Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-10-20
TO RAISE maine
WORK WILL BE COMPLETED BY
FEB. is, ANNIVERSARY
OF DISASTER.
JAFTAPPROyESTHE PLANS
Golfer Dam to Be Built and Water
Pumped out-skeIetons of Sail
ors Will Be Buried in
Arlington.

Beverly, Massachusetts,
Taft has finally approved plans for
raising the wreck of the battleshlp
Maine from Havana harbor which call
for the completion of the work on
or before the thirteenth anniversary
of the destruction of the war vessel,
Feb. Is next. The work is to be done
according to plans made by army en-
gineers and to be under direction of an
engineer officer.
President Taft believes that the
paramount question in the raising OF
the Maine is the determining for all
time of the cause of the explosion, and
whether the source of destruction was
from the outside or inside of the YES
sci. For this reason he desires that
the work shall be retained in the
hands of the army engineers and car
ried out by contract.
BY direction of the president, Spain
has been invited to send representa-
tive TO Havana to be present during
the wreck of exposing and removing
the wreck.
The disposition Of the old hulk re-
mains TO be settled. The army engi-
aeers believe that it will be possible
TO float the after two-thirds of the
vessel. The forward third, where the
/ explosion wrought the greatest havoc
and killed the greatest number of the
Grew While they were asleep in their
quarters, is believed to be too far
gone even to be taken out as whole
md the wreckage will be removed
piecemeal
/ May be Taken to Sea.
/ If congress approves the recommen-
.hation OF the engineers the wreck will
be taken out to sea and given cere-
monial burial in deep water, there to
remain until the end OF time.
| Various plans have been suggested
for exhibiting the wreck and preserv-
Ing it, but none Of these find favor
with the authorities at Washington.
General William r. BiXby, chief Of
engineers Of the army. spent an, hour
with the president and after explain
Ing the plans for the removal of the
wreck in detail secured the presidents
I. formal approval in writing. General
A Bixby later issued statement which
outlines the work to be undertaken.
He believes that the task can be COM
pleted within three months and it is
his opinion that Havana harbor will be
clear of the wreck by February Is
next.
If the wreckage of the forward part
Of the vessel is in condition to per
nit of definite conclusions the cause
Of the destruction of the ship on Feb.
ruary Is, 1898, will have been deter
mined, probably by the middle of Jan.
nary next. No portion of the wreck is
10 be disturbed until full opportunity
has been given to view and study it
7 To this end the first work will be the
: construction of Golfer dam of inter
3 locking steel pilings about the hulk
e The dam will be large enough to give
q clearance of so feet on all sides O.
The wreck The forward turret of the
\ ! battleship was blown completely of
n The vessel and the dam will be con
n itructed so as to include the turret jus
d as it now lies in the harbor. The
e pumping out of the water when tn,
l. lam is completed will be an impress
: sive event.
: Only Skeletons, Probably.
y A large number Of the bodies of sail
: ors who lost their lives in the disaste
were never recovered. 1t is believed
that nothing but skeletons will now b,
found. These will be taken to the Al
T. Iington National cemetery at Washing
+ ION for burial
~ After the wreck has been thorough
= ly examined bulkheads will be bull
- into such portions as it is thought cal
81 be floated and the damaged portions
IS will be hoisted from the bottom piece
neal
IL Congress recently appropriate,
100000 for raising and removing tn,
s. wreck. The army engineers yisite,
q Havana some time ago and began al
examination both of the wreck an,
!, the various plans suggested for II
- removal
rs The wreck is now in 25 feet of watr
1t has sunk but one foot in 12 year
q md half since it went down. Under
T. Meath the wreck soft mud has bee,
Is found to a depth of to 8 feet
l a'e and beneath this there is hard ella,
N into which the steel plates will b,
a. driven. The dam to be constructe,
ABOUT the wreck will be 145 feet i,
is length and 2S7 feet in width at thu
e. widest point. Twenty or more n,an,
were submitted for raising the wreck
OF nut nut none was SO simple as that aacntel
by the army officers. 9p'e'
rs ., --s
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