The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-03-18
REACHED HER FINAL REST
After an Imposing Ceremony, the
Wreck of the Maine New Lies at
Bottom Of the Sea

Havana. March l4-Under towering
skies and in a heavy tumbling sea. the
old battleship Maine, resurrected after
fourteen years burial in Havana har-
Dor, plunged yesterday with her col
ors flying to her everlasting rest, 500
fathoms deep in the sapphire waters
of the Gulf The sinking of the hulk
was carried out precisely as planned,
marking the end of a great work be-
gun more than year and a half ago
After imposing ceremonies in the
morning. which ended with the formal
transfer Of the custody Of the bodies
of the dead by the mayor Of Havana,
Julio de Cardenas, to Brigadier Gen
eral w. Fl. Bixby, chief of the engineer
corps, Z. s. A., as the representative OF
the United States, the coffins were
taken aboard the armoured cruiser
North Carolina where they were de-
posted on the quarter deck, COM
p1etely covered by a great mound of
floral tributes, under guard of honor
composed OF marines. Minute guns
were fired by the North Carolina and
the scout cruiser Birmingham and the
batteries of Cabanas Fortress until
the ships cleared the harbor.
Soon after 2 o'clock the navy tug
States minister and the staff of the le-
CATION, passed lines to the stern end
of the wedge-shaped wreck and start
ed seaward. Two fanking tugs attach
ed lines to either end of the bulkhead,
which then became the after part of
the hulk, to steady and steer her
Her decks, covered with flowers and
palms and a great American ensign
in he irIr q
mainmast formerly stood, the Maine
was taken to sea on her last voyage.
On deck stood Capt. John O'Brien, ia
nous as Dynamite Johnny" skipper
of the filibustering steamers "Daunt-
less" and Three Friends" acting as
the Names last pilot. AS the wreck
passed the American squadron the
crews manned the rails, the marines
presented arms, the scarlet-coated
bandsmen on the quarter deck played
the national anthem, while minute
guns doomed a requiem.
Passing out of the harbor salutes
were fired and the fotilla headed by
the Maine, proceeded in silence with
| the flags at half mast
At 435 o'clock the three mile limit
| had been crossed. The American
cruiser took up position to the west
and the accompanying vessels to the
north and south. Meanwhile the
| wrecking crew went aboard the hulk
and made ready to carry out the ar
arrangements for the sinking.
| Precisely at o'clock the wreckine g
i crew threw open the valves and with
Capt. O'Brien jumped aboard a tug
alongside, which steamed a little dis
tance away. Then all eyes in the
great fleet were fixed on the wreck, the
crews of the warships lining the rails
All was silence but for the washing
of the heavy seas.
| For ten minutes no change was visi-
BILE in the trim Of the great battered
hulk, which pitched heavily as the
huge rollers struck her. Then she
was seen to be sinking at the bulk
head end. Soon the waves began tt
wash over her deck. AS she remained
pitching and wa1lowing each momen
settling deeper and deeper, the sterr
was seen to rise. In few second:
the hulk was almost vertical, showing
first the propellers and then the full
keel. The next moment there was
flash Of black and white, as the grea
lensign flying from the mast struck th
waves and disappeared. Simu1ta
Ineously the decks were blown up b,
the air pressure and the Maine plung
ed down, leaving no trace save flower
tossing on the surface of the seas.