Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-02-18
CRUISER MAINE A WRECK.
The Battle ship Blown UP In The
Harbor of Havana.
Over One Hundred are Killed. The Cause
of the sad Disaster is not Definitely
Knawn. The explosion Oc-
Cured Late at Night.

Havana, Feb. 16.-At quarter OF 10
o'clock last evening terrible explosion
took place on board the United States
battleship Maine i'll Havana harbor.
Many were killed and wounded.
All the boats OF the Spanish cruiser
Alfonso XIII. are assisting.
AS yet the cause oil the explosion is
not known.
1t is believed that the ship is totally
destroyed
The explosion shook the whole city.
The windows were broken in all the
houses.
The wounded sailors who were res
cued say the explosion took place while
they were asleep, and they know moth
ing OF the cause.
The widest CONSERVATION prevails in
Havana.
The wharves are crowded with thou.
sands OF people.
1t is believed the explosion occurred
in a small powder magazine.
At quarter of II, what remains OF
the Maine is still burning.
Captain Sigsbee and the other officers
have been saved.
1t is estimated that over 100 of the
crew were killed. but it is impossible as
yet to give exact details.
The Maine was built in New York in
1890, at a cost OF Se,5SS,ooo. She had
steel hull and compliment OF S74 men.
The Havana hremen are giving aid,
tending carefully to the wounded as they
are brought on shore.
General Soano and the other generals
have been ordered by Captain General
Blanco TO take steps to help the Names
crew in every way possible.
The correspondent Of the Associated
Press has been near the Maine, and seen
others OF the wounded, who corroborate
the statement OF those first interviewed
that they were already asleep when the
explosion occurred.
Captain Sigsbce says the explosion
occurred in the bow of the vessel. He
received a wound in the head
Orders were given to the other Off
GERS to save themselves as best they
could.
They showed great sclf-possession
and heroism.
At 1890 the Maine still continues
burning
The first theory was that there had
been preliminary explosion in the
Santa Barbara (magazine), with powder
or dynamite below the water.
Capt. sigsbee Confirms the Report.
Washington, Feb 16.-The secretary
Of the navy has received the following
telegram from Captain Sigsbee:
Maine blown up in Havana harbor
at o:4o last night and destroyed.
Many wounded and doubtless more
killed and drowned
md ptbarc ~, hf,rd C,an-
ish man-of-war and Ward line steamer.
"Send lighthouse tenders from Key
West for crew and few pieces OF equip
ment still above (water).
"No one had other clothes than those
upon him.
Public opinion should be suspended
till further report.
Cali officers believed to be saved.
Jenkins and Merritt not yet account
ed for.
Many Spanish officers. including
representatives of General Blauco now
with ME and express sympathy.
-"Sigsbee"
The officers referred to in the above
dispatch arc Lieutenant Friend W. Jcn-
kins and Assistant Engineer Darwin r.
Merritt.
From the wording of the dispatch the
navy department thinks it possible that
they were on shore at the time of the
accident
The secretary of the navy received an
other dispatch from Key West at the
same time with the above, but its con.
tents were not made public.
The orders for the lighthouse tenders
were at once sent to Key West in plair
language, thus avoiding the delay thai
would have arisen from the use OIL
cipher.
Learned at Washington.
Long received Captain sigsbee's dis.
patch but a few minutes before the press
dispatches from Havana were handed tc
him. He received the news with ap.
parent calm, and his first act was to
comply with Captain Sigsbee's request
that assistance be sent from Key West
He Immediately wired Captain Forsythe
at Key West to proceed with the nava
tender Fern to Havana harbor.
Secretary Long then sent for Captain
Dickens. and the two discussed Captain
Sigsbee's brief telegram. No othel
naval officers were present, and beside.
the secretary and Captain Dickens thu
naval colony here is ignorant of this dis
aster, the greatest which has befaller
the American navy since the disaster a
Apia many years ago.
The secretary is inclined to believ,
that most OF the officers OF the Main,
were on shore at the time of the acct
While neither the secretary nor Cap
tain Dickens are inclined to discuss thu
probable cause OF the accident, severa
were yputi,red i1onn