The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-03-05
Boat Still Lies in the harbor q
Santiago Where She Was
Sunk by hobson.
HULK MAY NEVER BE REMOVED
Notable Naval Incident of the War
with Spain Which Now Seems
Almost Forgotten.

IL In doubtful II anyone In the United
States outside of the few directly con-
nesstssi with the administration OF at
fairs in Santiago know what ever Be-
came or the Alerrimac. Indeed. many
people will have to thirk a Second time
10 recollrct whether the Merrimac re-
ferr.i to was the fi,st of the ironciada
or the collier sunk at Santiago. This
al the time was ono of the most excit-
rang for days with tn. exploit Of Lieu
tenant tiohson and his hardy crew u
six men. who ran the collier under the
guns OF the Santiago batteries and sank
her with intent Ia block The channel
and prevent the escape of the Spanish
fleet.
That the purpose was not quite e.
fected was due to the fact that tho
ruddcT of the collier was shot away
Just before Hohson exploded the tor
reioes hat were 10 sink her. She went
down. partly blocking the channel. but
did NOT olssirurt IL enough to prevent
C~~rsNra's fleet from coming out to do
strucsian ON the memorable July & But
since that time the Merrimac has been
almost forgotten. As a matter Of fact,
the most OF her In siill ut the bottom
OF santiago entrance. though the Amer
lean authorities, when Santiago was IN
their hands. dynamitesi that part Of her
that overhung the channel aud was .
menace To navigation.
h Merrimac was u commercial scs-
sci, bought as n collier ut the outbreak
Of the war. 1t was said that a good
round price was paid for her. III she
had been the finest sort OF q private
yacht n had been the only thing
available she probably would have been
sum- there just the same. As II was.
the old collier had never been any good.
She had been n lame duck ever since
she had been In the service. When u
am 10 blocking np Santiago she could
be more cheerfnlly spared than any
thing else. She was stripped II every
thing movable s,n her. Tarpesioes were
strung round the outside. ten eight
inch torpeioes were placed against her
snlkheads. calculated TO open her up
rapidly and effectively when fired.
Attempt IN BEETLE Ip C~rv~rn.
II was thought tina ir the Spanish
fleet could be bottled up In the harbor
II would not only prevent Its coming
put and fighting or running, but would
save II Intact when the American
forces captured the city. The fact that
iI0f,~nn Was chosen to command the
forIorn hope makes IL seem probable
the idea was his.
The MerrImac went into the barber.
followed AT a distance by a stea
launch from the New York. commanded
by Ensign Powell. III. mission Vt the
launch was. II possible. to pick up the
survivors of the Merrimaf's crew after
the collier had beer sunk. Powell ran
close under the shore batteries and
waited around TIL daylight. but could
fho nome OF the venfuresprie crew.
On The blockadIng fleet IL was an
anxious night also. The Merrlmae did
not run In till about ? o'clock. and
then. except for n pickering fire from
the batteries on shore. there wis moth
Ing 10 tell what the outcome of the ex-
plot had been.
IL Was found later that the collier
had gotten we'll into the channel when
her steering gear was shot away by the
shore batteries. Though the torpedoes
were fired and the SRA valves opened
she drifted ont III the channel before
she could be- sank Hobson and his
whole crew were picked up unharned
by the Spaniards.
That was the end Of the Merrimac.
She was blown NJ sufficiently 10 clear
the channel. and the remainder Of her
II Still there AZ the bottom Of the har-
Dor entrance. Their. has been no at.
tempt To raise her.