The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-02-15
Anniversary of Destruc-
tion of Battleship
In Havana Har Dor
Is FittlngIy
Observed


WASHINGTON. Feb. 15.-The
anniversary of the destruction OF
the battleship Maine in Havana
harbor was observed today with
religious and military ceremonies.
A military mass was celebrated at
st. Patrick's Catholic church, at
which the Rev. Father Thomas
McGuigan officiated. Impressive
services were held at Arlington
National cemetery, where LA vic
Tins of the explosion which prect-
pitated the war with Spain, lie
buried.
An eulogy of the dead heroes
was delivered by the Rev. William
T. Russell. An immense throng
gathered at the cemetery to place
flowers upon the graves. Presi-
dent Roosevelt sent beautiful
floral tribute.
Tribute by Admiral Sigsbee
The principal address OF the
day was delivered by Rear Ad-
miral Sigsbee, who was command
er of the Maine.
After the anchor of the sunken
Maine had been dedicated as a part
of a monument to the sailor dead,
Admiral Sigsbee spoke as follows:
Comrades and Friends: When
the battleship Maine was Destroy
ed at Havana II years ago today,
two of her officers and ESQ OF her
crew came to sudden death. Later
eight members of her crew died in
hospitals from wounds received in
that awful catastrophe. Only Is
men of the Maine escaped injury.
Her officers numbered 26 men and
her crew 32S.
twenty-five Of her dead are
buried at Key West. Several are
buried remotely at different
places. Sixty-seven are buried
only God knows where. Here, in
a cemetery dedicated to our coun-
try's heroic dead, lie 165 who
were buried formerly in Colon
cemetery in the city of Havana.
"In December, 1899, the bat
tleship Texas, under my COM
mand, proceeded to Havana and
there with the assistance of Chap
lain John P. Chadwick, she took
on board all of the Names dead
from Colon cemetery and brought
them to the United States. They
were laid to rest in Arlington in
the presence of President McKin-
ley, the secretary of the navy and
other high officials of the govern
ment, and with distinguished army
and navy escort and ceremony.
"The offices for the dead were
led by Chaplain Chadwick. Vol
leys were fired and taps closed
the ceremonies, as indeed taps had
closed the lives of these gallant
men. On that dark, overcast and
ominously quiet night II years
ago, taps took on a new meaning
to the survivors of the Maine.
They were sounded that night
with exceptional solemnity.
"In the pause, the echoes rolled
back from the hills with such dis
tinctness that all listened and
heard. Taps, the nightly signal
for silence and sleep, was, there
fore, the last distinctive sound
heard by these men in life, for in
Ione-half hour they were dead, for
the greater part dead, dead in
their sleep. And the bugler, him.
self dead. He had sounded re-
Iquiem for himself and his ship
mates.
1--WE are assembled here today,
some as individuals, and others as
members of patriotic organiza-
ltions, to honor our dead. The
manner of their dying calls for
our deepest sympathy and most
profound sorrow. The honorable
chance of war that others had
later, these men did not have, yet
just as truly they served their
country as we'll.
Beyond all doubt our whole
people feel deeply the loss of the
Names men and with no passing
grief. The present gatherings and
1.-THE gatherings and ceremonies
elsewhere today show that these
dead are not forgotten. To me,
as to no other man, has come a
knowledge of the sorrow and dis
ltress spread broadcast by that
catastrophe of the Maine. Com
Trades and friends-as the COM
mander OF the Maine when she
was lost, and so far as l may as
sumo to be representative of this
occasion, Join my hands to yours
in patriotic fellowship and CRATE
ful appreciation of these COM
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