The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-03-31

regarding the precautions In force, es-
| pectally In relation to quarter watches,
| which he said had never been rescind
ed. One of the cutters was In the water
1T the time Of the accident. and one Of
| the steam launches, the first was riding
/ at the starboard boom. The captain
said that the night was quiet and warm
and that he remembered hearing dis
! tinctly the echoes of the bugie at tattoo
! which was very pleasant. Stars were
out, the sky. however being overcast.
The Maine at the time OF the explosion
was heading Immediately northwest,
pointing toward the Shears. He was
writing at the port cabin table at the
time OF the explosion, and Vas dressed.
He then went into description OF his
experience when he felt the crash. IL
characterized IL as bursting, rending
| and crashing sound or roar OF immense
volume, largely metallic in it's charac-
| ter. 1t was succeeded by a metallic
sound, probably OF falling debris, a trem-
bling and lurching motion of the vessel,
then an impression of subsistence, at
tended by eclipse of electric lights
and Intense darkness within the ca bin
He knewimmediately thatths Maine had
been blown up and that she was sink
Ing. He hurried to the starboard cabin
ports, but changed his course to the pas
sage leading to the superstructure. Then
| he detailed the manner of meeting PTi-
vate Anthony, which Is much the same as
has been published Lieutenant Com
! mander Wainwright was on deck when
Captain Sigsbee emerged from the pas
sageway, and turning to the orderly, he
asked for the time. which was given al
| $40 p. m. Sentries were ordered placed
about the ship and the forwarded maya
zine flooded If possible. He called for
perfect silence. The surviving officers
were about him at the time on the poop.
He was informed that both forward and
after magazines We're under water. Then
came faint cries and he saw dimly white
floating bodies in the water. Boats were
at once ordered lowered, but only two
were found available, the gig and whale
boat. They were lowered and manned by
officers and men and by the captain
direction they left the ship and assisted
in saving the wounded Jointly with
other boats that had arrived on ttlv
scene. Fire amidships this time was
burning fiercely, and the spare ammuni-
ton in the pilot house was exploding il
detail. At this time Lieutenant Com
mander Wainwright whispered to the
captain that he thought the 10-inch mag
azine forward had been thrown up into
the burning mass and might explode at
any time. Everybody was then directed
to get into the boats over the stern
which was done, the captain getting in
the gig. and then proceeded to the City
of Washington, where he found the
wounded in the dining saloon being care
fully attended by the officers and crew
n hp. Ha
ant observed the wreck for few min
utes. lie gave directions to have "a
muster taken on board the City of Wash
ington and other vessels, and sat down
in the captains cabin and directed q
telegram to the navy department
Various Spanish officials came on
board, and expressed sympathy and
sorrow for the accident. The represen-
tatiVes of General Blanco and of the
admiral of the station were among the
Spanish officials who rendered their re-
spects. About "a or So men were found
that night who survived. By the time
Captain Sigsbee reached the quarter
deck it was his impression that an over
whelming explosion had occurred
When he came from the cabin he was
practically blinded for few seconds
His only thought was for the vessel, and
he took no note of the phenomena of the
explosion. In reply to the direct ques-
ton OF whether any of the magazines
or Shell rooms were blown up the cap
tain said it was extremely difficult to
come to any conclusion. The center of
the explosion was beneath and a little
forward of the coming tower, on the
port side. In the region of the center
axis of the explosion was the 6-inch re
serve magazine, which contained very
little powder, about 300 pounds. The 10
inch magazine was in the same general
region, but on the starboard side. Over
the l0-ineh magazine, in the loading
room of the turret and in the adjoinin;
passage, a number of 10-inch shells were
permanently placed. According to Cap
tain Sigsbee it would be difficult to con-
ceive that the explosion involved the 10
inch magazine, because of the location
of the explosion, and that no reports
show that any l0-inch shells were hurled
into the air because of the explosion.
The captain went into details as to the
location of the small arm ammunition.
He said that he did not believe that the
forward 6-inch magazine blew up. The
location of the guncotton was aft, under
the cabin. The guncotton primers and
cabin. He stated that he had examined
the wreck himself, conversed with 9TH
er officers and men. but, as the Spanish
authorities were very much averse to an
investigation, except officially, on the
grounds. as stated by the Spanish ad
miral, that the honor of Spain was in
yolVed. he forbore to examine the sub
marine portion OF the wreck for the
canSe of the plpSinp until tho daV : h a
court convened.
He said tat the discipline of the ship
was excellent. The marine guard was
in excellent condition. The reports of
the medical department show that about
Dne man and a quarter per day were on
the sick list during the past year. In
the engineers department the vessel was
s llARlF nVFIRIn s.