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Shelly Coonrod
On display at the Hancock County History Museum is a rustic looking bathtub. At first glace, it's hard to imagine why such a piece of junk is still around, and in truth earlier generations wondered the same thing. Originally, the tub was destined for Urbana, but the people in that town, thinking it was an eyesore, put it in a chicken house. It was then sent to Findlay, where it was on display at Riverside Park. Then it was placed in the courthouse hall where a janitor, tired of explaining to people what it was, taped a sign saying U.S.S. Maine Bathtub. In 1929, it was placed along the wall in the rotunda, then shipped to Findlay College in 1960. The school used the case for another display and stored the tub in an old cigar factory. In 1975, the rusty artifact was turned over the history museum where it was stored in the basement. Only in recent years as it's importance been understood.
The bathtub belong to Captain Charles D. Sigsbee, a man who had an outstanding record in the US Navy. Early in his career, Sigsbee served bravely in the Civil War, helping to take Confederate forts. After the war, he was a naval instructor and served in the Asiatic and European squadrons. Sigsbee also invented several deep-sea sounding and sampling devices. He discovered the deepest spot in the Gulf of Mexico, which is to this day known as the Sigsbee Deep. It was the Maine, however, that put Captain Sigsbee in the history books. In March of 1897, he took command of the ship.
The Maine had four 10-inch guns and rated speed of 17 knots. True, it was considered a second-class battleship, but it was definitely heavier than any cruiser. At any rate, Sigsbee was happy with his promotion. We can imagine that this post provided new challenges to the seasoned sailor. After all, being the captain is very different from any other position on a ship. Still, things ran smoothly until February 15, 1898. The Maine was located in the harbor of Havana, Cuba. It's purpose was entirely an innocuous, diplomatic mission. True, many felt the ship was more of a symbol of US sympathy for the Cuban rebels who were struggling against Spanish Imperialism, but American wanted no part of a foreign war.
To ease the minds of the Spanish, Captain Sigsbee would not allow his men to go onshore. In return, the U.S.S. Maine was given every courtesy possible. The battleship did much to ease the tensions between Cuba and Spain, but on February 15, 1898, that feeling was blow out of the water, literally. There was a terrible explosion and the Maine sank into the harbor. Most of the men on board were sleeping, as were the citizens on shore. Mass confusion quickly followed, and in the morning light it became known that 250 American sailors were dead. Several more were wounded, and many would die of those injuries.
It was later discovered that more than five tons of powder charges for the vessel's six and ten-inch guns ignited, virtually obliterating the forward third of the ship. There was a spontaneous combustion of coal in the bunker next to the magazine, and this caused the explosion. It could have been an accident, but America's yellow press immediately blamed Spain, and it was long before the US declared war on the Spanish. With shouts of, "Remember the Maine!," American servicemen fought, and won, our first foreign war.
On March 3, 1913, the U.S.S. Maine was raised. The artifacts were distributed to various parts of the county, and that's how the bathtub ended up in Findlay. Today, it is a bit rusty and seemly unimportant, but like all pieces from history it tells a story. It speaks to us of brave sailors who are always in danger, even if they don't see it. It tells of a mighty ship that thrust a young county onto an international stage. It whispers to us of a captain who's first assignment was almost his last. It reminds us that, as vulnerable as sometimes feel, we are not really that different from those who can before us.
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