The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-10-21
WORK WILL be COMPLETED ~
FEB. Is, ANNlvERsARY
OF DIeAsTER.
TAFT APPROYESTnEP PLANS
Golfer Dam to Be Built and Water
Pumped out-skeletons Of Sail.
ors Will BE Buried In
Arlington.

raising the wreck OF the battleship
Maine from Havana harbor which call
Tor the completion Of the work ON
OF 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-
gfneers 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.
risd out by contract.
BY direction Of the president, Spain
has been invited to send q representa-
i've 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-,
neers believe that it will be possible
to float the after two-thirds of theI
vessel. The forward third, where the
explosion wrought the greatest havoc
and killed the greatest number of the
crew while they were asleep in their
quarters, is believed to be too far
gone even to be taken out as a whole
and the wreckage will be removed
piecemeal.
May be Taken to Sea.
II congress approves the recommen
dation of the engineers the wreck will
be taken out to sea and given a 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
formal approval in writing. General
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
uext.
Il the wreckage of the for;Ward part
Of the vessel is in a 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
uary next. No portion of the wreck is
to be disturbed until a full opportunity
has been given to view and study It.
To this end the first work will be the
construction Of Golfer dam of inter-
locking steel pilings about the hulk.
The dam will be large enough to give
q clearance of so feet on all sides of
the wreck. The forward turret Of the
battleshfp was blown completely of
the vessel and the dam will be con.
structed so as to include the turret Just
as it now lies in the harbor. The
pumping out Of the water when the
dam is completed will be an impress.
Sive event.
Only Skeletons, Probably.
A large number of the bodies Of sail
ors who lost their lives in the disaster
were never recovered. It is believed
that nothing but skeletons will now be
found. These will be taken to the Ar.
lngton National cemetery at Washing.
ton for burial.
After the wreck has been thorough
" examined bulkheads will be built
into such portions as it is thought can
be foated and the damaged portions
will be hoisted from the bottom piece.
meal.
Congress recently appropriated
100000 for raising and removing the
wreck. The army engineers visited
Havana some time ago and began an
examination both Of the wreck and
the various plans suggested for its
removal. III
The vrock Ia now 81 OK faof ~ 1919