The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-17
THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE
But Few Of Those on Board Had
Opportunity to Escape.

NEW YORK, Feb. ia special
copyright to the Evening World
from Havana says the officers OF the
Maine state tina. the explosion was
in the central magazine, and that the
Maine was raised out of the water ana
then went partially to pieces. The dis
patcn continues:
"All the officers but the surgeon were
in the wardroom at the moment of the
explosion Then came the stupendous
shock. All the officers below rushed
on deck but could get 40 further for
ward than the middle superstructure on
deck. Only a very pitiable few of the
$50 Jack tars ever got from below. The
water rushed over them and many were
stunned and drowned, but not mangled.
1t is not likely that more than forty
sailors We're saved.
The officers on deck narrowly es-
capped. In the junior officers mess hall
all had to Chamber out in wreckage
waist deep. One ladder from the aft
torpedo compartment was damned with
men struggling up for life. All agree
that a double explosion occurred from
the natural result of an under water
explosion of the magazines"
The dispatch says that the account
of the passengers on the Ward line
steamer City of Washington which was
lying 800 yards from THE Maine, bears
out the foregoing statement Continu-
ing, the cable says: Brass pipe, angle
iron, etc. fell in a shower on the decks
of the City of Washington, so injuring
two boats that, when lowered, they
We're useless. Out of the dense smoke
came angushed cries for help. Stimuli
taneously with the cessation of falling
fragments, search lights were thrown
on the wreck and it's load of agony.
Spanish boats from the shore joined
those of the Washington alongside at
once, but the regular ferry boats pass
ing soon after the explosion, did not
stop to offer aid.
A special cable to the Evening
World from Havana says:
Il have just seen twenty-nine sailors
of the Maine silently enduring the
torture caused by powder-skinned faces
and broken bones and mangled flesh.
They are being Well cared for in the
military hospital at San Ambrosio here.
The less seriously injured men are on
the City Of Washington.
The severely wounded men will have
the best of attention also from the men
and women of the American colony.
All the injured show great grit. You
cannot hear a whimper from one of the
twenty nine swathed forms, nor from
those anywhere else.
THE heavy rainfall which immedi-
ately followed last nights horror still
continues in a dreary, dismal drizzle
Out in the bay lies the wreck of the
once proud Maine. Her steel upper deck
forward has been completely lifted and
turned over on her starboard side None
Of the big guns in the turrets are WISH
BILE. The Maine is slightly listed to
port, and all of the forward massive
cranes for the unloading of the ships
boats have completely disappeared
The big tunnels lie fiat upon the
twisted and gnarled iron braces and
pieces of the steel deck. From the fun
nels aft the ship seems to be intact
She has settled until the water has
covered the top of her superstructure
and the stern searchlight and the rapid
fire gun look over the water just below
them.
Most, If not all, the bodies will be
recovered Two bodies We're recovered
are those of Lieutenant Jenkins and
Assistant Engineer Merritt. A vigil
liant lookout is being kept for bodies
Out of fifty-nine injured, not over four
are likely to die. All but five Off
GERS will go to-day to Key West All
the slightly wounded and all the able
bodied men will go also. with the ex-
ception of few who will be kept here
to identify bodies when they are Sc
cured by the divers. The officers re-
naming will stop at the Hotel Ingle-
terre. The following sailors are in San
Ambrosio. All but three will live. One
man could not give his name. Dan
Cronin. New York; William McGin-
ness. Boston; John Coffey, Boston: A.
Hallen. Brooklyn; James Rol. New
York; Francisco Cahill, Massachusetts;
Joe koena. Boston; Fred Gerene, New