The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-06-17
WILL PUMP SLOWLY
UNCovERING OF MAINE WILL BE
VERY GRADUAL.
Mud and Silt Will be Cleared From
Various Decks, as the Water Re-

various DeCkS, aS tlo "heSi ~
cedes. ..
Army engineer officers at Havana
estimate that it will be at least two
months after work begins on pump
ing out the water in the cofferoal.
about the battleship Maine In Havana
'harbor, before an expert opinion can
be formed as to whether it was an in
side or outside explosion that sank
the vessel. About four feet Of water
has been pumped out of the Golfer
dam already, but work has cow been
stopped until the government officials
arrive, probably about June 10.
With the water over the wreck lower
ed four feet, the top and sides of the
wrecks afterdeck are beginning to
come into view and the sighting hood
of the after-turret on the port side
was just awash. The greater part or
the afterdeck is now cleanly visible
under the water, showing the CO
fused masses of wreckage covered
with marine growths. The forward
part of the ship upon which the great
er force of the explosion was exerted
Is still submerged.
When pumping begins in earnest
the first stage of the unwatering pro-
cess will only lower the water enough
to expose the top deck. This prob
ably will loom up as a bank of mud
as the water in the harbor is very
muddy and the vessel has been "col-
lecting" deposits for 13 years. When
the upper deck is out Of the water,
the work Of clearing away the mud
and examining the deck will keep the
officers busy at least three or four
DAYS. The examination Of the deck
will of course be made with the
greatest care. In making an inven-
tory of what is found the officers
must be in a position to swear that
they were actually there when the
mud was cleared away. For this Tea-
son, If for no other other, 1t vii!
be necessary to exclude outsiders.
When work on the upper deck Is
completed there will be more pump
ing and more mud until the water
Is lowered to the deck below. In
spection of this deck will then be un-
dertaken without undue haste. 1t Is
believed that the lower down the
water goes the more difficult will be
the work Of clearing the mud away.
The problem Of inspection also will
be made more difficult as the success
sive stages Of pumping out progress
as daylight will not penetrate into
the hull Of the vessel and work will
have to be done with artificial light.
What can be saved of the Maine
aud what it is most eXpedient to do
with the vessel can only be well de-
determined when she Is exposed to
view. Many engineer officers fear
she can never be floated and will have
to be taken apart in sections If it is
decided to save her at all. Other Of
ficers believe she will break and fall
to pieces when the unwatering OF
the cofferdam gets under way.
The army officers in charge of the
4 work do not expect to satisfy every
one with their work or to get through
without obstacles Of any sort.
Thare already is criticism from those
I who do not appreciate the task OF
the army officers are undertaking and
Who believe they are wasting time
and money because they do not do
everything with rush. The officers
expect more criticism when the
pumping out begins, as their Work
will not be done for the benefit OF
the gallery, but for the government
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