Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-02-24
THE MAINE HORROR.
The Number of Dead Seamen Said
to Be About 900.
KILOGRAMS SENT and RECEIVED.
Doms Survivors Reach Key West, Fla, and
They Pooh. Pooh the Idea That the
Disaster to the Battleship
Was IN Accident.

a, intense excitement at the navy de-
nartment and elsewhere, growing out
~ The obstruction of the battleship
Maine In Havana harbor Tuesday
n,oht The situation last nipht, after
Tho exchange of a number Of cable
grams betweeu Washington and Ha.
cana ran he summed up In the words
NJ Secretary Long. who, when asked,
AZ he was about to depart for the day,
whether he had reason To suspect that
ths disaster was the work Of an enemy,
renli.d:
have no. In that am influenced by the
fact that Capt sssbee has not yet reported 70
the navy department On 'so , Vs .oer, O. ,ono
uehs,y dos. an, himself certainly can.
not should think from the indications, how
ever that there was an accident-that the
magazine exploded now ,a sna' 0a' s auSu'
40 no. va n rab'n will bs sent tn Havana
Ths annallinp nature Of the disaster
md the gravity of the situation that
would arise should investigation give
n basis for the undercurrent of suspi-
cion Of treacbery and foul play that
rap ,hrouob all minds had SOLDERING
effect mon public men of all shades Of
noliticaI opinion. The fact stands
forth and il little less than remarka.
ble that not single resolution was
introduced or a single speech made in
either house Of congress save one Of
coincidence with the families Of The
killed offered by Mr.. Boutelle, and
adopted by the house of representa-
tivcs Public men expressed their
oninions with reserve when ap-
proached. but everywhere there was
demand for an investigation and full
details in the lrht Of which the horror
NAV be Justly viewed.
Secretary Long undoubtedly sum
married. the general opinion Of the
majority Of the naval experts In find.
mo Il i,npossible lust now to state the
cause of the destruction Of the Maine.
There ara great number OF theories,
but most Of them are Of q character
that makes II easv to prove or upset
them nv n single investigation Of O
diver, Secretary Long has taken i'm.
mediate steps to make this investiga-
tim Late Yesterday afternoon, he
telepraphed to Adm Sicard at Key
West to appoint board Of naval
officers TO proceed at once to Havana,
emnlov divers and to make such In.
ouiries as the regulations Of the navy
demand shall be made in the case OF
the loss of shin.
The large majority of naval officers
are inclined to the belief that the ex-
plosion resulted from spon taneous COM
bustion Of a coal bunker, the over
heating Of the iron partitions between
the boilers and the magazine, or from
the explosion Of boiler, though the
last theory finds little support. The
pews NJ tha d,saster created a nro.-
=, -, g..
lounu 'ihproSs'o" "' oio s"p''o" o0""
tors ana members OF the mousse, as
rule, expressed the opinion for publ
cation TINT the catastronhe was the re-
~. - -. 81 -. - a.s,,,,
eui' VI "'o'"on'' """ NV VI "o''sA'
Dut there were some Opinions gehor-
ally expressed under the breath, with
the admonition not TO publish. TO the
A.. a.. ~, ,#.i, ,o,,,oa r.,,, ,,vs.
o"'o' '""' ".' -
FERROUS ana doup'lul. AS . rule Sens'
tors expressed the opinion that the de-
partment would and should make thor
ough investigation and added that for
the present 1t would be unnecessary
for congress to take the matter up.
rELEeRAMs SENT AND RECEIVED.
WARRINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE follow.
Inc cablepram was received by the
state department from Consul General
Ioo last n;oht.
uIv.uA Nah N-profound sorrov az.
nrossad hv ,ovarrmsnt and municinal an.
Mor,t,o, norsu,. ~ ,oroior ra,ione orcop,yed
hodias n, Mi vor,s and citiyans uenersIlv
U,o,. =, hov ,ra.t ~, govarnor yereral,s nal
.oo IN shirn,ry IN horhor ard In citv pnsi.
ness suspended; theaters closed Dead num-
Der about zoo of,cers' quartersbeing in rear
and seamons forward where explosion TOOK
place accounts for greater proportional loss OF
sailors Funeral to-day Of three p m Ofiicers
Merritt and jenkins still missing. Suppose
you ask that naval court OF inquiry be held to
ascertain cause Of explosion. Hope our people
will repress excitement ind calmly await de-
Vision :, LAA
Inc president mas oruereu 'aa' W.
Jay anu un'i, iurs"er no''ce 'ne mug ..
I'LL navy yaras anu oh h"V"' 'esscis' ~
posts' army neaoquar,ers anu oh I'LL
puoilc ouila'hgs shai. NC na'i 'nas'eu'
La'e las' hight 'he io'low,ng us
pa,ch IRON oap" oigsoee' "' naV"na