Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-02-17
Estim ated That Over a Hundred
Of the Crew We're
Killed.
Telegram from Capt. Sigsbee Ask
ing for a Tender to Be Sent
for the Grew.
Ths Account Of the Catastrophe Very
Meager-All the Oficers Are Be-
lieved to Have Been
Saved.

HAVANA, Feb. 18-At 9:40 yesterday
evening a terrible explosion took place
on board the United States cruiser
Maine in Havana harbor. Many were
killed or wounded. The explosion
shook the whole city. The windows
were broken In all the houses. The
correspondent Of the Associated press
says he has conversed with several Of
the wounded sailors, and understands
from them that the explosion took
place while they were asleep, so that
they can give no particulars as to the
cause. The widest CONSERVATION pre-
vailed In Havana. The wharves were
crowded with thousands Of people 1t
Is believed the explosion occurred in
! small powder magazine At li:l5
o'clock what remained Of the Maine
YVES still burning.
Capt Sigsbee and the other officers
have been saved. 1t Is estimated that
over 100 Of the crew were killed, but
II Is impossible as yet to give exact de-
tails. Adm Manterola ordered that
boats Of all kinds should go to the u.s.
sistance Of the Maine and her wounded.
The Havana fremen gave aid, tend
ing carefully TO- the wounded as they
were brought on shore. Gen. Solano
and the other generals have been Or
dered by Capt Gen. Blanco to take
steps to help the Names crew In every
way possible. The correspondent Of
the Associated press has been near the
Maine In one Of the boats Of the cruiser
Alfonso XII. and seen others Of the
wounded who corroborate the state
ment OF those first interviewed that
they were all asleep when the explo-
sion occurred.
Capt Sigsbee says the explosion oc-
cnrred In the bow Of the vessel. He
received wound In the head, Orders
were given 10 the other officers TO save
+ than lvaa hapt fhau NOulH Tho
i.tt.r who voro l,tarollv throwr from
thair hunks in their nioht clothing.
rave the necessary orders with great
INTERPRETATION and bravery
The first theory was that there had
bsen preliminary explosion in the
Santa Barbara (rnapazine) with pow.
a. or dvnamite hslow the water
II \ rrrranAM FROM CAPT sraspru
WAaurNaroN Nah IA The secretarv
~ ths navy rscsivad tho followino
4.,arrs,r fror, c.rt S,rshoo.
i Nuipe blown nm IN Havana barbor At {, N and
destroyed Many wounded and doubtless more
killed and drowned Wounded and others on
. Coaru Spanish Sa m ,h.s ana ward llne
want for erew and tow noS se y, ao v
still above water. No one had other clothes
than those upon him Public opinion should
e suspended I'LL further report All officers
-. enoo w ,"s 'u s Sna,, aa "ss' nv
Guiding representatives Of Gen. Blanco, now
with mo, express sympathy. slasBEE
The officers referred to in the above
dispatch are Lieut.. Friend W. Jenkins
and Assistant Engineer Darwin r.
Merritt. From the wording Of the
dispatch the navy department thinks
II Is possible they were cd shore at the
time OF the accident The secretary Of
the navy received another dispatch
from Key West at the same time with
the above, but its contents were not
made public. The orders for the light
house tenders were at once sent to
Kew West in plain language, thus
avoiding the delay that would have
arisen from the use of cipher.
Secretary Long received Capt Sigs-
bees dispatch but few minutes before
the Associated press dispatches from
Havana were handed to him. lie re-
ceived the news with apparent calm,
ana his first act was to comply with
Capt. Sigsbee's request that assistance
be sent from Kew West. He imme.
diately wired Capt. Forsythe at Key
West TO proceed with the naval ten
der Fern to Havana harbor. Secre.
tsry Long then sent for Capt Dickens
and the two discussed Capt. Sigsbee's
brief telegram No other naval officers
were present and besides the secretary
srsraa. n;oLans thansvo, oo,ouv hara
I.an. - .h,s a,.as,ar tha sraat.
mitch bss hafollan tha Amsr;can
80 s;noo .ho disastar in A nia msr,
s" M. ss"ratarr IL ,nol;raa
= hs,;a No. 40. mos, ~ tha oa,oars ~
~ ILL.,. ssa ~, .hans =. ,ha H..
49, aao,aan, ~ !. WINS It'll, aar,n ~
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