The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-13
MAINE WRECK READY
To Be INSPECTED
Five Feet of Water Pumped From
Cofferdam; Caissons Stand
Strain Well.
ENGINEERS ARE PLEASED
After Deck House, the Coming
Tower and Gun Mounts Are
Now Visible.
ENGINEERS ARE PLEASED
Special TO The Tribune.

Special 10 Tho Tribune.
HAVANA, Cuba. June l2.-Five feet
Of water has been pumped from the cof-
ferdam surrounding 1.-The sunken battle
ship Maine. revealing a tangled mass Of
wreckage. invisible since the vessel went
down In the mud In 1898. Thick sea
growths covered the exposed parts. In
teresting as is the sight this evening. 1t
gives but faint suggestion OF what will
follow when the water all falls away
from the historic vessel and the United
States officials begin their investig
Of what caused the disaster.
When the pumps were stopped the
aflerdeck house. with its dismantled gun
mounts. wincheS companionways and
cables was one foot out of water. the
cradles for iongboats amidships and the
coming tower and the after turret were
visible above the surface and the out
lines Of the turret. the stern and side
gunports We're discernible.
Some notion OF the terrible havoc
wrought by the explosion forward can
now be formed. The forward funnel ap-
parenty was hurled away forward and
outward With the shapeless mass of
steel chlns. anchors. capstans and funnel
ventilators now showing above the water
and with the lines or the forward deck
so far as they can be seen at this stage
neers believe the wreckage Will be found
scattered over much greater area than
at first thought possible,
Buckled and Twisted.
The great armor plate sides of the
vessel, which ranked with the best in
now bucl<led and twisted into a hundred
shapes. big Jagged holes marking the
spots where the steel had yielded TO the
pressure OF the explosive
Those who were allowed on the Golfer
| dam, after seeing the afterdeck OF the
| Inflated warship coming into view.
were highly interested and never took
| their eyes from the waters surface.
lest they miss some new point OF Inter
! est as 1t were exposed. They are eagerly
| awaiting the continuation OF the pump
Ing. with the revelations 1t is expected TO
| bring.
The work will not progress as fast as
the impatient ones may desire, the
effluvium OF the mud SILT and barnaces
| thicky covering the vessel will force the
workmen 10 thoroughly clean the ex-
posed parts as fast as the water re-
| cedes.
Work Is Suspended
Work has been discontinued pending
| the. arrival on June IA of the board OF
conduct the investigation. Vigilance will
not be relaxed for moment, however
the engineers planning to stand by with
! a watchful eye on the caissons and make
any needed repairs. The water will be
maintained at the five foot level and the
engineers are eager to note the effect OF
| tHt alr OF tne eSposeO parts.
Major X. B. Ferguson, In charge OF
the work. is greatly pleased with the
result Of the pumping.
| Everything has progressed according
| 10 our expectations" ne Said "The
! cofferdam seems to be holding well. and
| apparently our figures are correct.
| mo weaknesses have developed in the
| caissons and we have reason TO eX.
pect that any will appear.
| Now that we have pumped way Ave
feet we are going TO leave things just as
they were when the battleship went tc
the bottom OF the harbor, except oi
course. to clean the exposed parts of the
sediment OF years, until the boarG
ten feet more and await the effect.
| THE cofferdam leakage now is three.
tenths of a foot every twelve hours. As
IL takes only an hours working OF ar
eight-inch pump TO counteract this leak
age we are safe.
The undertaking looks like sue.
cess"
Scoffers Are Convinced
The Views OF Major Ferguson are
shared by dozens OF engineers who only
recently scoffed AT the plan Of uncov
ering. These men visited the wreck to
day.
The caissons showed great stability
and this WIS especially pleasing becaus,
the caissou which collapsed a month age
was only repaired last week and Is par
TALLY filled with clay and mud, Wor1
| will be continued on this repaired Gals