The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-03-20
GALLANT MAINE SINKS 70 nest
WITH COLORS FLYING, PLUNGES
TO BOTTOM OF GULF.
Solemn and Impressive Ceremonies
Mark Sinking Of Hulk OF Battle
ship. Once Pride Of Uncle Sans
Navy-AccCrdcd Signal HOnOrs by
Americans and Cubans on Last
Voyage Out of Havana Harbor--

ing HNiSS anu III nedNv, tum mbilnS
sea, the old battleship Maine, rcsur-
rected after fourteen years burial in
Havana harbOr, today plunged, with
her colors flying to her everlasting
rest, six hundred fathoms deep in the
sapphire waters of the Gulf The
sinking of the hulk was carried out
precisely as planned, marking the end
Of the great work begun more than a
year and half ago
After imposing ceremonies in the
morning, which ended with the formal
transfer Of the custody of the bodies
of the heroic dead sailors, by the
mayor Of Havana, Julio d. Cardenas.
to Brig. Gen. w. II. Bixby chief Of
the engineer corps U. S. A., as the
representative of the United States.
the coffins We're taken aboard the
armored cruiser North Carolina. where
they We're deposited on the quarter
deck completely covered by great
mound of floral tributes, under a
guard of honor composed Of marines
Minute guns We're fired by the North
Carolina and the scout cruiser Bir-
mingham and the batteries Of Caban-
as Fortress until the ships cleared the
harbor.
Soon after o'clock the navy tug
Osceola. aboard which were the Uni
ted States minister, Arthur M. Beau
pree, and the staff of the legation
Brig. Gen. Bixby, Col. William Black
Lieut.. Col. Mason Patrick and Major
Harley b. Ferguson, constituting the
Maine commission. passed lines to the
stern end Of the wedge-shaped wreck
and started seaward. Two flanking
tugs attached lines to either end Of
the bulkhead, which then became the
afterpart Of the hulk, to steady and
steer her.
Her decks covered with flowers
and palms and a great American en-
where the mainmast formerly stood
the Maine was taken to sea on hei
last voyage. On deck stood Capt. John
O'Brien, famous as Dynamite
Johnny" skipper Of the fillibusteriag
steamers Dauntless and Three Friends.
acting az the Names last pilot As
the wreck passed the American
squadron the crews manned the rails
the marines presented arms, the scar
le,-coated bandsmen on the quarter
deck played the national anthem,
while minute guns doomed a requiem.
Passing out OF the harbor salntes
were fired. the flotilla, headed by the
Maine, proceeding in silence with the
flags at half-mast.
AT 4.35 o'clock the three-mile limit
was crossed. The American cruisers
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 arrangements
for the sinking.
AT 5 o'clock another whistle from
the North Carolina sounded and an
other gun was fired. The cruiser in
stantly threw open the valves and
Capt. O'Brien jumped aboard a tug
oil do xx,I,i ial,
tance away. Then all eyes in the
great fleet were fixed on the wreck;
the crews of the warships We're lining
the rails. All was silence but for the
washing of the heavy seas.
For ten minutes no change was
visible in the trim of the great bat
tered 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 to
wash over her deck. AS she remained
pitching and wallowing, each momen.
setting deeper and deeper, the stern
was seen to rise. In few seconds
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 great
ensign flying from the mast struck
the waves and disappeared. Simul-
taneously the decks We're blown up
by the air pressure and with incredible
velocity the Maine plunged down.
, leaving no trace save flowers tossing
, on the the surface of the sea.