The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-02-18


known-Over Two Hundred of Her
Grew KilIed-Men Rescued by Boats
From Spanish Neutrality-suspicious.
Excitement in H~avana-Wounded
Taken Ashore and Attended to by
Spanish Authorities.
Havana, February 15.-At 9:45 O'Clock
this evening a terrible explosion took
place on board the United States cruiser
Maine, in Havana harbor. Many were
killed or wounded.
All the boats of the Spanish cruiser
Alfonso XIII are assisting.
AS yet the cause of the explosion is not
apparent.
The wounded sailors of the Maine are
unable to explain it.
1t is believed that the cruiser is totally
destroyed.
The explosion shook the whole city.
The windows were broken in all the
houses.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press says he has conversed with several
of the wounded sailors and understands
from them that the explosion occurred
while they were asleep, so they can give
10 information as to the cause,
Washington, D. c., February 15.-The
Maine Is a battleship of the sec
ond-ciass and is regarded as one of the
best ships in the new navy. She was
built at the Brooklyn navy yard, and is
31S feet long, 81 feet broad, 21.6 mean
draught, and 6,6S2 tons displacement. She
carries four 10-inch and six 6-inch
breechloading guns in her main battery,
and seven 6-pounder and eight 1-pounder
rapid-fre guns, and four Cuttings in her
secondary battery. and four Whitehead
torpedoeS.
The secretary of the navy received the
following telegram from Captain Sigsbee:
THE Maine was blown up in Havana
harbor at $40 O'Clock and destroyed.
Many men wounded and doubtless more
killed and drowned. The rounded and
others are on board the Spanish man-of-
war and the Ward Line steamer. Send
lighthouse tenders from Key West for
the crew and the few pieces of equip
ment still above water. No one had 9TH
er clothes than those upon him.
Public opinion should be suspended till
further report. All officers are believed
to be saved. Jenkins ard Merritt are not
yet accounted for. Many Spanish Off
GERS, including representatives of Gen
eral Blanco, are now with me and eX-
press sympathy.
ISigned.l SIGSBEE."
The officers referred to in the above
dispatch are: Lieutenant Friend w. Jen-
kins and Assistant Engineer Darwin r.
Merritt.
I,~o,o tb1 u-nr1ip r Lf tln I;cnoEo1o t1n
navy department thinks it possible that
they were on shore at the time of the ac-
Gident.
SECRET DISPATCHES.
The secretary Of the navy received an
other dispatch from Key West AIT the
same time with the above, but it's con-
tents were not made public.
The orders for the lighthouse tenders
were at once sent to Key West in plain
language, thus avoiding the delay that
would have arisen from the use of cipher.
The officers of the Maine are Captain
Charles ID. Sigsbee, commanding; Lieu
tenant Commander Richard Wainwright,
Lieutenants George F.. w. Holman, John
Hood and Carl w. Jungen: Lieutenants
Gunior grade) George p. Blow, John J..
Blandin and Friend w. Jenkins: Naval
Cadets Jonas II. Holden, Watt T. Clu
Boyd. Jr.; surgeon, Lucien G. Heneber-
ger: paymaster. Charles W. Littlefeld:
chief engineer, Charles Z. Howell; passed
assistant engineer, Frederick C. Bowers;
assistant engineers, John r.. Morris and
Darwin r. Merritt; naval cadets. Cen
gineer division). Pope Washington and
Arthur Crenshaw: chaplain. John p.
Chadwick; first lieutenant of marines.
Albertus w. Catlin; boatswain, Francis
p, Larkin; gunner, JOS, Hill; carpenter,
George Helms.
The Maine was built in 1880 at a cost
of $2,5SS,O00. She had a steel hull and 2
complement of STA men.
Charles w. Litt,,efeId. who
Is given in the list of officers ON the
Maine, has recently heen replaced by
Paymaster Ryan. I..ttlefield is now in
Washington.
Havana, February 16.-The widest con.
sternation rrevails in Havana. The
wharves are crowded with thousands Of
people. 1t is believed the explosion oc'
CURED in Il small powder magazine.
AT 10:45 O'Clock remains of TIN
Maine is till burning.
OVER ONE HUNDRED KILLED.
Captain Sigsbee and the other officer
have been saved. 1t is tina
over 100 of the crew were killed, but it i
impossible as yet to give exact details.
Admiral ManteroIa has ordered tina
boats of all kinds should go to the as
y sistance of the Maine and the wounded
The Havana firemen are giving aid
tending carefully to the wounded as the.
are brought on shore. 1t is a terrfbl
sight. General Salano and the other gen
erals have been ordered by Captain Gen
eral Blanco to take steps to help tn
Names crew in every way possible. TIL
correspondent of the Associated Pres
has been near the Main in one of tn
boats of the cruiser Alfonso XII, an
seen others of the wounded who corrob
crate the statement of those first inter
viewed. that they were already aSlees
when the explosion occurred.
Captain Sigsbee says the explosion oc
Cured in the bow of the vessel. He re
ceiyed a wound in the head. Orders wer