The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-02-22
BATTLRsHIP MAINF
BLOWN UPI
HUNDREDS OF LIVES LOST
TORPEDO MAY HAVE DOME THE
DEADLY WORK.

SP914S0 = @u9GAC VI SSS4SS I4I4ASS@4S
of Spain Floated n TarpedO Against
the Vessel Gains Crederce--The Death
Scene Under Morrow Castle Stories
of Those Who Were Saved From Death
in the Awful Disaster.
HAVANA, Feb. 16 The United States
battleship Maine was blown up at 40
o'clock last night in HAVANA harbor
and totally Destroyed.
The explosion occurred under the
mems quarters, we'll forward, and
Captain Sigsbee, who commanded the
Maine, states this afternoon that the
missing number is 253. :
Most of the men were asleep when
the accident accident occurred, which
accounts in some measure for the fear
ful loss Of life.
The vessels lies with her bows wholly
submerged and only a part Of her
stern showing.
The explosion, which shook the city
from n end to another, created the
widest excitement. ALI the electric
lights were put out by the shock. Fire
engines rushed madly from n direc-
ton to another, and no one knew for
certain from WHICH direction the ex-
plosion came.
Some of the crew who were able to
support themselves by swimming were
saved by the boats.
Some claim that the explosion was
caused by a grenade shell which was
thrown over the navy yard, and 9TH
ers that it was the accidental explosion
Of the ships magazine and others that
it was the work of Spanish torpedo
boat.
Tt is said that excitement in Wash
ington was higher whP1 the news of
the explosion Of the h4uine was heard
than it has been at any time since the
ne " that civil war had been declared
in 1861. Captain Sigsbee, of the Maine,
cabled to Washington of the explosion
and asks that public opinion be with
held until facts are known.
The Maine is a battleship of the
second class, and is regarded as one of
the best ships in the new navy. She
was built at the Brooklyn navy yards
and is 31S feet long, 81 feet broad, 81 6
mean draught, and 1862 tons displace
mant. She carries four 10 inch and
6 6-inch breech-loading guns in her
main battery and seven 6-pounder and
eight 1 FOUNDER rapid fire guns, and
four Cuttings in her secondary bat
terry, and four Whitehead topedoes.
The Maine was built in 1890 at a
cost of 81. 698, 600. She had a steel
hull and a complement of 81 men.
Messrs. Finch, Moss, Warren and
Williams are from North Carolina,
and were killed.
THE LOSS OF LIFE, 253.
About 10 o'clock the cabinet officers
came from the Presidents flee. One
of them stated that the President had
given directions that all official infor.
nation relating to the disaster should
be given to the public. A message
was received late in the day stating
that the total loss of missing number
253. The cabinet officers stated that
there we're many evidences that the
disaster was the result of accident.
This afternoon Secretary Long sent
the following dispatches to Command
81 Forsythe at Key West:
admiral Sicard is ordered to come
to Key West with a ship and serve out
clothing as necessary. Should he not
arrive before the Oiivette you r au-
thorizsd to purchase the necessary ar
ticles and serve out"
KEY WEST, Fla, Feb. 16 The cor
respondent of the Associated Press
has been assured in a reliable quarter
that Captain Sigsbee 10 under the inn,
preston that the warship Name was
blown up by a floating torpedo and
that he has communicated his impress
sions to Washington, asking at the
same time that the Navy Department
should send Naval engineers and me,
chanics to investigate the explosion.
THINK IT WAS A TORPEDO.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, Feb. ia
special to the Times Union and Citizen
from Key West says:
1.-THE general opinion of many Per
sons here is that the Maine was hit by
a torpedo after which the magazine ex
ploded. In an interview with Thomas
Melville, of Brookly, who was not in
iured, and was on watch on the quar-
ter deck, he said that he felt two dis
tinct shocks. The first was not as &C.
we're as the second which blew up the
ship. Other survivors are Of the same
opinion that it was foul work"