The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-24
NM O,Irloa Is Gslaiaa Strength
Daily ID Havana.
1He TESTIMONY OF AN EYE WITNESS
First Explosion Caused Geyser OF
Mater to Rise Up.
MANY STRANGE TALES TOLD
t,sptn,n OF an English bark n Mile
Away says = Bewhiskered jaw
Fell ON His Deck.

New York, February pa dispatch to
the Herald from Havana says: The further
the inquiry into the causes that led TO the
Maine disnstsr proceeds the more remote
appears the chance that any evidence viii
BIO discovered to show that the disaster
was due to accident. The divers who
penetrated into the forward part OF the
wreck found that the whole forward end OF
the ship. from point just abaft the for
ward turret, had been Waited fifteen or
twenty degrees TO the starboard That
part of the vessel was wilderness OF de-
bris and curled and twisted plates.
The sharp, Jagged edges OF some of the
plates added danger 10 the difficulties OF
The divers, getting life lines into tanglc
aud severlng tho cords. In one instance
they almost cut through a tube which sup
piled the diver with air.
A full score OF bodies We're examined by
my Informant. All those bodies were In
hammocks and all had the arms curved
upward They looked as II the men had
been startled by some sudden shock OF
danger and were In the act OF reaching M
FOR their hammock hooks to swing them
selves on deck when death came
This seems to confirm what has already
been said about the explosion surprising
the men in the net of leaving their ham
mocks Before the explosion the ten-iuch
magazine was located on the starboard
side forward and beneath the forward tur-
ret. What Is left of the magazine seems
10 have been driven toward the port bow.
In diagonal and upward direction.
The six-inch magazine. which had ITS
location In tho port side OF the ship for
ward, was hurled In position directly OPP
Dosite TO that OF the tcn-inch magazine.
Tho copper pipe for the ten-inrh magazine
was found in the wreck Of that structure.
II contained no powder charge
The ten-incb magazine has not been
closely examined at this writing. but such
Inspection as was made leads to the be-
lief that the big pile of twisted wrockagc
that lies about the top OF 1t is composed OF
z the unexpoaed en-iuch magazine. This ia
borne out by the testimony ofssenor Cab
alrcro. n tobacco dealer of Havana. Senior
Cabalrero was crossing tho bay in a ferry
boat Al the time of tho disaster. He was
familiar with the Maine, having paid sew
eral visits to the vessel, and was pointue
out to group of friends her pecullnrties
There came Just Mt that instant he says
dull report from the forward part OF I'll,
ship, tho upheaval of a geyser of watoI
about the boat followed almost Instant,
by a terrific roar and a binding Hash o
light. He is positive about the nrst ex
plosion, and says that II was noticed by hi
companions. This statement of his came b
the ears OF one OF the court of inquiry, an,
last night an officer was sent to Seno
Cabalrero to ask him II he wonld appea
MS witness before the court. lie an
nouncad his willingness to do so.
Many strange tales OF the disaster az
brought out as the days wear on. one q
these Mas made known yesterday. who
the captain Of an English bark. anohofe
in the hsrbor, nearly milo distant fror
the Maine, told how n bewhlskercd ia,
had fallen on the deck OF his vessel Tn
captain has been asked 10 appear as
witness before tho court Of inquiry,