Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-02-26

that the cruiser is totally destroyed.
The explosion shook the whole city
and windows were broken in almost
every building IN the town.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press says he has conversed with stv-
Sr.A OF the sailors, ana under
stands from them that the explosion
took place while they were asleep, so
that they car give no particulars as
TO the cause.
May BE 100 Dead.
Havana, Feb. 1.-THE widest con-
~sternation prevails in Havana. The
wharves are crowded with thousands
of people. 1t is believed the explosion
on the Maine occurred in a small pow
der magazine.
At l0:45 last night what remained
of the Maine was still burning.
Commander Sigsbee and the other
officers have been saved. 1t is esti-
mated that over 100 people were killed,
but it is impossible as yet to give eX-
act details.
Admiral Manterolla has ordered that
boats of all kinds should 60 TO the as
sistance of the Maine and her wound
ed. The Havana firemen gave aid and
attended carefully TO the wound
ed as they were brought ashore. 1t is
q terrible sight. General Solano and
the other generals have been ordered
by Captain General Blanco to take
steps TO help the Names crew in every
way possible. The correspondent OF
the Associated Press has been near the
Maine in one of the boats of the cruis-
er Alfonso XII, and seen others of the
wounded, who c~orroboratc the state
ment of those first interviewed that
they were already asleep when the ex-
plosion occurred.
Captain Sigsbee says the explosion
occurred in the bow of the vessel. He
received a wound in the head. Orders
were given TO the other officers to save
themselves as best they could. The
latter, who were literally thrown from
their hunks in their night clothing,
gave the necessary orders with great
self possession and bravery.
At 1890 the Maine continued burn
ing. The first theory was that there
had been a preliminary explosion in
the Santa Barbara ~(magazine) with
powder or dynamite below the water.
Admiral Manterola believes that the
first EXPLOSION was of n grenade shell
Commander Sigsbre Heard From.
Washington, Feb. 1.-THE secre-
tary OF the navy received the follow
ing telegram from Commander Sigs-
bee:
Maine blown up in Havana harbor
at 9:4O and destroyed. Many wounded
and doubtless more killed and
drowned. Wounded and others on
board Spanish man of war and Ward
line steamer. Send lighthouse tenders
from Key West for crew and few pieces
of equipment still above water.
Public opinion should be suspended
till further report. All officers be-
lieved to be saved. jenkins and Mer-
rift not yet accounted for. Many
Spanish officers, including representa-
tives of General Blanco, now with me
and express sympathy. Sigsbee."
The officers referred to in the
above are:
Lieutenant Friend w. Jenkins and
Assistant Engineer Darwin w. Merritt.
From the wording of the dispatch
the navy department thinks it possible
that they were on shore at the time of
the accident. The secretary of the
navy received another dispatch from
Key West at the same time with the
above, but its contents was not made
public.
The orders for the lighthouse ten
ders were at once sent to Key West in
plain language, thus avoiding the de-
lay that would have arisen from the
use of cipher.
Secretary Long received Captain
Sigsbee's dispatch but a few minutes
before the Associated Press dispatches
from Havana were handed to him. He
received the news with apparent
calmness, and his first act was to COM
ply with Captain Sigsbee's request
that assistance be sent from Key West.
He Immediately wired Captain For
sythe. ~ Key W"st, 70 proceed with
the naval tender Fern to Havana har-
Dor.
Secretary Long then sent for Cap.
tain Dickens and the two discussed
Sigsbee's brief telegram. No
other naval officers were present and
beside the secretary and Captain Dick
ems, the naval colony is ignorant of the
disaster, the greatest which has be-
fallen the American navy since the dis
at Apia many years ago. The
secretary is inclined to believe that
most OF the officers of the Maine were
on shore at the time of the accident,
as it was still early in the night.
While neither the secretary nor Cap
tain Dickens is inclined to discuss the
probable cause of the accident, several
suggestions were ventured upon. They
believe that it may have been caused
by a fire in the bunkrrs heating the
oulkhead near n magazine, or that an
'ccident may have occurred while in
'pecting high explosives for torpedoes.
" course this is mere speculation and
the secretary is a~nxiously waiting a
more detailed report from Captain
Sigsbee.
Later the secretary sent another
'elegram to Key West directing that
he tender Mangrove also be ZEN to
Havana.