The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-04-01
Description of the Explosion.

Description of the Explosion.
He then went into description of the
explosion when he felt The crash. He
characterized 1t as bursting, rending
and crashing sound or roar of immense
volume, largely metallic in it's character.
1t was succeeded by a metallic sound,
probably Of falling debris, a trembling
and lurching motion of the vessel then
an impression of subsistence, attended by
an eclipse of electric lights and intense
darkness within his cabin. He thought
Immediately that the Maine had blown
up and she was sinking. He hurried to
the starboard cabin, but changed his
course to the passage leading to the super
structure. He detailed the manner of
meeting Private Anthony. which is much
the same as has been published.
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright
was on deck when Captain Sigsbee
emerged from the passageway. and turn
ing to the orderly he asked for time,
which was given as $40 p. M. Sentries
were ordered placed about the ship, and
the forward magazine flooded He called
for perfect silence The surviving officers
were about him at the time on the poop.
He was informed that both forward and
aft magazines were under water. Then
came faint cries and white floating bodies
in the water. Boats were at once ordered
lowered, but only two were available, the
gig and whaleboat. They were lowered
and manned by officers and men, and by
the captains directions they left the ship
and helped to save the wounded jointly
scene.
Fire amidships by this time was burn
ing fiercely, and the spare ammunition in
the pilot-houSe was exploding. At this
time Lieutenant-Commander Wainwright
said he thought the 10-inch magazine for
ward had been thrown up into the burn
ing mass, and might explode any time.
o11y han, fol TO i,,to
the boats over the stern, which was done,
the captain getting into the gig. and then
proceeding to the City of Washington,
where he found the wounded in the dining
saloon being carefully attended by the
officers and crew of the vessel. He then
went on deck and observed the wreck for
a few minutes, and gave directions to
have muster taken on board the City
Of Washington and other vessels, and sat
down in the captains cabin and dictated
a telegram to the navy department.
Spaniards Express Sympathy.
Various Spanish officials came on board
and expressed sympathy and sorrow for
the accident. The representatives of
General Blanco and of the admiral of the
station were among the Spanish officials
who rendered their sympathies. About
TOUR or five men were found that night
VINO survived. By the time Captain Sigs-
pee reached the quarterback it was his
impression that an Overwhelming exulo-
sion had occurred. When he came from
the cabin he was practically blinded for
a few seconds. His only thought was for
the vessel, and he took no note of the
Phenomena of the explosion. In reply to
the question of whether any of the mag
az1nes or shellrooms were blown up, the
captain said it was extremely difficult to
come to any conclusion. The center of
the explosion was beneath and a little
forward of the coming tower on the port
side. Of he
or the explosion was the six-inch reserve
magazine which contained very little
powder about 300 pounds. The 10-inch
magazine was in the same general re-
gion, but on the starboard side. Over
the 10-inch magazine in the loading room
OF the turret, and in the adjoining pas
sage, number of 10-inch shells were per-
manently located. According to Captain
Sigsbee it would be difficult to conceive
the explosion involved the 1O-inch maga-
zine because Of the location of the ex-
plos1on, and none of the reports show that
any 10-inch shells were hurled into the air
because Of the explosion.
Details of the Second Explosion.
The captain went into details as to the
location of the small explosion. He said
that he did not believe that the forward
or 10-inch magazine blew up. The loca-
ton of the gun cotton was aft, under the
cabin. He stated that he had examined
the wreck himself, conversed with other
officers and men, but, the Spanish
authorities were very much adverse to an
investigation, except officially, on the
grounds. as stated by the Spanish admir-
atty, that the honor of Spain was in
volved, he forebore to examine the SUBJ
mGrine portion Of the wreck for the cause
Of the explosion until the day the court
convened.
He said the discipline of the ship was
excellent. The marine guard was in ex-
cellent condition The Of "a
cal department shows that about one
man and quarter per day were on the
sick list during the past year. In the
engineers department the vessel was al
ways ready and always responsive. He
paid tribute to the crew, and said that
quieter, better-natured lot of men he
had never known on board of any ves-
sci in which he had served. He had no
fault to find with the behavior of any
man at the time of the disaster and
considered their conduct admirable. On
his examination by the court, Captain
Sigsbee said that the highest temperature
he could discover was 112, but that was
in the after magazine, the temperature in
the forward magazines being considerably
lower. There was no loose powder kept
in the magazines. All the coal bunkers
were ventilated through air tubes, exam
ined weekly by the chief engineer, and
were connected electrically to the annun-
ciator near his cabin door. The forward
coal DunkerS on the port SIDE were full.
The forward coal bunkers on the star
boat side was half FULL and it was being
used at the time of the explosion.
Coal Bunkers Not Hot.
Captain Sigsbee, being recalled, stated
that he had detailed Lieutenant-Com-
mander Wainwright, Lieutenant Holman
and Chief Engineer Holman, all of the
Maine, to obtain Information in regard
to any outsiders who might have seen the
explosion Captain Sigsbee also gave as
his opinion that if coal bunkers A16 had
been so hot as to be dangerous to the g.
inch reserve magazine, that this condition
would have been shown on three sides
where the bunker was exposed, and that
men constantly passing to and fro by it
would have necessarily noticed any un-
due heat. Captain Sigsbee was recalled
and examined as to the ammunition on
board the Maine. He stated that there
were no high explosives, guncotton, deto-
nators or other material in magazines or
shell rooms which the regulations prohib-
tied. He testified that no warheads had
been placed on torpedoes since he had
had command of the ship.