The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-05-06
burlington Man Has Some Of the Coal
That Was In the Bunkers Of Ship
Which Blew Up in Havana
Harbor.
CAUSED SPANISH WAR
Investigation Of the Affair Let Little
Light in, and Raising Of Hulk
Ten Years Later Revealed
Little More.

from the bunkerS of the Inflated bat
tleship Maine, which was blown up
in Havana harbor February Is, 1898.
The act caused America to so to war
with Spain, free Cuba and Porto
Rico and acquire the Philippines.
When the battleship Maine was
launched in 1890 it was the pride OF
the American navy and was consid-
cred one of the most formidable
fighting craft afioat It would now
probably be classed as an armored
cruiser. After blowing the seas for
eight years the Maine was blown up
on the night of February Is, 1898,
while lying at anchor in Havana har-
Dor. For some time previous to the
appalling event serious friction had
existed between the governments OF
the United States and Spain owing
to the chaotic state Of affairs in
Cuba. The destruction Of the Maine
in Spanish waters at that particular
time reused grave suspicion, and a
board of inquiry was dispatched to
the scene to make an investigation.
The report of the board added fuel
to the fire and was followed closely
by a declaration of war against
Spain. Remember the Maine!"
was the slogan of the United States
in the war, which was short and de-
cisive.
Years passed and the war with
Spain was almost forgotten, but not
so the Maine. Many Americans had
lingering doubts as to SPANS re-
sponsibility for the sinking of the
ship. Finally steps were taken to
raise the hulk and determine, if pos
sible, the nature Of the explosion
that occurred on that fateful night.
1t was a gigantic undertaking, but
expert engineers and divers accom-
plished the feat, and on March Is,
1912, the "ship that passed in the
night" appeared on the spot where
it had gone down fourteen years be.
fore. But it was only phantom OF
the Maine. 1t was said at the time
that old navy men wept when they
looked on the remains Of the once
floating fort.
Mystery Prevails.
And the nation was no wiser than
it was before. 1t was the popular
verdict that the investigating board
did not tell all that the old hulk told
them. But, aside from that, the rails
ing of the Maine was we'll worth
while. Down among the wreckage
they found eighty-six greWsome OBJ
jects. They were about the size OF
men and they were shaped some
what like men. Once they had been,
but now no mother would have
known which was her boy. They
gathered up the shapeless forms and
took them over to Havana, where
they lay in state for some time in
the city hall When the funeral rites
were over, the United States cruiser
North Carolina nosed its way care
fully into the harbor and company
of bluejackets carried the bodies on
board. Then the big hearse steamed
away with it's precious cargo, bound
for Washington and Arlington GENE
tery. where the bodies were buried
on March %.
Sent to Last Grave.
Back on the Maine preparations
we're completed for the sinking OF
the wreck. They went up above and
strewed the deck Of the old hulk with
flowers. Then they towed it out to
sea beyond the three-mile limit, es'
corted by two United States cruisers
and a number of steamships. When
the strange funeral cortege reached
J. spot where the water was more
than three thousand feet deep it
stopped. Just the place for the dra'
matte burial at sea. The signal was !
flashed to land and the Liberty bell i
in Independence hall at Philadelphia
+olled q TeUlieIn
When the Maine began to settle,
he conveys withdrew short dis
.ance and waited silently and rever |
entity. Soon the old hulk began to
urch and gulp convulsively as the |
water poured through the portfolios. !
All at once it pitched forward and |
vent down with mighty sigh. as il
clad to be at rest
so they buried the Maine in the |
deep, deep sea.
Where the wild waves dance in |
ghoulish glee,
And sea monsters gambolN on port |
and lea,
Where it, lies at rest in the deep,
deep sea"