OCR Text |
Show To Raise Wreck of ihe Maine Tho United States Battleship Mnino Salvago company has recently been incorporated In the District of Colum-bln Colum-bln for tho purpose of entirely removing remov-ing from tho harbor of Havana tho battleship which was destroyed on Feb. 15, 1898. Tho United- States government having hav-ing relinquished all claims to tho battleship, bat-tleship, It becomes tho property of tho Cuban government, which has mado earnest efforts to securo its removal, especially because it forms a serious obstruction to tho navigation of tho harbor. Tho Cuban government has finally entered Into a contract with tills company. com-pany. By recent action of tho Cuban government, tho tlmo for beginning tho work has been extended to April United States. It is also proposed to manufacturo articles of brass, bronzo and copper found upon tho wrcclc Into mementoes to bo sold with certificates of American and Cuban offlclals as to their genuineness. Should It bo found posslblo to repair re-pair tho damaged part of tho vessel, it will bo placed on tho floating dock at Havana, and tho battleship completely com-pletely repaired. It is believed that tho steol and Iron havo not been materially corroded corrod-ed by tho action of tho wator owing to tho protection afforded by a thin marlno growth upon all surfaces. Tho actual work In Havana harbor will bo begun very soon. Tho cofferdam will bo clrculnr In form, with an Inside dlamotor of 354 Tho Maine In the Proposed Cofferdam. 19, 1905, ind tho time for tho completion comple-tion to April 19, 190G. It Is the purposo of tho company, first to removo tho bodies of tho sailors sail-ors and their personal effects, and then to make tho undertaking a financial finan-cial success by the recovery of all valuable articles, such as arms, cannon, can-non, coal, machinery, etc., and tho uninjured un-injured part of tho battleship itself. It is also proposed to admit visitors to tho wreck after tho cofferdam Is pumped out, charging an admission fee, and after tho ship Is floated to exhibit ex-hibit It at tho principal ports of tho feet in tho clear, thus providing q clearanco of 15 feet at each end of tho battleship. Tho cofferdam will consist of two eccentric timber walls spaced eight feot apart In tho clear, each wall bo-ing bo-ing composed of three-Inch planks dressed to a uniform thickness, laid flat and spiked together. Tho wnlls aro to bo tied together at Intervals by solid radial partitions, also composed of three-inch planlcs dressed to a uniform thickness, laid flat and thoroughly spiked. Englneor lng Nowb. |