The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-20
my SHIP WAS GONE"


after the first great shock-I cannot
myself recall how many sharp detona-
tions l heard: not more than two or
three-I knew my ship was gone. In
such 2 structure as the Maine the eI-
fects of such an explosion are not for
the moment in doubt.
'T made my way through the long
passageway in the dark, cropping from
side to side in the hatchway, and then
into the poop, being among the earliest
to reach that spot. So soon as recog-
nized the officers 1 ordered the big eX-
plosives to be flooded, and I then di-
rected that the. boats available be low
cred TO rescue the wounded or drown
ing.
DISCIPLINE PERFECT.
Discipline in perfect measure pre-
vailed. There was no more confusion
than a call to general quarters would
produce, nor as much.
Il soon saw by the light of the flames
that all my officers and crew left alive
and on board surrounded me. I can
not form any idea of the time, but it
seemed five minutes from the time I
man it was possible to reach having
been saved. 1t must have been three
quarters of an hour or more, however,
from the amount of work done.
u remember the officers and men
worked together lowering the boats,
and that the gig took some time to low
err I did not notice the rain of debris
described by Lieutenant Blandin or
others who were on deck at the time
of the first explosion, but I did OBJ
serve the explosion of the fixed am
muniJiOn. and wondered that more were
not hurt thereby.
PRECAUTIONS TAKEN.
Without going beyond the limits of
what was proper IL the harbor of
friendly power, i always maintain pre-
cautions against attack, and the quar-
ter watch was ordered to have ammu-
milton for the smaller guns ready to
hand, so that in the improbable event
OF an attack on the ship, it would be
found ready. 1t was this ammunition
which exploded as the heat reached it,
Captain Sigsbee and all officers here
are very anxious for news from the
United States as to the public opinion
there. The captain has done all he can
10 calm the excitement in the United
states. and to induce the public to wait
for the results OF the investigation be-
fore forming a judgment as to the
cause Of explosion.
WHERE INTEREST CENTERED.
AS the Olivette entered the harbor
early this morning. the passengers
crowded to her upper decks to see the
yellow forts and long lines of walls
manned by soldiers, the beauties of
palm crowned hills or the thousand
sights new to many eyes. All interest
in the first view OF the wreck
Of the Inflated battleship. and the sight
was CHASTITY enough when reached to
satisfy al who were DESTROYS Of wit
Messing horrors.
The wreck is the central figure of
an otherwise bright picture. and it is
as sad as it is terrible. The huge mass
Of flame charred debris forward looks
as though it had been thrown up from
a subteTranean store house Of fused ce-
inent, steel wood and iron. Further
aft one military mast Drotrudes at a
slight angle from the perpendicular.
while the poop. on which gathered the
band. offers a resting place for the
workmen or divers. OF the Dredomi-
nant white which marks our war yes
sells, rot a vestige remains. In its
place is the blackness of desolation and
death.
LIEUTENANT JENKINS.
1t is known that Lieutenant jenkins. ,
who is among those missing. was alive /
after the explosion. A colored mess at
-endant now at Key West met Jenkins |
-unning forward. He evidently thought /
IN the confusion that the Maine had I
aeen fired on and he WAS rl1Shioc- RI