The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-17
THE MAINEH0RR0R
Loss of Life MOreAppallingThan
4 First Reports Indicated. --
r. e.
ONLY NINETY SIX SAVED
Out of q Total Of 354 on Board the
4zx- Ill-Fated Battloship. .4...~
tuySt sgsHH'
TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE.

ernment to Examine the Bottom
of the Wrecked Vessel-Meantime
1t Is Assumed by Our Naval Officers
That the Explosion Was Caused by
Accident, Though Some statesmen
Express Contrary Opinlon.
Havana, Feb. 1.-THE disaster which
befel the United States battleshp
Maine on Tuesday was much more ap-
palling than first reports indicated. 1t
is now announced. and was so tele-
graphed to Washington by Captain
Sigsbee, that of the 1854 sailors on board
the Maine at the time Of the disaster,
only a6 escaped with their lives, and Of
these many are frightfully wounded.
The large number of deaths reported
among the crew Of the Maine is said
Ito be due to the fact that most of them
4 were ~aiJee.J peiow at the time of the
explosion. Most of the officers saved
were dining on board the City of Wash
1ngton. Three sailors who escaped fell
senseless just as they reached a place
=
of safety.
One of the Names officers who Is be-
Fing cared for at the sanitary hcadquar-
ters Is seriously wounded. He is very
young, and is believed to have been the
officer on guard at the time of the dis
aster. He Is said to have asked for
priest to make his confession.
1t is reported here that the disaster
was due to the explosion Of the boiler
of the dynamo machine on board the
MAINE.
The Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII was
for some time after the explosion in
sgreat peril, and her mooring tackles
Ewere Stacked away and she was an
chOred at great distance from the
burning warship, being assisted by
other Spanish vessels. She then lower
led her boats and took part in the work
Of rescue.
The Maine at the time OF the explo-
sion was anchored about 500 yards
from the arsenal and some 200 yards
from the floating dock. The explosion
put out the street lights near the wharf.
and blew down telephone and telegraph
wires in that vicinity. The first ex-
lplosion is said to have been caused by
over 600 pounds of gun cotton, and the
tSubsequent explosion Is alleged to have
ibeen caused by shells and cartridges.
: Among the saved on hoard the Citv
Of Washington ia a. Mr.. Dressler fGus-
,tav G. Dress)er. of the MaineD who
has lost both ewes. The passengers of
the City OF Washington gave up their
state rooms to the injured men Of the
IAmericap warship.
The first of the American sailors to
reach the s<ac hina- srf-sauarn there-
I All the navy fire brigade and the
navy physicians were Immediately or
tlered on duty. Stretchers for he use of
the wounded were sent to the scene by
the fire brigade. and the Headquarters
of the Red Cross society was called
upon to send four stretchers. and men
were sent to patrol the SCENE of the
disaster and nick I'm the dead and
Sounded
Captain Sigsbee Yesterday sent a
message to Commandant Forsyth. of
Che naval station at Kew West. Fla.
which read: "Adyise sending American
vessel at once. The Maine is submerg-
ed except the debris. MOSTLY work for
divers. Jenkins and Merritt are still
missing, and there is but little hope for
their safety. Those known to have
been saved are the officers and q un-
Injured of the crew. Eighteen wounded
men are now on board the Ward line
steamer in the city hospital and at the
Mascotte hotel, SO so far as known. All
the others went down on board or near
Che Maine, The total lost or missing is
25S. With several exceptions, no Of
51cer or man has more than mart of a
suit of clothing. and that is wet with
harbor water. The officers saved are
unintured The damaee was in the
cumnsrtments of the crew. Am nre-
porine to telearanh list of savod and
wounded"
CaptaIn Sigsbee. interviewed last
avaninp bv a nress corresnondant with
rcference In tho cause of the ex,,losion
ssid.
81 cannot vet determine tho cause
but comnetent invcstieators will decide
1ybathar tho eynIosion was nroducod
from an interior or exterior cause
cannot saw ANYTHING until after such
an investigation has been made. viii |
not and connot conscientiousIy ant,ci-
pate the decision. nor do wish to make |
any unjust estimate of the reason for
The disaster"
Lieutenant Commander WAINWRIGHT
nf the Maine. was half rndressad at |
p:45 u. m.. and was smoking in his
rahin neyt to that of Conioin sirshoa