The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-18

Ncic inc SURVIVORS OF those who We're
lost i'll the Samoan hurricane scvera!
years ago. when itfty-four American
officers and sailors were lost from the
Nipsic, Nanadlia and Trenton, which
were wrecked on that occasion. Rep
rcsentatirc Mcclellan, of New York.
introduced joint resolution appro-
priatlng $l50,OO0 for this purpose in the
House to-day.
The resolution is as follows:
Rcsolvcd, by the Senate and House
OF Representatives, That the Sccrc-
tury of the Navy he, ana he lis hereby
directed. 10 pay out Of any money In
the Treasury not otherwise provided
sum equal TO twelve months pay to
the legal heirs or representatives of
each officers ana crew OF the United
states ship Maine who pcrishcd in the
disaster in Havana February 10, 1898.
and the sum of $l50.00O, or so much
thereof rs may be necessary, is APP
propr!atcd to carry out the provisions
OF this act.
y special act OF similar tenor pas
passed FOR the relief OF the victims Of
phc Samoan disaster. lt is not customa-
ry to grant pensions to tho widows or
orphans Of soldiers or sailors who die
i'll time of peace. hut Congress in view
OF the extraordinary circumstances.
undoubtedly will DE quick NO grant the
relief proposed by MIR. McClsllan.
LIEUT.. BLANDIN'S ACCOUNT.
Key West Fla, Feb. 17.-Licutcnant
John ]. Blandin. of Baltimore, one Of
the Names survivors, who is at the
Key West Hotel gave The correspond
cnt Of the Associated Press this evening
succint account of the disaster, say
ing that no; until now has he been able
to rccollcct the sequence Of events in
thc awful ten minutes following the
explosion Tuesday evening.
Lieutenant Blandin was on the Tren-
ton at the time OF the terrible disaster
off Samoa in March. 1882 when Ama ri
can ana German vessels lost ~ men
all told
Lieutenant Rlandn says:
Il was on watch and when the men
had been ripod below. ] looked down
the main matches and Ovr the side of
the ship. Everything was absolutely
normal. ! walked aft to the quarter
deck behind the rear turret. as IL al
lowed after o'clock in thc evening.
and sat dIwn on the port side, whcr. |
remained for n few minutes Then for
some reason | cannot cXplain To myself
now. l moved to the starbnard SIDE and
sat down there. ] was feeling Il BIT gl,iin
and in fact was so quiet that Lieut. n
ant j. Hood came mp and asked laugh
ingly II was asleep. i said: No, am
ton watch
| "SchrcGIy had spoken when there
came dun. su!len roar. Woui! II
God that could hlC,t ouththc sound and
the scenes that followed. Then came a
sharp explosion, sOnge say. numerous
deu2na,iona. ] remember only one. /;
seemed to me that the sound came from
the port side forward. Then came a
perfect rain Of nniss!lcs of all dcsclip-
tions. from huge pisces of cement 10
hlocks'0f wood. steel railin"S fragments
'ji EvatinGs and ali the debris that
would be detachable in an explosion
u was struck on che head BY piece
of cement and knocked down. but [ was
not hurt, and got to my feet in a irn-
mcnt. Licuts nant Hood had run To- the
poop, and supposed, as followed. he
was daHtd by fhc shock and about 10
Jump overheard. ] hailed him ana he
answered that he had run to tht moan
to help lower the boats When | rnt
there, though scarce minuta could
nave elapsed. had u wade in water to
my knees and almO%; instantly the
Huarter deck was awash. On the poop
! found Captain S:gsbee as cool as If
al ball and soon all the officers cXcep;
Jenkins and NJ rriW joined us. The noon
was above water after the Maine scttlcl
to III" hott5m Captain SigsbCe order
ed the launch ana gig lowered. ana tne
a'aCI' - 'h" iil'l' VINO ny hhiS lime had
go, u, E't thr '"ats GU; ana res
81 So, :, '".'ogi - III thc water. captain
er Wainwright forward TO see the cy-
tent Nf the damage, and if anythjn.
80" c,, ~ "oi,G r5SCnc thoSe forward
,,, '' ",sn tiit h"h''S' Wh:ch !nl-
i,,,.,',l GIro,I,i Ht"Siuh ana
.,'t,.:;s, - ,""S us th"fe were
| 49,, '''''t ""'Sr 10 l"nd