Then came
perfect rain of missiles of all descrlp-
tions, from huge pieces OF cement 10
blocks of wood. steel ratings. fragments
OF gratings, and all the debris that
would be detachable in an explosion.
II was struck on the head by piece
of cement and knocked down but was
not hurt and got to my feet in Il mo-
ment Lieutenant Hood had ran to the
poop and l supposed, as | followed, he
was dazed by the shock and about 10
] iump overheard. ] hailed him and he
answered that he had run to the poop
to help lower the boats. When L got
there though scarce a minutes could
have ELAPSED, / had to wade iii water
TO nv knees and almost instantly the
quarter deck was awash. On the poop
| found Captain Sigsbec, as cool as If
mt al ball, and soon all the officers eX-
{ cent Jenkins and Merritt joined us. The
pOOp was above water after the Maine
/ settled to the bottom. Captain Sigs-
! lee ordered the launch and gig lower
ed, and the officers and men, who By
this time had assembled got the boats
out and rescued Il number i'll the water.
Captain Sigsbee ordered Lieutenant
Commander Wainwright forward to see
the extent of the damage and If any
thing could be done to rescue those for
ward or to eXtinguish the flames, which
followed close upon the explosion and
burned fiercely as long as there were
any cOmbustibles above the water to
feed them.
Il NT.Yfy fSFhf
on his return reported the total and aw-
full character of the calamity, and Cap
tain Sigsbee gave the last sad order
abandon ship to men overwhelmed
with grief indeed, but calm and appar-
emily uneXcited.
Meantime four boats from the Span
ish cruiser Alfonso MI arrived, to be
followed soon by two from the Ward
/ inc steamer City of Washington. The
two boats lowered from the City of
Washington were found to be riddled
with flying debris from the Maine and
unfit for use. Captain Sigsbee was the
last man to leave his vessel and left in
his own gig.
Il have no theories as to the cause of
the explosion. l cannot form any. An
examination by divers may tell some
thing to a court of inquiry. j with 9th
ers, had heard that the Havana Har-
bor was full of torpedOes, but the Off
GERS whose duty it was to examine into
that reported that they found no signs
of any. Personally l do not believe the
Spanish had anything to do with the
disaster Time may tell. | hope so.
we were in n delicate position on
e! tie Maine so far as taking any precau-
tions were concerned. We were friends
in friendly, or alleged friendly port
and could not fire upon or challenge the
approach of any boat boarding us unless
convinced that her intention was hos
tile.
II wish to heaven l could forget it.
have been i'm two wrecks now and have
had my share. But the reverberatiOns
of that sullen yet resonant roar, as il
the bottom of the sea were grOaning in
torture. will haunt me for many a day,
and the reflection of that pillar of flame
comes to me when | close my eyes
= MAINE OPEN TO STRANGERS.
New York, Feb. 1.-THE Evening
World has received from Sylvester
Scoyel, it's correspondent at Havana,
the following reply to IN inquiry as to
whether strangers were allowed on the
Maine the day of the disaster:
Yes, visitors were on the Maine all
afternoon of the day of the explosion.
The bomb might then have been depOs-
ited near the magazine, as l have al
reay cabled. Cables are much delayed
here"
This dispatch bears date of to-day.
4 MERE PILE OF WRECKA,pu.
Havana. Feb. 17.-The night of the
disaster to the Maine light wind from
southwest was blowing and her
head pointed in a southeasterly direction
She was moored in about twelve metres
of water forward and drew about thir-
teen metres aft. The Spanish cruiser
Alfonso XII was about two hundred
metres from the American battleship.
. The explosion so disjOined and twisted
the battleship that her remains now ap-
pear like pile of wrcckage. All the
upper deck structure, turrets, and guns
are i'll heap, one boiler has been blown
out of its place and at o'clock yester-
day afternoon was still smoking on
deck.
The foremast and bow of the Maine
have collapsed, and now only the end
Of her main mastS remains above wa
ter.
The boats of the Spanish cruiser Al
fonso Mi have picked up a quantity of
wreckage. including boats and flag.
and to-day ten more bodies were found
in the harbor and taken to the morgue
1t is impossible to identify them
Contrary to the reports current here
yesterday the divers have not yet made
any investigation of the wreck and the
general opinion expressed in Spanish
circles is that the explosion occurred
inside the Maine
CONGOSTO'S DISCOURTESY.
TTiu 4 Aurr,r o,,J WoVJg Coou,-