The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-17
DETAILS OF THE DISASTER.
Rescue of the Wounded and unin-
iured-NNhat Officers Say.


HAVANA Feb. 16-The following dis
patch was written on board the Ward line
steamer City of Washington, now in this
harbor: One of the officers OF the Maine
said to-day that at 8 o'clock last night all
the magazines on board the battle ship
Maine We're closed, and that the keys had
been turned over to Captain Sigsbee, her
commander The explosion occurred at
9:45 p m The officer then rushed on deck,
and assisted in lowering a boat and in try
ing to rescue the men in the water.
The Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII,
which was anchored Close to the Maine,
also lowered herr boats and saved
thirty-seven of the crew of the American
war ship.
Another officer said: 81 was sitting with
two more officers in the messroom when a
heavy explosion occurred. 1t was so heavy
that we understood the ship would be lost,
and we went on the upper deck and found
she had been badly wrecked by an explo-
sion, that she was on fire and sinking. All
efforts We're then directed toward lowering
the boats and saving lives The Maine set
tied quietly on the bottom of the harbor,
only her upper works remaining above the
water. A number of boats from the Span
ish war ship Alfonso XII, and boats from
the Ward line steamer City of Washington,
came alongside and rendered assistance.
Twenty-four men who We're slightly wound
ed We're carried on board the City of Wash
ington and the rest of the wounded We're
carried on board the Alfonso XII, from
which place they We're taken to other quar-
tiers, land after receiving valuable assistance
from the naval directors sent to the mill
tary hospitals" This officer said the explo-
sion occurred somewhere in the forward
part of the midships section of the battle
ship. Many of the crew who were below at
the time of the explosion were unable to es-
cape, and those who succeeded in reaching
the upper decks saved their lives with great
difficulty with the assistance of officers and
men on watch.
AT o'clock in the morning, when the
correspondent of the Associated Press was
going ashore, there was another terrible
explosion. At The same time boats from the
Spanish steamers Colon and Mexico We're
taking eight wounded men ashore after
having saved them from the water. Up to
o'clock in the morning fifty-seven men
and twenty-four officers had been account
ed for Paymaster Ray said that last Sum
day there were 354 men on his list, all told.
Lieutenant Jenkins and Assistant Engineer
counted for. Lieutenant Blandin was on
watch at the time Of explosion Some of
the wreckage of the Maine fell on board
the City of Washington and Knocked two
holes in her deck. The chaplain of the
Maine, the Rev. j. p. Chadwick, went on
board the Alfonso XII in order to admins
ter to the wounded. A Spanish naval Off
Ger said that Captain Sigsbee was the last
man to abandon the sinking shin. and that
he remained alongside the wreck as long
as it was possible to do any good in the
work of rescue.
There is no truth in the report that Gen
Fitzhugh Lee and Vice Consul Springer
have called at the palace to thank Captain
General Blanco for his offer of assistance
MOST OF THE MEN WERE ASLEEP.
The large number ef deaths reported
among the crew of the Maine is said to be
due to the fact that most of them We're
asleep below at the time of the explosion
Most of the officers saved were dining on
board the City of Washington. 1t is re-
ported that the disaster was due to the ex-
plosioA of the boiler of the dynamo ma
chine on board the Maine. The Spanish
cruiser Alfonso XII was for some time
after the explosion in great peril, and her
mooring tackles were Stacked away and
She was anchored at a greater distance
from the burning warship, being assisted by
other Spanish vessels. She then lowered
her boats and took part in the work of res
cue.
Consul General Lees cable dispatch TO
tho United States State Department, which
was filed at 1880 D. m. vas carried TO the
palace by Vice Consul Springer as an act
of courtesy.
The first of the American sailors to reach
the wharf swan there. Stretchers for the
use of the wounded were sent to the scene
by the Havana fire brigade and the head
quarters of the Red Cross Society was
called on to send four stretchers. Men
were sent to patrol the scene of the dis
aster and pick up the dead and wounded.
The smokestacks OF the Maine fell at II: 80
p. m. Three sailors who escaped fell sense
less just as they reached = PLACES Of safety.
One Of che Maiues osficerss. who is being