Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-11-10
ROCKY FORD, COLORADO. FRIDAY NOVEMBER
MAINE WAS BLOWN UP.
Recent Visitor Says Facts All Point
to Exterior Force as Cause
of the Wreck.

to Exterior Force as Cause
of the Wreck.
Apropos of the story now running in
the columns of the Enterprise the follow
ing interview given out by Boston daily
paper last week may have special inter-
est for our readers:
Archibald Lawrence Van Antwerp Of
Mexico City, Mexico. who is in Boston.
had the privilege while in Havana recent
y of visiting the wreck of the Maine.
When seen Wednesday he SAID:
''In passing through Havana harbor a
short time ago it was the writer's priv
ilege to be shown over the wreck of the
U. S. S. Name by Maj. Ferguson, U.S.N.,
who is in charge of the work. The great
Golfer dam surrounding the wreck has
been so admirably constructed that there
is absolutely no moisture visible anywhere
The construction of this Golfer dam has
already been described. but one feature
connected Herewith was of interest as
showing the care that had been exercised
to make the structure waterproof.
As one stands at the eastern end of the
Golfer dam the impression given is of a
large number of immense tubes, the sides
Of which are made up of heavy interlock.
ing rails. Within these large circles hung
the pontoons of concrete and where the
circles joined heavy plate was put and
additional concrete poured in there.
About amidships some heavy timbers, 8
or o in number, had been placed rum
ming from the side Of the vessel to the
Golfer dam as here apparently the heaviest
water pressure had been experienced.
AT the time of my visit. Oct. 10. the
work of excavation.if it may be so called.
The after two-thirds of the ship rests up
on an even keel and the decking almost
everywhere in this part Of the wreck is
intact. In going through the ships gal
ley. Maj Ferguson pointed out the part
of the stove where the day before had
been pot of beans which was at once
sent on to Washington. as in fact, every
thing else that is found is being taken
from the wreck and sent to Washington.
STANDING in front Of tho oineh tur-
ret the twisted mass of wreckage for
ward where the explosion occurred is
seen. The greatest care is being exer-
cised in investigations made here in order
that the smallest detail may not escape
detection.
81 took occasion to ask Maj. Ferguson
If the keel could be seen and he pointed
It out to me. As seen from the deck Of
the ship 1t is a mass of twisted iron with
very pronounced curve upward. show
ing. of course. an external explosion.
rs. E. Maeill, United States consul in
Guadalajara, fellow passenger. fur
nished me the following bit of interesting
information. On February Is. 1898, the
day the explosion occurred, the Ward
liner City of Washington was in Havana
harbor and at the time of the explosion
Captain Stevens was standing on the
deck or his vessel. In describing the oc-
ourrcnee later to Mr.. Magill he stated
that he was struck on the head with
piece OF cement and after the excitement
was over picked up several pieces Of
cement from the deck Of his vessel.
Captain Stevens at once recognized
this cement as the peculiar kind used in
the construction of vessels and which is
placed in the keel of the boat. This will
also go to prove that the explosion was
external,
while in Havana was told by a
friend that the general impression there
today is that no contact mine was used,
but rather a large sugar boiler filed with
high explosives. This would readily ex-
plain the tremendous wreekage in the
forward end of the boat.
The work is proceeding rapidly and it
is hoped before many months to complete
the bulkhead which they are now build
ing and remove all the wreckage from
the forward end. was informed that
when this is accomplished the vessel will
probably float. She will then be towed
some miles out to sea and sunk.
81 was struck with the method Of sep
arating the heavy steel plates so as to
render it possible to clear out the wreck
age. The operator uses acetylene torch
with oxygen gas. with which heavy
pieces of steel or iron plate are cut in
two with apparently as much ease as
knife goes through cheese. This method
of destruction is expediting the work
very materially"
Teachers Institute