The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-04-11
WRECK mi MAINE m

Strange Story Of "a Maine Woran's
\ |. Dream Is. Previous 70 the Explosion. I.
From therc Chicago Record:Herald.
The wreck Of the battle ship Maine
still protrales above the water in the
busiest part Of the harbor Of Havana,
and Is not only an eyesore but an OF.
strnction TO navigation and q grieyous
reminder Of one OF the most lamenta.
BILE tragedies In history. IT has re.
manned In that way for nine years up
to the 10th of February, and although
two contracts for It's removal have
been made, neither has been carried
out. and 1t must remain until the gov.
eminent Of the United States removes
Il, because the Cubans have neither
the skill nor the enterprise nor the
facilities. for doing SO. The wreck lies
In SIX fathoms OF water and has grad.
ually settled into the mud anu filth
which has accumulated on the bottom
Of the bay from the sewage OF nearly
four centuries. No accident has yet
happened. but The wreck Is q continual
peril to navigation. The passenger
ships from New York, New Orleans,
Mexico and Florida anchor Immediate.
ly around It.
There have been many theories In
regard 10 the cause Of the explosion,
ind the subject has been probably dis.
cussed more In Havana than anywhere
else. Every atom Of light that could
be thrown upon the mystery and every
clew TO It's cause has been discussed
aud discussed over and over, until
public opinion here has now practi.
cally determined that the tragedy was
due not to torpedo or any other ex.
ternal cause, but TO the explosion OF
the powder in the forward magazine
Of the ship, caused by heat from spon.
taneous combustion In the coal bunk.
crs. This conclusion Is said to have
been strongly supported by the sur.
veg of the contractors who udertook
to raise the wreck. Their divers made
very different reports from those civ.
en- 10 the court Of inquiry shortly Of.
ter the tragedy, and maintain that al.
most all the damage Is found In the
forward part Of the ship, In the neigh
borhood Of the magazine; that there
are unmistakable evidences of a hot
fire in the coal bunkers Immediately
next TO the magazine, with nothing
but n sheet of Iron one.fourth Of an
inch thick between the fire and the
powder.
There Is curious story connected
with t,c cyrIosiaH If The Maine .,,,eh
has had considerable weight with ST..
norstI,Ious roon,n and ,,so with ho-.
headed. practical. sensible men. like
Senator Frye Admiral pr,drorI and
o.bars from. ,ha S,too NJ ,,o,,o ,,,o
know III, oh,roctor ,rd ,,;,oodor,o
or tho wifo of n drurcic, I, Tho o,,v
of | owtstor who sow ,ho ,r,ood,, 80
ho,rsod In dro,w tho ,,.,t u,o, n
occurred Sha ls mn, :, n,oeospio.a,
c,,Irvov,ni. shc do,s No, rr,io,J :,
nossnsv suuarn,turol ,owor, Inn, .ho
forn,o,I loc,I oror,r IN ,h,, o,,,,,u,,
tv In , mos, oy,roordi,orv monrnr ~
~ ,bo uoo,,I,, e,oai, bor w,,, ,ho ,,i,,
or divinotion ,rd ,ho ,owor ,r nro
rhoov
This woman ,nvor cow hot,,o CHIN.
she meyer SAW n rortross. yho Was
uevs, In uarou, nor noJ s,o oro.
ran, doror,,,,,or os ,ho ,nn,ou ~,
surround,ncs or tt,t c,tv cho w,s
ou,iro,v icror,nt y, tho ox,ston,o a,
tho hoi,,o chin Maine. eho uo. ,o,
ow,ra u,ot nv roero, NJ ,ho 1r,,,o,,
eto,os n,vv voc nj uoror, trt mon
,r.,tor,rr o,o no.nt,. ,to ,o,t ho.
h.,shord wboi eho In, coon l., . ,roon,
yo was 81 w,o,, ,nnroe,oa finn, or,o.
hroo,,s,., .,onnoa In ,,,o omo. :,
nm os ,,o moot .o,,,o,,,o ,ouroa. ~
,to cuv m,,o ,oturro,t v.t,t ht,, ., NJ,