The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-02-25
THE MAINE DISASTER.
A Suociaet Account OF the Great
Calamity.
Story of the Explosion 7 oh by Oss Of the
4Akns's Onie.rs just = k<-<rs state
ment->o Opinion ts
the Cause Of IT.

j. BlaDdin, of Baltimore. one of the
Names survivors, who is at the Key
West hotel. gave the correspondent
last evening a succlnct account of the
disaster, saying that not until now has
he been able 10 recollect the sequences
of events ia the awful ten minutes fog-
lowing the explosion Tuesday evening.
Lieut. Blandin was on the Trenton AZ
the time Of the disaster off samoa in
March, is.9. when American and Ger
man vessels lost "a men all told.
Lieut. Hantin says:
II was on watch. and when the men
had been piped below, looked down
the main hatches and over the side of
the ship. Everything was absolutely
normal. J walked aft TO the quarter
deck. behiid The rear turret. as is al
lowed after eight o'clock in the even
ing. and sat down ON the port side,
where ! reclaimed for few minutes
Then. for some reason cannot ex-
plain TO myself now, 1 moved to the
starboard side and sat down there.
was feeling a bit glum and. in fact.
was 50 quiet that Lieut.. J. Hood came
up and asked laughingly IL l was
asleep said:
No. ! am on watch
Scarcely had spoken when there
came a dull. sullen roar. Would to God
that / could b.0s out the sound and the
scenes that followed Then came a
sharp explosion. some say numerous
detonations remember only one. Ii
seemed - me that the sound came from
the port side forward Then came a
perfect rain Of missiles of all kinds.
from huge pieces Of cement to blocks
OF wood. steel ratings. fragments of
gratings ana .il tie debris that would
be detachable in 81 explosion
II was struck on >sle head by piece
of cement and knoc>ed down. but |
was not hurt, and got - my feet in a
moment Lieut.. Hood haa run To the
poop. and | supposed. a. Followed.
he was dazed By the shock am about
TO Jump overheard hailed hiA and
he answered that ne had run to-ns
poop TO help lower the boats When I
got there, though scarce minute
could have elapsed. had TO wade in
water to my knees. and almost in
stantly the quarter deck was awash-
On the poop found Capt sigsbee. as
cool as If at a ball. and soon all the
officers except Jenkins and Merritt
Joined US. The poop was above water
after the Maine settled TO the bottom.
Capt Sigsbee ordered the launch and
barge lowered and the officers and men
who had by this time assembled go'
( the boats out and rescued a number IN
the water
Capt. Sigsbee ordered Lieutenant
Commander Wainwright forward x
see the extent of the damage and i
anything could be done TO rescue those
forward or TO extinguish the flames
which followed close upon the explo
sion and burned fiereely as long a
there was any combustibles abov,
water to feed them
Lieutenant Commander Vain
wright. on his return. reported th'
total and awful character of the cal
amity and Capt sigsbee gave the last
sad order. abandon ship 10 men over
whelned with grief. indeed, but calm
and apparently unexcited.
Meantime four boats from the span
( ish cruiser Alfonso MI. arrived. To b.
followed soon BY two from the Ware
line steamer City of Washington Thu
two boats lowered from the City o
Washington were found To be riddles
with dying debris from the Maine anS
unfit for use. Capt sigsbee was ths
/ l.. 4 nd "a.
left in his own gig.
IL have no theory as TO the cause OF
the explosion | can not form any. Al
examination by divers NAV tell some
thing to a court Of inquiry. /. will
others. have heard that the Havana
harbor was full Of torpedoes- but thu
officers whose duty it was to examine
into that reported that they found ns
signs Of any. Personally | do not be
lieve the Spanish had anything 10 d.
with the disaster. Time may tell.
hope 80.
I'VE were in delicate position on tho
the Maine 80 far as taking any precau
tons was concerned We were friend.
in a friendly. or alleged friendly port
and could not fire upon or challeng'
the approach Of any boat boarding Us
unless convinced that her intention
was hostile.
wish TO Heaven 1 could forget ii
have been in two wrecks now an
have had my share. But the reverber
atoms Of that sullen. yet resonant
roar. As IL the bottom of the sea wcr'
grooming in torture. will haunt me 10
many day. and the reflection of tina
pillar of flame comes 10 ne even whe
close my eyes
Capt sigsbee went on board the A
fonso XII. Wednesday and thanked III
Spanish commander, Capt. Manu-
Elias. for the services the Spanish sal
ors had rendered upon the occasion 9
the great disaster.
Contrary To the reports current. III
divers have not yet made any investing
ton of the wreck. and the gener
opinion expressed in Spanish circles
Ilanvana is that the explosion occurr,
inside the Maine