Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1898-02-25
An INVESTIGATION BEGUN
A Court Of Inquiry to Look
Into Maine Disaster.
THE WRECK WILL BE RAISED
Many Absurd RumOrs Afioat Concerning
Cause OF Disaster-Burial OF the Dead
and Caring for the Wounded.

Many Absurd Rumors Afioat Concerning
Cause of Disaster-BuriaI OF the Dead
and Caring for the Wounded.
Washington, Feb. 19.-The govern
ment has settled back into waiting
attitude in respect to the terrible Maine
disaster in Havana harbor. The great
shock caused by the news has given
way to calmer and more judicial state
of mind, and, realizing from the events
of the day that the court of inquiry is
the sole dependence in the search for
the cause of the Names disaster, the
naval officers are now resigned to await
the results of that inquiry by court
opened today by the navy department.
There was little news to add to the sum
of information as to the disaster re-
ceived during the forenoon. No teIe-
grams came, and the only news CLEANED
was denial of some absurd story or
other that had crept into pint or be-
come current gossip. All the news of
the day came in the late afternoon in
the shape Of Captain Sigsbee's report
of the authorization of the funeral of
his dead sailors, and General Lees
graphic story of the terrible struggle
for life in the dark hull of the Maine.
The officials at the navy department
devoted the day to the effort of correct.
ing the list of living and dead, to an
swering frantic telegraphic appeals from
relatives of men on the battleship,
and last but not least, in meeting
with unwavering courtesy and patience
the exacting demands upon their time
by the press reporters.
The disposition of the survivors, Cap
tain Dickens, acting chief of the navi.
as could be done from this distance.
The wounded sailors in the Havana
hospitals, on the Spanish flagship and
elsewhere, when not in condition to be
brought back to Key West, will be
carefully looked after by Miss Clara
Barton, who has been given carte
blanche to buy anything and everything
necessary, food and delicacies, and hire
nurses and physicians. The wounded
able to get across to Key West will be
taken care of III the marine hospital
| there. The sound survivors will be
quartered in the army barracks there.
AS for the Maine herself, notwith-
standing discouraging reports from
Lieutenant Howe as to her condition,
the navy department will try to raise
her. They say they are bound to re-
move the hull from the small harbor,
in any case, and it may be as easy, or
easier, to raise her as it would be to
destroy the hull and machinery by the
use of divers and dynamite. 1t is be-
lieved the work can be done by private
wrecking corporations, and negotia-
tions are already afoot for placing the
contract, based on work by the day, at
an estimated cost of 100000
At the navy department specific de-
nial was given of the report emanating
from Madrid that torpedo fiotilla
was about to leave Key West for Cuba.
1t was stated that only two torpedo
boats, the Gushing and Ericsson, are
at Key West, and these have not been
ordered, and will not be ordered, ac-
cording to the present plans, to Cuba.
1t was strongly asserted that no pres
ent purpose existed OF sending another
warship there.
On the streets there was noticeably
less excitement than yesterday, when
the people were 10th to believe that
the loss of the Maine could be traced to
other than Spanish sources.
All the flags throughout the city, in
cluding those on the capitol and the de-
partment buildings, are flying at half
mast, and among the Others is con-
spicuously that of Cuba libre," which
flies from the staff of the Hotel
Raleigh, the headquarters OF the Cuban
junta.
Believes IL Harvey Torpedo Did 1t.