Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-03-31

March q, 189S.-After full and ma
ture consideration Of all the testi-
n, ony before it, the court finds as
follows:
l. That the United States battle
ship Maine arrived in the harbor of
Havana, Cuba, on the 18th dav of
January, 1898, and was taken to
Buoy No. 4, in from -and-a-half to
six fathoms of water, b. the regular
government pilot.
The United States consul-general
at Havana had notified the author
tiles at that place the previous even
ing of the intended arrival of the
Maine.
2. The state of discipline on board
the Maine was excellent and all
orders and regulations in regard to
the care and safety of the ship were
strictly carried out. ALI ammuni-
ton was slowed away in accordance
with instructions, and proper care
was taken whenever ammunition was
handled. Nothing was slowed in any
which was not permitted to be slowed
there. The magazines and sheIlrooms
were always locked after having been
opened, and after the destruction of
the Maine the keys were found in
their proper place in the captains
cabin, everything having been re
ported secure that evening at 8
o'clock.
The temperatures Of the magazines
and shellrooms were taken daily and
reported. The only magazine which
had an undue amount of heat was
the after 10-;nch magazine, and that
did not explode at the time the Maine
was destroyed. The torpedo war
heads were all slowed in the after
part of the snip under the wardroom
and neither caused nor participated in
the destruction of the Maine
The dry guacOtton primers and
detonators were slowed in the cabin
aft and remote from the scene of the
explosion. The waste was care
fully looked after on board the Maine
to obviate danger. Special orders in
regard to this had been given by the
commanding. officer. Varnishes, dry
ers, alcohol and other combustibles
Of this nature were slowed on or
above the main deck and could not
have had anything to do with the
destruction of the Maine.
The medical stores were slowed aft
under the wardroom and remote from
the scene Of the explosion.
No dangerous stores of any kind |
were slowed below in any of the |
other storerooms
The cOalbunkers were inspected. Of |
those bunkers adjoining the for
ward magazines and shellrooms four
were empty; namely, Be-, "a, B5, BIG. !
A15 had been in use that dav and !
A16 was full Of new river coal. This |
coal had been carefully inspected be- /
fore receiving it on board. The bunker
n which it was slowed is accessible
IN three sides at all times, and the
fourth side at this time on account
Of bunkers B4 and B6 being empty.
This bunker AIS had been inspected
hat day by the engineer officer on
luty.
The fire alarms IN the bunkers were
n working order, and there had
lever been a case Of spontaneous
combustion of coal On board the
Laine.
The two after-boilers Of the ship
we're in use at the time Of the dis
ster, but for auxiliary purposes only.
Nth a comparatively low pressure
f steam and being tended by re-
liable watch. These boilers could not
ave caused the explosion Of the ship.
he four forward boilers have since
cen found by the divers and are 10
air condition.
On the night Of the destruction of
ne Maine everything had been re-
orted secure for the night at s D.
l., by reliable persons, through the
roper authorities, to the command r
lg officers. At the time the Maine c
as destroyed the ship was quiet and
lerefore least liable to accident s.
fused by movements from those on a
bard.