The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-05-19

| IL Interesting for the remainder or the
spanish boats. The Petrol was not
| idle, nor was the McCullOch, which
lodged in and out among the fleet
doing its work OF dispatch boat. The
noise of the bombardment was deafen-
ing on both sides. and the firing, con-
sidering the dense smoke which soon
arose and obscured the fleets from each
other. was well nigh continuous, al
though every shot was intended 10
count The noise was plainly heard at
Manila, each shot being easily noted,
although, OF course, the result was nor
known.
Suddenly a Spanish ship, which
proved afterward to be the Don Juan
de Austria. ran down the Spanish line
under mistaken signal from the ad-
mirai. 1t was struck at least three
times by the American shells, one OF
which was plainly seen to hit one or It's
guns. disabling it. 1t fired as 1t went,
but shot from an eight-poundef on
the Olympia struck the Spanish boat
near the waterline. Watchers saw the
Don Juan CULVER as a horse does wheh
shot in battle. Then in sudden ces-
sation OF firing or both sides, which
seemed almost for the purpose OF
watching what followed, the Spanish
cruiser exploded with a noise when
made all the cannonading that mad
gone before sound like the popping OF
so many corks. The tearing or steel,
the splitting of timbers, even the
shrieks of the wounded could be plain
ly heard following this awful noise.
Dead bodies of men were seen flying
through the air, while the survivors
were noticed jumping from the decks.
The Don Juan careened over to port,
righted again and dipped once more
and began to sink rapidly. Hardly
seconds time elapsed between the
striking of the fatal shot and the ex-
plosion. but it seemed to the watchers
that it was five minutes.
The shot undoubtedly penetrated
and exploded the Don Juan's maya
zines. The Americans had an oppor-
tunity TO see this. for at that moment
the dense clouds OF smoke had settled
in the direction OF the Spanish line,
while the American ships were COM
paratively free. The vice Consuls re-
port says: THE VIGOROUSLY bad
craftsmanship Of the Spaniards was
apparent from the start. The fleet was
managed with daring and skill, but al
III wi OF
enemy. it was no match for it in gun
merry. The latter was splendid, and
much regret is expressed that our naval
representatives were not given better
opportunity to take note OF an engage
ment which must mark an epoch in
naval warfare" AS a matter OF fact,
the Raleigh, Boston and Baltimore
were reported TO have been struck by
Spanish shells and several men killed
and wounded, but the victims, having
been landed at a distant point upon
the shore. the names could not be as
certained at the time the Spanish au-
thorities cut the cable or at least stop
ped its use at Manila.
When the Don Juan blew up cheer
arose from each Of the American feet
and again the cry went up, "Remem-
Der the Maine. The Maine is avenged"
From his post Commodore Dewey gave
out his orders and these commands
were to keep maneuvering. 1t was this
order which rendered the shots from
the Spanish gunners so ineffective.
They and their commanding officers
seemed unable TO locate any OF the
American ships in time to deliver the
broadsides where they intended. No
sooner would a gun be sighted than
the whole American squadron would
have seemed to change position. and
the Spanish shots simply churned the
water in the bay. Those shells which
did take effect did so almost without
exception merely by chance, and il is
quite likely that some OF them came
from the land batteries. When the
Spaniards heard the explosion OF the
Don Juan they gave shouts of joy,