The News and Observer. •• .«> •>> VOL.XLIII. NO. 141. Leads all Other North Carolina Dailies in Both News and Circulation. THE BATTLE-SHIP MAINE IS BLOWN UP The Explosion Broke Windows in All the Houses and Shook the Whole City of Havana. NONE OF THE OFFICERS ARE REPORTED WOUNDED MANY OF THE SAILORS ARE WOUNDED AND ARE UNABLE TO BPLAIN THE STARTLING MYSTERY.— ESTIMATED THAT OVER 100 OF THE CREW WERE KILLED. A SUSPICIOUS HINT OF SPANISH TREACHERY GIVEN BY CAPT. SIGSBEE’S DISPATCH A Secret Dispatch Accompanies the Other One From Him -All the Officers Are Accounted For Except Two--It is Supposed That All Were on Shore-The Spanish Authorities Including Blanco Are Offering All Assistance Possible, Ordering All Boats to Her Aid-The Maine is a Complete Loss, What Remains Being Now in Flames-Captain Sigs bee Receives a Wound in the Head--Consternation in Havana and-Thousands of People Crowd Upon the Wharves -The Officers Knocked Out of Their Berths and Behave Bravely-Many Theories, Including a Powder Magazine on the Maine as the Cause. Havana. Feb. 15.—At a quarter of ten o’clock this evening a terrible explosion took place on board the United States cruiser 'Maine in Havana harbor. Man}' were killed or wounded. All the boats of the Spanish cruiser Alfonso XIII are assisting. As yet the cause of the explosion is not apparent. The wounded sailors of the Maine are unable to explain it. it it> believed that the cruiser is total ly destroyed. The explosion shook the whole city. 'JIjo windows were broken in all the houses. 1 ine correspondent of the Associated Tress says he has conversed with sev eral of rlie wounded sailors and under stands from them that the explosion took place while they were asleep, so that they can give no particulars as to the cause. OFFICERS OF THE MAINE. Washington, D. C., Feb. 15. —The of ficers of the Maine are: CAPTAIN CHARLES D. SIGSBEeJ Commanding. Lieutenant Commander, RICHARI.) WAINWRIGHT. Lieutenants, GEORGE W. HOLMAN, JOHN IIOOI> AND CARL W. JUX GEN. Lieutenants (junior grade), GEORGE P. BLOW. JOHN J. BLANDIN AND FRIEND W. JENKINS. Naval Cadets, JONAS H. HOLDEN, WATT T. CLUVHRIUS, AMOX BRONSON, DAVID F. -BOYD, JR. Surgeon, LUOIEN G. HEXERKRGER. Pay-Master, CHARLES W. LITTLE FIELD. Chief Engineer, CHARLES P. HOW ELL. Passed Assistant Engineer, FREDER ICK C. BOWERS. Assistant Engineers, JOHN R. MOR RIS AND DARWiN It. MERRITT. Naval Cadets (engineer division). POPE WASHINGTON AND ARTHUR CRENSHAW. Chaplain, JOHN P. OHIDWICK. First Lieutenant of Marines, ALBER TUS W. CATLIX. Boatswain, FRANCIS E. LARKIN. Gunner, JOSEPH HILL. Carpenter, »»EOItGE HELMS. DBRRIPTIO.v OF THE MAINE Washington, D. C., Feb. 15. —The Maine is a l*attleship of the second class and is regarded as one of the best ships in the new navy. She was •built at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and is I»1H feet long, 57 feet broad, 21.0 mean draught, and 082 tons displace ment. She carries fotrr ten inch and six six inch breech loading guns in. her battery, and (seven «ix pjmmder and t ight one pounder rapid tire gnus, mid four Gatlings in her secondary battery and four Whitehead torpedoes. The Maine was built in 1890, at a cost of $2,588,000. She had a steel bull and a complement of 871 men. CAPTAIN SIGSBEE'S DISPATCH. Washington, Fob. 15. —The* Secretary of the Navy received the following tele gram from Captain Sigsbee: “Maine blown up in Havana harbor, nine-forty, and destroyed. Many wound ed and doubtless more killed and drown ed. Wounded an others on board Span ish man of war and Ward: line steam er. Send light house tenders from Key West from crew and few pieces of equipment still above (water.) No one had other clothes than those upon him. “Public opinion should be suspended till further report. All officers believed to be saved. Jenkins and Merritt not yet accounted for. Many Spanish offi cers, including representatives of Gen eral Blanco, now with me and express sympathy. (Signed) “SIGSBEE.” The officers referred to in the above despatch are : judeutenant Friend W. Jenkins aud As sistant Engineer Darwin R. Merritt. From the wording of the despatch the Navy Department things it possible that they were on shore at the .time of the accident. *no Secretary of the Navy received another despatch from Key West at the same time with the above, but its con tents were not made public. The orders for the light house tenders were at once sent to Key West iu plain language, thus avoiding the delay that would have arisen from the use of cipher. LITTLEFIELD IN WASHINGTON. Washington, Feb. It*. —Pay Master Charles W. Littlefield, who is given in the list of officers on the Maine has re cently been replaced by Pay Master Ryan, and Littlefield is now in Wash ington. THE WILDEST CONSTERNATION. Havana, Fob. IC.—The wildest con sternation prevails in Havana. The wharves are crowded with thousands of lieople. It is believed the explosion oc curred in a small powder magazine. At a quarter of eleven o’clock what re mains of th<* Maine is still burning. Captain Sigsbee, and the other officers have been saved. It is estimated that over one hnndred of the crew were killed, hut it is impossible as yet to give exact details. Admiral Manterola ‘lias ordered that boats of all kinds should go to the assist ance of the Maine and her wounded. The Havana firemen are giving aid, tending carefully to the wounded as they an* brought cm shore. It is a terrible sight. General Solano and Die other generals have been ordered by Captain General Blanco to take steps to help the Maine’s crew in every way possible. Tin* correspondent of flu* Associated Press has Im'cii near the Maine in one of the Ixiats of the cruiser Alfonso XII, and seen others of the wounded who cor roborate the i+tnteinent of those first in terviewed, that they were already asleep when the explosion occurred. RALEIGH, N. C., WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 16, 1898. Admiral Manterola believes that the first explosion was of a grenade shell that was hurled over the Navy Yard. Captain Sigsbee says the explosion oc curred 'in the bow of the vessel. He re ceived a wound in the head. Orders were given to the other officers to .save themselves as best they could. The latter, who were literally tlhnnyu from their berths in their night clothing, gave the necessary orders with great self i>os session and bravery. At 11:30 the Main continues burning. The first theory aim that there had been a preliminary explosion in the Santa Barbara magazine with powder or dynamite below water. SECRETARY LONG GETS NEWS. Washington, D. C.. Feb. 15.—Secretary Long received Captain Sigsbce’s dispatch but a few minutes before the Associated Press dispatches from Havana were handed to him. He received the news with apparent calm and his first act was to comply with Captain Sigsbee's request that assistance he so it from Key West. He immediately wired C.'tpt. Forsythe Key West to proceed with the Naval tender Fern to Havana harbor. Secretary Long then seat for Captain Dickens and the two discussed Captain Sigsliec's brief telegram. No other naval officers wore present and besides the Secretary um! Captain Dickens, the Naval colony here is ignorant of this disaster, the greatest which has befallen the American Navy since the disaster nt Apia, many years ago. The S.v*et:irv is iuclined to believe that most of the offi cers of the Maine were on shore at the time of the accident, as it was stilt early in the night. While myther ihe Secretary nor Captain Dickon* are in elimxl to discuss the probable cause of the accident, several suggestions wore ventured upon. They believe that it may have ls*en eaused l>y a fire in the bunkers, heating of bulkhead near a magazine, or that an accident naajpG(rv<* occurred while inspecting high cjxplo sives for torpedoes. Os course this is mere speculation, and the Secretary ;s anxiously waiting a more detailed report from Captain Sigsbee. Later the Secretary sent another (di gram to Key West directing that, the tender Mangrove also be sent to Havana. THE PRESIDENT AWAKENED. Washington, 1). Feb. 15. —Com- mander Dickens, after carrying out the instructions of Secretary Long with re gard to relief measures for the survi vors of the Maine, went at once to the White House where the President was awakened and informed of the disaster. President McKinley received the news calmly and expressed his deep sorrow, but said nothing except that he was thoroughly satisfied with the measures adopted by the Navy Department. Secretary Long retired at 4 a. m„ and gave orders that all further dispatches from Havana should be transmitted to Captain Dickens. FOREST FIRES RAGING. Streets of Wilmington Filled With Dense Smoke—Heavy Winds—Fire at Fayetteville. Wilmington. N. C., Feb. 15.—Forest fires are raging iu this section, and streets here, now are filled with dense smoke, 'Phis, supplemented with cloud* of blinding du>sl, makes life outside houses almost unendurable. The local weather bureau reports wind velocity at. forty-eight miles jx*r hour at 10 o’clock p. in. This is the heaviest wind that has been experienced here in over a year. So far as is learned there is no dam age to the shipping in port. Storm warning messages have been liberally distributed, and the harbor is well pro tected naturally. At 11:30 o’clock the wind has fallen considerably. A telegram from Fayetteville states that lire broke out there at 8 o’clock iu the Cumberland Cooperage Works, en tailing a loss of over two thousand dol lars. It was gotten under control by 0:30 o’clock. HANNA’S SISTER MARRIES. Tllonmsville, <}«., Feb. 15.- Miss Lil lian C. Hanna, sister of Senator Hanna, ww* married her to-day to Preston Bald win, a young lawyer of Cleveland. Senator Hanna was not present, being detained hy official business. WA DESBOItO POSTMASTER \\ uidiiugtoii. D. Feb. 15.—'Among the postmasters nominated by the Presi dent today was: North Carolina—John L. Matheson, Wades boro. 10 SILVER MEN GREETING Addresses by the Chairmen °f the Three Parties. RESULT OF CONFERENCES TO UNITE ALL FRIENDS OF THE WHITE METAL. THE REPUBLICAN SURRENDER TO GOLD Money Increased in Value 145 Pet Cent, in Forty Years, Leading to an Unparal leled Distress—A Luminous Review of Situation. Washington, 1). C., Feb. 15.—The ad dresses on behalf of the Democratic, Populist and Silver Republican, parties, which, arc the result of the conferences which .have been in progress among the leaders of these parties at the oapitol for t ('«ingress a bill, the leading purjiose of which, ‘the Houoi able Secretary of the Treasury avows is “to eoiumit tin* eountry more tliorouglily to the gold standard.” The country has already, for twenty-four years, lieen so thoroughly committed to this stand ard, partly by law and piirtly by the usurpations of the executive branch of the government, that its effects are seen ami felt on every hand; wages are re duced; work is harder to get; tiie weight of debt is doubled; the value of land and other property is minced one half or more, until the lives ot the people art "made bitter wun lisinl lxmdage.” It is certainly not in the inter«*st of humanity to have Tilts condition of things more thoroughly established. 'rile i*ontinued rise in the value of gold, which is the same tiling, the eon tinued fall in prices, must inevitably transfer the property of all these engaged in active business, the actual creators ot wealth, whether by hand, brain or cap ital, to fliose who. avoiding the risk ami efforts of active business, only draw in terest. The increase of 115 per cent in the value of money, caused by its increasing scarcity, from 18051 to 18451, as admitted by leading advocates of the gold stand ard found expression at that time in ex tremely low prices and conditions of un paralleled distress. The discovery ol gold and silver in extraordinary quanti ties, and the great increase in the vol ume of metallic money resulting there from, relieved this distress, and brought in its stead wonderful prosperity. 1 Vices rose, business flourished, producers pros pered, all were happy. Substantially this condition would have continued if both the precious metals had been al lowed to remain in use as money, lie cause they were being found in nearly sufficient quantities to increase the vol ume of money in proportion to the de velopnient of business. A wicked con spiracy, however, deprived one of them of tilu* money function. Tim was done with the deliberate purpose of raising the value of the other by rendering the supply of metallic money relatively scarcer as compared with the demand. From the hour of the consummation of this crime mankind has suffered commer cial disaster and social distress in almost coiiistantly increasing measure. Just in proportion to tin* growth of arts «ind civilization and the expansion of com merce, business and industry, the inade quacy of the volume of gold is felt, its scarcity is emphasized, 'its value in creased. 'flic repression of life and happiness, w hick is inseparable from a long course of declining prices, has now checked development and, if continued, will ulti mately stifle civilization. An eminent American, President Andrews, of Brown University, some years ago said: “Our national debt on September 1, 1865, was two and three quarters trillions; it could then have been paid off with eighteen million bales of cotton, or twenty five million tons of bar iron. When it had bicn reduced to a billion and a quarter, thirty million bales of cotton, or thirty million tons of iron would have been requmsl to pay it. In other words, while a nominal shrinkage of about fifty five per cent had taken place in the debt, it 'had, as measured in either of these two world’s staples, actually been en larged by some fifty per cent.” Although more than half the princi ple of this enormous debt and every cent of accumulated interest had been paid by tne labor of the United States, the holders of the bonds still hold a claim for more of the labor of the people than they hold before those enormous pay ments had been even begun. This cruel confiscation of the lives and liberty of the laboring millions of this country is the mast stupendous crime that has been committed in the annals of civilization. Unless a government “of the people, by the people and for the people” lias IMuished from the earth, surely the pro sent boldly avowed scheme, not only to continue, but to increase these evils, will not lx: permitted. In addition to this purpose of more thoroughly establish ing the gold standard, the plan of the administration is to retire the pai**r mon ey of the government, to issue gold 1 Kinds, and to increase the power, priv ileges and profits of national banks. The retirement of the government paper money must reduce the volume of circulation and while the Secretary admits that the contraction of the cur rency would be more ruinous in two years than interest on a like amount of bonds for forty years would lie, lie I calmly informs us that the national banks will probably issue a sufficient a mount of money to prevent this enor mous suffering. The national banks are not to be re quired to redeem their notes in gold, but it is arranged that the United States government shall do so on demand; and after having done so the government must lie content to have the notional banks reimburse it in “any kind of legal tender money, at the option of the banks.” We are frankly told that law ful money will be made “relatively scar cer than it is now,” and that it is in tended that under the operation of the bill it will he “easier to get gold than lawful money.” Practically all of the money in the hands of the people now, as the Secretary distinctly admits, is silver, chiefly in the form of silver certi ficates. The avowed purpose of the bill is to make it hereafter more difficult to get these than gold. “The Monetary Commission,” select ed by the Executive committee of a self-constituted Indiana)Kills convention, which assembled for the express pur- IHise of establishing the gold standard, have also made a rejwirt and promulgat ed a bill, the provisions of which are so strikingly like the propositions of the Seerrtary of the Treasury, in all ma terial particulars, as to suggest that they were compared and harmonized before either was given to the public. This re port and hill are somewhat more liold iu the assertion of the purposes enter tained than even tin: proposition of Mr? Gage. These distinctly propose that, silver dollars shall not hereafter he coined; that standard silver dollars shall lx* redeemed in gold; that tire sil ver bullion on hand at present, shall Ik* sold, and suggest, that silver dollars may also Ik? melted down and sold as 1 bullion. Wo are assured flint the notes of the banks “cannot fail to be safe,” “lecausc being based upon all the re sources of all the banks issuing them, they are bast'd upon ..the whole business of the country.” Certainly no bank will become liable for the notes issued by another bank over which it has no con trol or su)K*rvision; hence this scheme must: contemplate the establishment of some central bank authority, having the absolute control of tin* issue of all pa per money—wer which overshadows the institutions of the republic. But we think that the rich men of America are revealing such a deadly plot against all genuine public freedom that unless we are mistaken, the opening years of the- new century will witness an outburst in the west which will amaze the civilized world.” In view of the great principles involv ed, and of the danger so close at, hand, we urge the people everywhere to arouse themselves, and at once to take steps to save themselves anil their chil dren from the fetters now being openly forged to bind them. In recent years there have been a nomlier of instances of Congresisonal districts where the ad (Continued ou- sccond pa rib.) LAST EDITION. FKICE FIVE CENTS. THE KANSAS PACIFIC Will the Government Redeem First Mortgage Bonds? MR. HARRIS’ RESOLUTION IT IS PASSED AFTER A SPIRITED DISCUSSION. A LOSS BY PRESENT PLAN OF $6,000,000 The Attorney General Called Upon to Imforrr the Senate of the Status of the Nego tiations--A Busy Day in House - Bankruptcy Bill. Washington, D. Feb. 15.—A reso lution of inquiry offered yesterday by Mr. Harris, of Kansas, precipitated a spirited discussion of the Pacific Rail road question in tin* Senate today. The resolution called u|xin the Attorney Gen eral, for the reasons which induced him to abandon his plan of redeeming the first mortgage bonds of the Kansas Pa cific branch of tin* Union Pacific, and having the road operated under a receiv er. Mr. Harris denounced the present plan to sell the road at the hid of the re-organization committee, sns defrauding the government of something more than MHK>. Mr. Fornker. of Ohio, ex plained the view taken of the matter by the administration Mhowing the President was convinced the re-orgauig.u tion committee proposed to pay for the road all that it was worth. The resolution finally i>aased in amend ed form. It is as follows: “Resolved, That the Attorney General is directed to inform the Senate if he has authorized the abandonment of any intention to redeem tin* first mort gage bonds issued by the* Union Pa cific Railroad Company, eastern division, now the Kansas Pacific division of the Union Pacific Railway, and to ask a postponement of the sale thereof, ami for tin* appointment of a receiver there for in the interests of the government of tin* United States, and also if lie has authorized an agreement hy which said property is to bp sold for the-fare value of tile subsidy bonds resulting in a loss to the government, -of the amount of six million, six hundred and twenty-four thousand and seven dollars, and if the government lues? agreed not to Ik* a bid der at said sale.”.. At 2:30 o’clock j>. m.. on motion of Mr. Davis, tin* Senate went, into executive session. Open session was resumed, a number of hills passed, and at 5:35 o’clock p. in., the Senate adjourned. THE HOUSE PROCEEDINGS. Washington. I>. C.. Feb. 15.—The House put in a busy day. The time was devoted to the consideration of bills and joint resolutions presented under the call of committees, and six teen of more or less public importance were passe*!. An order was also en tered by unanimous consent for the con sideration of flu* Loud hill relating to seeoiid-elai-s mail matter, on March 1. 2 and 5, and the order for the con sideration of the Bankruptcy hill. Which begins tomorrow, was modified so that tin* final vote shall he taken on Satur day instead of Monday, as arranged last week. Among the hills passed today were the following: Senate hill to amend the navigation laws relating to the coastwise trade; to amend tht* laws relating to official fees; to better control and promote the safety of national hanks hy inhibiting loans to officers, directors or employes with out the approval of a majority of the directors; to amend tin* law relating to the licensing of mates on ocean and river steamers; to compel the attendance of witnesses before registers and re ceivers of the Geenrnl Land Office, and to the statute requiring proof of loyalty by the holders of land ami bounty warrants. At 5 o’clock p. in., the House ad journed. KILLED ON THE TRACK. Probably Concealed Ilimself on the Track—-Horribly Mangled. Hickork. N. Feb. 15. —(Special.)— On Saturday mornping about a half mile from tin* Eastern part of this town, tsome persons walking along the track of the Southern Railroad, made a ghastly find. A human liver lay near the road-bed, and down the track for fifty yards entrails were scattered. Far ther on they discovered what remained of a human body, ground and pounded and crushed hy the wheels of a through freight., 'Flu* dead man was a negro. From letters and photographs found in his tattered clothing it is supixised that his name was James Brown. He prob ably concealed himself on the trucks of No. 74, an eastbouml freight, on Fri day night, and so went to his death. He was buried hy order of the railroad authorities. Mrs. H. F. Elliott, a. very cm tunable and Christian lady, lies critically ill at the residence of her son-in-law, Mr. J. D. Elliott. VALENTINE PARTY AT ENFIELD. Enfield,N. C.,Feb. 15.—(Special.)—One of the most enjoyable events of the season,was a Valentine Party, given by the charming and talented Miss Marie Dennis,at her elegant home, on South Dennis street, Monday night.