West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1898-02-24
BLOWING UP A BATTIESH|P.
The Maine and 25S OF Our Brave
Sailor Boys Sent to the Bottom
Of the Bay In HaVana Harbor.

week over the blowing up OF the
battleship Maine i'm the harbor OF
Havana and the killing of 25S OF
our brave sailor boys. A disaster
like this in time OF war would be
bad enough, but in peace, it is
much more terrible. The explosion
took place on Tuesday night of
last week just before ten o'clock
There is no doubt whatever but
that it was caused by the bursting
of torpedo under the ship, which
caused her magazine to explode
with awful force and hurled the
sleeping sailors into eternity. Many
were killed instantly, while others
were drowned and some are miss
ing and probably never will be
found. Dead bodies were washed
ashore and found floating around
the wreck. every day since the
tragedy, while others we're found
by divers, but most of them so mu-
tilated by tho explosion and by the
sharks that Identification was i'm =
| possible. The dead sailors were all
buried In Havana, as it was i'm
possible to send them home for
burial. A Catholic priest of that
city donated piece of ground for
use OF a cemetery, specially for the
victims of the disaster. The funeral
was a very large one, and attended
by all the officials and by thousands
Of the people.
The Spanish government and off,
cials all deny that the ship was
blown up by torpedo, and claim
that it was an accident caused by
an explosion OF the magazine in
the hold of the ship.
They make all kinds of bypo-
critical expressions of sorrow and
sympathy and coincidence, etc., but
are evidently immensely tickled
over it. only they don't dare to let
on. Many of the common people
in Havana and SPAN don't try to
conceal their delight over our mis-
fortune and the death of the Yam.
kee boys" as they call us.
Captain Sigsbee, the commander
of the Maine, and several OF the
other officers. escaped and have
since been doing all they can for
the relief Of the wounded and
honor of the dead. The slilors
who escaped were picked mp by
boats from the Spanish warshlp
Alfonso, which was in the harbor
at the time, and by boats from
other vessels, which came promptly
to the rescue after the explosion.
Capt. Slgsbee was the last man to
leave the ship, and has the reputa-
ton of being brave and efficient
officer.
Gen. Lee and Capt. Sigsbee are
making Investigations in regard to
the explosion, and military COM
mission has gone to Havana to
make a thorough examination of
the wrecked vessel and take testi-
mony and report to the government
at Washington, but whether this
will amount to anything or not is
doubtful, for if the ship was blown
up by a Spanish torpedo, the re-
shifting explosions of her own am
munitIon, caused such a terrible
wreck that it would be impossible
TO tell now what started it, and the
parties who did the devilment evil
IDENTIFY figured on that beforehand.
The whole harbor OF Havana 10 a
network of submarine torpedoes,
so arranged by connection with the
forts on shore by means Of hidden
wires and electric batteries, that
any ship in the harbor can be easily
blown mp by just touching button,
aud it is said that threats we're
made, even by Spanish officials,
that this would be done when the
Maine first arrived there, and it
seems that the explosion was ex-
pecied by the people in Havana,
and they were not surprised when
it took place, although it was so
great that it broke most OF the
windows out in the city near the
bay.
Most people are inclined to be-
Ileve that the dastsrdly work was
dore by some cranks or individuals
on their own account, and that the
Spanish govern ment bad nothing
10 do with it, but there is no doubt
huf thar n zoe do.,,.o D., oo...., r 4 -