The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-18

Connected with the Maine pisaster-The
Nlrscuions E,enpe,.

CONNECTED WIN tue nnlnc Dtsnhtcf-ih c
ulrreuionl Escapes.
KEY WEST. Fla, Feb. 1.-THE an
thracitc coal here for the use OF the
United States warshlps Is being over
hauled In search for internal machines,
It is pointed out, however. that the
Maine took her coal on board here a
week ago and that II Is not likely that
the mechanism OF any Internal machine
would delay action so long.
When the keys OF the magazine wero
delivered to Captain s!gsbee tho tenn
perature OF the forward magazine was
90, and II Is sal1 that no high explosives
were stored there, which would seem to
make the mystery more dense.
Fears are expressed here that the
divers Will not be able to throw light IN
the cause OF the disaster, since the for
ward part OF the Maine Is practically In
atoms. While the main magazine.
which was filed with high explosives
and easily affected by conclusion. did
not SO up IS another mystery and a
mercy as well, since had the magazine.
exploded none could have escaped
death.
/ ltTt WGIC SUllt GuIluNb tsSiVGc AVN
death wheE the Maine blew up. Three
msn were doins; punishment watch on
the port quarter deck when the explo-
sion occurred. They all escaped IN
hurt.
One mar was sleeping in n yawt
hanging from the day!tt. The boat
vas blown to pieces and the man was
thrown into the water but he was res
cued unhurt.
Some time elapsed before people could
be convinced that the whole affair vas
not n dream.
The story that a torpedo may have
been concealed in the coal furnished to
the Maine Is scouteu here. but an In
spection OF fuel coal for the warshlps
will be made hereafter.
In this connection 1t Is advisable to
discuss the stories in circulation at Ha-
vana and here regarding the Maine hav-
ing been blown. up by 4 TORPEDO placed
under the ship. The Maine reached
Havana unannounced and therefore It
would have been difficult, II not impos-
sible 10 have placed O torpedo at the
spot where she was moored.
a lieutenant OF the Maine, whose
name Is withheld at his request, was
questioned to-day regarding the dis
patch from Havana saying that a diver
had discovered q hole apparently made
by a torpedo in the hull Of the Maine.
He said:
"Why not make the hole 500 feet or
5000 feet? One is as likely as the
other"
In short. the cause OF the explosion Is
completely shrouded in mystery and the
demolition Of the battleship is SO conf
plete that It is probable that the secret
of the disaster will never be known.
1t Is believed here that the censorship
at Havana will now be made more
strict than ever and that a postal super
vision will be demanded as a military
necessity.
No boats exceptNtorpedo boats and the
cruiser New York here or near here are
suitable to send to Havana. a strong
wind prevails and there Is rough water
in the gulf ard Florida channel. The
Bache. coast survey vessel, is not Ike
.ly to be here before tomorrow. The
Mangrove or Fern may come from Ha-
vana at any time.
The American and Cuban ladies here
are busy preparing delicacies for the
wounded and supplying the hospital
with flowers. Every one. from the boot
blacks to the. wealthy cigar manufac-
turers, are animated by sympathy and
are ax!ous TO do anything In their power
to relieve the wounded.