The Portland daily press., 1898-02-17

naval authority, was asked regarding the
Maine disaster. He said: I'm the absence
OF authentic information, am unwilling
to discuss the matter In any light"
Hear Admiral Erben, U. S. N, retired,
said he WAS inclined to believe that tbs
Maine was blown up by her own maya.
zine. Such things have happened.
DISPATCH FROM SIGSBEE.
Washington, February 16.-While Secre-
tary Long was with the President, the fol
lowing detailed dispatch from Capt. Sigs-
bee, commander of the Maine, was
brought to him:
"Advise sending vessel at once. Maine
submerged except debris, mostly work for
divers now Jenkins and Merritt still
missing. Little hope for their safety.
Those known to be saved are: Officers,
"a; uninjured, crew, Is wounded, now
on board Ward line steamer, in city hos
pitai and at hotel, SO SO far as known.
All others went down on board or near
I the Maine. Total lost or missing, 253.
| With several exceptions no officer or. man
/ has more than part of a suit of clothes
and that wet with harbor water. Ward
steamer leaves for Mexico at 2 this after
noon, Officers saved are uninjured
4
Am preparing to telegraph list of wound
ed and saved. Olivette leaves for Key
1 West at..1 p. III. Will send by her to Key
!. West the officers saved except myself and
Wainwright, Holman, Henneberger, Ray
and Holden. Will turn over three unin-
jured boats to the captain of port. with
request for safe keeping. Will send all
wounded men to hospitals at Havana.
fSIGSBEE.'
PRESIDENT EXPRESSES SYMPA-
THY.
| Washington, February 16.-Secretary
Long for the President. has sent the fol-
lowing telegram to Capt. Sigsbee:
| "Sigsbee. U. S. S. Maine, Havana:
"The President directs me to express
for himself and the people of the United
States his profound sympathy with the
officers and crew of the Maine, and desires
that no expense be spared in providing
| for the survivors and the cara of the
dead.
JOHN d. LONG, Secretary"
| The President has recalled his invita-
| tions for receptions this evening and to-
| morrow.
| Princeton, n j., February lex
! President Cleveland this afternoon said
| ~ am greatly shocked and Mortified at
Maine and sincerely hope that later in
formation may serve to mitigate it's hor-
rifying details. I was not personally &C
quainted with any of the ships crew, but
greatly regret that our navy should suffer
the loss of such ship, and that SO many
lives had to be sacrificed. Of course, l
could not express an opinion as to
whether the disaster was due to accident
or Spanish design, as nothing but most
meagre particulars have reached me. /
sincerely hope, however, that investiga-
ton will show that Is was accident, pure
and simple.
EX-PRESIDENT HARRISON.
Indianapolis Ind. February 16.-When
ex-President Benjamin Harrison was
asked by the Associated Press for q state
meut regarding tho destruction of the
battleship Maine, he said: The occur
renee is q most terrible and shocking one.
1t is to be hoped that an investigation
may leave no doubt that it was an acct
dent. If there should be any room for
suspecting foul play it would be very un-
fortunate.
COOK ROWE'S EXPERIENCE.
New York, February 16.-A special to
the Evening Telegram from Havana con-
corning the Maine disaster says:
James Rowe, ships cook. was the least
injured of any that We're brought in
while l was there. asked him how 1t
happened. ~ don't know" he replied,
speaking with difficulty. II turn ned iii
my hammock at eight O'Clock and heard
three bells strike i don't remember any.
thing more until felt myself turning
over and over and falling heavily llpon
the deck through mass of smoke 1 got
on my feet and worked my way on deck.
When got there the superstructure deck
was dipping under water and I jumped
overheard to keep from being drawn
down in the suction. | was picked up by
a boat from the Spanish men-of-war
Four men were picked up ty the same
boat. They were Daniel Cronin. q lands
man; Charles Bergman, boatswain;
A Jbert John, seaman and Bloomer, a
landsman.' e.
Oneapoor fellow whose face is injured
past oil recognition is lying moaning In
q cot in tho hospital. l asked him his
horribly swollen lips: "My folks would
feel uneasy if told you"
So far as can learn now, the explosion
took place in the magazine used for the
storage of gun cotton for the torpedoes. |
The vessel lies with her bows wholly
submerged, and only part of her stern
showing.
The explosion which shook the CITY
from one end to another, created the
widest excitement. Ali the electric
lights were put out by the shock. Fire
engines rushed madly from one direction
to another, and no one knew for certain
from which direction the explosion came |
Consul General Lee who was at the |
Hotel Inglatterra, received a teJenhone
message from General Blanco. telling him
that the Maine had been blown up.
WARD LINE TENDERS AID
New York, February 16.-President Fl
B. Booth of the Wardaline, today sent tele.
grams to President Mckinley and Score
tary Long placing at their disposal the
now in the harbor of Havana. and The
Vigilance, also at Havana. Ali the facili.
ties of the Ward line terminal service also
have been ! placed at the disposal5of the
government.