Omaha daily bee., 1898-02-20
KNEW HIS SHIP WAS CON.
Captain sigsbee Describes the Wreck
of the Maine.
PERFECT DISCIPLINE AMONG SURVIVORS
Fixed Ammunition Which Exploded
During the Fire Was Not I'm MnEn-
zines-Wns Beside the Guns
for Emergency.
PERFECT DISCIPLINE AMONG SURVIVORS

HAVANA, Feb. 19.-Captain c. d. Sigs-
bee OF the battleship Maine, in an interview
today with the correspondent of the Associ-
ated Press, described in detail the explosion
which destroyed the great ship.
"On the night of the explosion said
Captain Sigsbee, 81 had not retired.
was writing letters l find it impossible to
describe the sound or shock, but the i'm
preston which remains is simply of an awe
inspiring, terrifying noise rending, vibrating
all-pervading. There is nothing in the for
mer experience of any one on board to
measure the explosion by.
after the first great shock-I cannot my
self recall how many sharp detonations
heard, not more than two or three-I knew
my chip was gone. In such a structure as
the Maine the effects of such an explosion
are not for a moment in doubt.
Il made my way through the long pas
sageway in the dark, cropping from side to
side to the hatchway, and then into the
poop, being among the earliest to reach
the spot. So soon as / recognized the Off
GERS | ordered the high explosives to be
flooded and ! then directed that the boats
available be lowered to rescue the wounded
or drowning.
Discipline in perfect measure prevailed.
There was no more confusion than, call to
much.
ALL ALIVE WERE AROUND HIM
81 soon saw by the light OF the flames that
all my officers and crew left alive and on
board surrounded me. / cannot form any
idea Of the time, but 1t seemed five minutes
from the time | reached the poop until !
left, the last man 1t 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.
Il remember the Off GERS and men worked
together lowering the boats and that the
gig took some time to lower. | did not
notice the rain of debris described by Lieu
tenant Blandin or others who were on deck
at the time OF the first explosion, but did
observe the explosion OF the fixed ammuni-
tion and wondered that more were not hurt
thereby.
without going beyond the limits of what
was proper In the harbor Of a friendly
power always maintain precautions against
attack, and the quarter watch was ordered
to have ammunition for the smaller guns
ready to hand 50 that in the probable event
of an attack on the ship 1t would have been
found ready. 1t was this ammunition
which exploded at the heat reached it,"
Captain Sigsbee and all the officers and
men here are very anxious for news from the
United States as to the public opinion there.
The captain has done all lie can to calm the
excitement In the United States and to in
the Investigation before forming a judgment
as to the cause of the explosion.
As the Olivette entered the harbor early
this morning the passengers crowded TO the
upper decks, not to see the yellow forts and
lcng Ines OF walls marned by soldiers, the
beauties OF the palm-crowned hills or tho
thousand sights new to many eyes-all in
ter6nt centered in the first view OF the wreck
OF the ill-fated battleship and the sight was
ghastly enough when reached TO satisfy all
who were deslrOus OF witnessing horrors
The wreck Is the central figure OF an
otherwise bright picture. ara 1t Is as rad
as 1t is terrible. The huge mass OF fame
CT aired debris forward looks as though it
had been thrown up from a subterranean
storehouee OF fused cement, steel, wood and
iron. Further aft one military mast pro
trudes at slight angle from the perpen-
dicular. while the poop on which gathered
the band offers resting place for the
wOrkmen or divers, or the predominant
white which marks our war yesses IOt
vestige remains. In It's place Is the black
neFs OF desolatiC1 and death.
1t Is known that Lieutenant jenkins, who
Is among those missing, was alive after the
explosion A colored mess attendant now at
Key West met JCukins running forward.
He evidently thought in the confusion that