Evening star., 1898-02-25
Belief Bill Introduced by Representa-
tive Boutelle.
FOLLOWS LINES OF SAMOAN MEASURE
Secretary Longs Announcement to
the Press.
BREAKING UP THE WRECK


Of the victims Of the Maine. 1t follows gen.
orally the lines of the Samoan disaster re-
lief bill Of $780, and is the result of several
days conferences in committee and en-
bodies the views of the administration. II
will be referred back to the committee, i'm
mediately acted upon there, and its passage
by Congress expedited.
The bill follows:
THAT to reimburse the survivors OF the
officers and crew Of the United States ship
Maine, destroyed by an explosion for losses
incurred by them, respectively, there shall
be paid to each of said survivors, q sum
equal to the losses so sustained by them;
provided, that the accounting officers shall
in all cases require schedule and affidavit
from each person making a claim, each
schedule to be approved by the Secretary of
the Navy; and reimbursement shall be
made for such articles of clothing, outfit
and personal effects only as are Of a char
acter and value and in quantity suitable
and appropriate to the rank or rating and
duty of the person by whom the claim Is
made. Provided further, that in no case
shall the aggregate sum allowed exceed the
amount of twelve months sea pay Of the
grade or rating held by such person at the
time the losses were incurred.
Section 2. That the widow, child or chill
dren, and in case there be not such, that
the parent or parents. and If there be no
parent the brothers and sisters of the Off
GERS, enlisted men and others who were
lost in the destruction Of said vessel or
who have died within one year from the
date of the disaster in consequence of in
Juries received in the destruction of said
vessel, shall be entitled to and receive, to
Wit. the relative in the order named a sum
equal to twelve months sea pay of the
grade or rating Of each person deceased as
aforesaid: Provided That the legal repre-
sentatives Of the deceased persons shall
slso be paid any arrears OF pay due the
deceased at the time of their death.
Section 3 That the accounting officers
are hereby authorized to continue for a
period of three months any aIlotments which
may have been made in favor of any rela-
tives OF the degrees hereinbefore enumeratd
by any of the officers and men attached to
the Maine who lost their lives in or in con-
sequence of the disaster to that vessel:
Provided, That the amount of the allot-
ments so continued shall be deducted from
the amount Of the twelve months sea pay
allowed to such benefciaries by virtue Of
this act for their relief.
Section 4. That the relief granted by the
provisions Of this act shall be deemed ard
taken to the full compensation for and in
satisfaction of any and all claims whatso-
ever on account of loss or death by the de-
struction of the United States ship Maine
on the part of the beneiciaries hereinbe-
fore designated and the methods of present.
ing and establishing said claims hereinbe
fore described shall be followed in lieu of
those prescribed by the acts or parts of
presentation of similar claims.
Section D. That no claim shall be allowed
under the provisions of this act which shall
not be presented within two years after the
date of it's passage. e.
Section 6. That the Secretary of the
Navy be. and is hereby, authorized, when
ever in his discretion 1t may be deemed a
practicable exDedient to cause the re-
mains of all or of any of those who perished
in consequence of such disaster. to be re-
moved to the United States cemetery at
Arlington: Provided. That the relatives Of
any such deceased officers and others men,
toned in this act, who prefer that the re-
mains of such be taken to their homes
within the United States shall have priv
1lege extended to them, and the expense
thereof shall be borne by the United States:
and the sum of $4,000, or so much thereof
as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated
out of any money in the treasury not other
wise appropriated to carry out the provi-
sions of this section
No Developments.
At the close of Office hours yesterday aft
ernoon Secretary Long made the following
announcement to a number of newspaper
men:
Summing up the situation, should say
that the Navy Department knows today
nothing more about Inc cause of the disas-
ter than it did five minutes after the re-
ceipt Of the first dispatch from Capt Sigs-
bee."
Secretary Long has telegraphed Capt
Sigsbee approving all the suggestions con-
tained in his telegram of yesterday con-
corning the disposition of parts Of the
wreck Of the Maine. This telegram was
published in yesterdays Star. Capt Sigs-
bee was directed to have Lieut.. VAIN
wright, the executive officer Of the Maine
make arrangements with the wreckers for
the disinfection of everything sent to the
United States. The recommendation that
all bedding and clothing be abandoned. and
II need be, given to the accimated poor
was approved without comment. The same
approval was given to the suggestion that
useless fittings and equipment be towed to
sea and thrown overheard, it being left to
Capt Sigsbee's judgment to determine how
far this destruction should be carried on
To the captains inquiry as to the saving
Of old metal and parts of the superstruc-
ture the answer was given that such ma
terial was of no use to the bureau of euuip-
ment. 1t was left to Capt Sigsbee to saw
how much Of this shattered material was
worth preserving. His statement that
much blasting will be required to clear
away incumbering material indicates that
it is essential further to destroy the upper
portions of the wreck in order to get at
what is more valuable beneath.
Capt. SiSsbee's statement that the divers
have been down aft seven days and for
ward four days gave the Navy Department
the first Information of the time that the
divers had been in the vicinity of the zone
of the explosion he had termed II
This zone is confined to the forward part
of the ship. and while the divers have been
down aft for the last week. their work for
ard. in the vicinity of the large magazine
has been in progress only four days which
presumably began Monday and included
yesterday.
MutiIation of the Dead.
The statement in the sigsbee dispatch
that friends of the dead should under
stand we are in the tropics is understood