The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-23
CONTRACT WITH WRECKERs.
Arrangements Made For Beginning
Work ON the Maine at Once.

Work ON the Maine at Once.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 22-The plans of
the wrecking expedition for the relief of
the Maine were completed to-day after long
conferences between Secretary Long and
the representa- tives of the Merritt & Chap
man Company, of New York and the Bos-
ton Tow-boat Company. The companies had
expected to begin work in Havana harbor
in about a week. but at the last moment
Secretary Long insisted that a provision
should be made for sending forward at once
at least one large wrecking boat with div
ers and equipment. This was agreed to and
a dispatch was sent to the captain of the
sea-wrecker Right Arm, now at Key West
to suspend his private work there and pro-
ceed at once to Havana If the Right Arm
has started north a torpedo boat will be
sent after her with orders TO proceed to
Havana. AT the same time a dispatch was
sent to the New York offices of tile co m
pany to send two of the most experienced
divers by train to Key West, where they
will so to Havana and join the divers and
wreckers on the Right Arm. The comman-
der of the Right Arm is directed to place
himself, with his divers and machinery,
under the orders of Captain Sigsbee, who
thus will be free to avail himself of their
services in the recovery of bodies or any
particularly desirable piece of equipment
or property before the regular wrecking
operations begin. These are emergency
steps which precede the Maine wrecking
expedition, which will be outfitted at Bos.
ton, New York and Norfolk, with a view to
beginning extensive operations within
week.
The terms of the contract, as concluded
and signed to-day, provide for the payment
to the wreclxing companies of the sum of
$S1 per day for their regular plant and an
additional payment of $500 per day for the
use Of the Monarch, while the latter is act
ually employed. An express provision is
made that the government may terminate
the contract at any moment. 1t is also pro-
vided that the compensation shall not ex-
ceed the sum of money ($20O,0OO) appropri-
ated by Congress for this purpose in the
joint resolution passed yesterday. Finally
it is provided that if the companies succeed
in raising the Maine. and towing her to
New York. they shall receive a bonus of
100000.
In view of the large first cost of the
Maine, about 5000 600, and the national de-
sire that she shall be raised, as evidenced
by the prompt and unanimous action of
Congress the joint resolution, Secretary
Long believes that he is fully justified in
making the above terms with the wreckers
though at first thought the per diem COM
pensation seems large. 1t must be borne in
mind however, he said to-day that this
will constitute the largest wrecking expedi-
ton ever equipped in this country. More
over the wreckers expressed willingness
TO go to work in the usual way that they
serve underwriters, namely to do the
wrecking and then take the award of
board of arbitration. This plan. however
was not open to the government, which is
compelled by law to fix exact terms In ad-
vance. A clause of the contract requires
the companies to proceed with all dispatch
and in d business-like manner with the
work of wrecking and though this haste
adds to the cost of the work, it is believed
to be necessary, in view of the possibility
of the early appearance of yellow fever at
Havana harbor with the approach of the
rainy season next month
Captain Humphreys and Mr.. Chapman
representing the two companies who will do
the work explained to the Associated Press
the plans they will adopt in wrecking the
Maine. In addition to the emergency work
to be prosecuted by the Right Arm, the
Maine expedition will be made up of about
one hundred including six skilled divers;
the wrecl1ing steamer Underwater. of Bos-
ton, of six hundred horse power; the wreck
ing steamer John G. Jones, of Norfolk, Of
similar power; the iron barge Lone Star,
of Boston, capable of carrying three thou
sand tons the floating derrick, capable OF
lifting 260 tons, the largest floating der
rick in the country, and another derrick
capable of lifting thirty tons. The forward
ing of the boats. derricks and men will be-
gin at once. kilograms were sent to-day to
begin the Quitting, the taking on of coal
and the assembling of men and equipment
The boats are ready 10 start at any time
but it will take day or two to get to-
gether the exceptional facilities required
for this large undertaking. The wreckers
say it viii be impossible 10. assemble this
material and get it into Havana harbor
ready for work in less than a week They
will make every effort. however, to expe-
dite the work, and on leaving Secretary
Long at ] o'clock they took trains for New
York and Boston with the determination
of rushing the work
Probably Lieutenant Commander VAIN
wright. the executive officer of the Maine
now in Havana, will be assigned to the duty
Of inspecting the work as II proceeds The
officers of the two wrecking companies to-
Continued ON Second PuGe.l