The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-24

..NhNsS sNtNkhWU SV'lNF'il7 w wv NnhtlT
try, hy which tiIcIe eombtned f9c.lltlee
The contract eonsaIns q clause binding
the wrsCksrs 70 uss their utmost stfNrts
III ekpedite the work, so that the de-
parineRt feels that everything has been
done to carry ou. the Views expressed
by Captain Sanlpsap, a clausc OF the
contract ltamlzss The amounts 70 be paid
for epeh branch at wreskage work, viz;
Wreeklpg tuE Underwater, $50 per
day' wrecklns tug Jones, 5000; lighter
Seymour, f15; deck chief, SO; barge
Lone star, 36Qi WrecklIS tug Right
Arm, 800; wreck master. SiS; Wreekere,
u " seehi divers, ~ each,
Evidently the president Of the court Of
is fearful Of the effect unon the public OF
III judged attempts 10 account Tor the
destruction Of the Maine, for, this after
noon, he autographed Secretary Long,
dppbtlcss having IN mind certain publl-
cations Of this morning, as follows:
HAVANA, Feb. ;,
Amy reported Interview with divers
untrue. Every precauttpn has been ".
ken, Quicer always present"
This brief statement disposes Of all the
aliega lions that have been made pro
and con as to tn. blowing up OF the for.
ward nlRgRSlne.
The officers here are etlll thinking Of
CaptatD Sigsbee's request Of yesterday
to be furnished with the plans OF the
Melne's section through the magazines
and coal huRlters' pockets. The refer
enep 10 the latter ls particularly inter-
estlnS. and leads TO q desire to be In
former on the exact quantity and quail
ity OF the coal supply at the hands OF the
explosion II Ia said that these pocket
bppkers are rarely emP,ied. having been
designed as much for the protection OF
the ship against gunlho1ta as for carae-
lty to hold coal. One expert said that
these hunkers, In his own experience,
have not been empsled In nnonshs. Al
OF this has To DO with the spontaneous
combustion theory, as the bunkers about
on the magazines might have set of
even the safe brown powder. If the lst-
ter were exposed TO a heat OF 500 de-
grees for come time. The request be-
sides may SHOW that Captain slssoee Is
noti yet. satisfied as to the cause OF the
exploslea. notwlthslanding the e1prea-
s!ona that have been attributed to him
BY unauthorized PERSONS
One OF the private letters received here
to-day IN speaking OF the disaster says
It was all over In flve minutes. The
writer was ashore and heard the niese.
He hastily took boat and started for
the Maine, arriving tfisre In about twen-
ty-five minutes, Then all Twas quiet
and smooth, and, In fact, as he said. In
Maine was in about her present oon-
ditIon.
Some so!!e!tude was expressed ht ths
navy department over tbs report OF Ad-
mlral SIcard's health. II was said, how
ever, that there was no occasion for re-
levlnS him now: that ths flagship New
York Is not to leave Kay West, and even
II she should Captain Sampson ur Cap
tain Taylor can assume charge OF the
squadron while the admiral takes the
two weeks leave to rscuporate from his
malarinl fever, whoh he was ahout 10
enjoy when he Voluntarily returnsd to
his place.
A formal order was made out this Af-
ternoon fur Lieutenant> Commander
Wainwright to take station at Havana,
and look after tho governments inter,
ests while the work OF raising Tho MalrH
progresses. II has bsen arranged that
he shhll be subslsteG on board one OF
the wreckins steamers.
The big double-turreted monitor, Ter
ror, remains under orders 10 stay in
Hampton Roads until further notice. II
Is likely that she will take the place
OF the Maine IN the North Atlantic
squadron. II not netded elsewhere I'm.
msdiatsly. The officials, however. are
loath TO cucumber the .hattla shlps and
spesder craft with tho Terror. as she
might retArd the execution Of paaoeu-
vers