The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-09-04

Investigation by the Board OF Steam
boat inspectors .s The Captain and
First Mate of the PeWabtc CaSnlereo
The Meteor Not at all to Blame.
In the Detroit Tribune, of the LIST inst, we
find the finale Of the account of the PeWa-
bic disaster, in the full report to Collector
Isbell, Of the investigation which has been
made by the Board of Steamboat inspect
ors, of the facts which lead to the dreadfui
calamity, The Board convened on the 18th
ult., and were assisted by Assistant united
States District Attorney, H. b. brown.
They proceeded to take the testimony OF
the officers of the steamers Meteor ana
Pewabic. We have already laid before our
readers the substance of this stimony
that is, the sworn statements OF saio omcers
to g Notary Public, and will only repeal
here the statements of the Captain ana
First Mate of the Pewabic, who are the
condemned parties. It will be seen tnst
despite the efforts to fasten the responsible
ity of the disaster on the officers OF Inc Me
teor, they have been relieved from all
blame. The following are the statements
referred to:
George P. Mckay, Master OF propeller
Pewabic, states That the PeWaolc LEFT De-
tour Wednesday, August 9th, at lz:45 P. NJ
was off Thunder Bay light at 7:45 P. N l
was on deck at the time Of passing the light;
we were off the light at the time OF passing
it from two to two and a half miles; 1 re-
manned on deck some fve minute after
wards, and then went down into the engine
room, and remained there smoking with
the engineer; he got up and tried the water
in the boilers, and then walked out of the
port engine room door, and stepped back in a
moment and beckOned to me from the after
side of the port engine; 1 got up and walked
out of the port engine room door and looked
out of the gangway and saw q bright light
well off on our port bow; 1 then walked aft
and went up through the cabin, passed out
of the cabin into the smoking room, and
passed out of there on deck out of the port
door; I then saw the propeller's bright and
green lights; I then passed up on to the
hurricane dAck- and askod the mate If shat
propeller was bound down, and at the same
time took the glasses out of his hand. l
looked at her through the glasses and could
see her bright, green and sky-light lights;
l asked how we were heading, and was told
south by west; I then went on TO the pilot
house and checked her down; stopped the
starboard engine and gave orders 70 heave
the wheel h~ard-a-pOrt; at the same time,
heard the other propeller blow one whistle;
she came on and struck us in our port bow,
going in some eight or ten feet; she then
backed out.
Hailed the Meteor to come slong side as
we were sinking. She came up on our port
side as we were sinking she came up on
our port side again and l commenced help
ing our passengers on board Of her until the
Pewabic sunk.
From the time I saw the lights from the
after gangway, until the collision, was
about three minutes from the time came
on deck until she collision, was about one
minute or one minute and a half; did NOT
see the Meteor's red light at all did not
hear any signal of the whistle given by the
Pewabic ; when 1 left the deck off the ISL
and We were steering S. by E. q E., and
that being the course across Saginaw Bay ;
l took charge when I went on deck the
wheel had been ported before l came on
deck.
George Cleveland, First Mate of the Pc
wabic: l went on deck of the Pewabic at
Middle Island about 6I P. ~; she was then
steering 8. s. E.; were abreast of Thunder
Bay Island at ~ P. NJ; Isteered 8. by Z. q
E.; about twenty minutes after leaving the
Alkuha L hlduO q 4lEhH 6DOAe OAC BOAA OA my
starboard bow; l tcok the glass and saw a
propeller's lights plainly; 1 then ordered
the Wheelsman to port until she was on my
port bow q point VI more about five min
utes after that l thought she was closing
on me, and told the wheelsman to port
more so as to show him our red light /;
shortly after the Captain came on deck and
asked me which way that propeller was
going; / told him Icould not make out, but
thought she was going down, as 1 could
only see a bright light he then took the
glasses out of my hand and looked at her,
and hen rave it back to me and went on
beard him give orderBf6 port our WnsSI=
hard aport; shortly the propeller struck US
on the port bow; she then backed out ; see
ing that she was settling, l ran to the port
boat and tore of the covering; seeing that
l would not have time to do anything, and
as the Meteor was then alongside, l went
down and helped the passengers on her ;
l think we were three miles from
Thunder Bay light when we passed
it to the best of my knowledge it wa ten
or fifteen minutes from the time we made
the Meteor's light until we struck; 1 alter
ed our course probably q couple of minutes
after we mad q propeller's bright light 4;
the bright light was at that time on our
starboard bow about a point l put my helm
apOrt ; steadied her 8. = W.; that brought
her q point or more off our port bow ;
saw nothing but her bright light at that
time could not say how long l kept on this
course; did not see the propeller's green
light until she had just struck; there was
40 signal given by the Pewabic /; from the
time the Captain came on deck until the
collision was probably two or three min
utes supposed it was the Meteor before we
struck did not see the Meteor's red light
at all ; did not think it was necessary to
blow q whistle / thought b was too far
off am a licensed pilot licensed from
Cleveland this spring F; my idea for porting
my wheel was to show my red light.
After receiving and weighing the evidence
the Board sum up the matter and arrive at
the following conclusion:
The above forms the most important psrt
of the testimony taken before US, and in fact
all that would materially assist in forming
our opinion, and we find that this collision
was caused by the Encouragement of tho
first mate and master of the propeller Pc
wabic. We therefore revoke the pilet'B
license of George P. Mckay, master of the
said Pewabic, and ask the Board of Steam
boat Inspectors at Cleveland, Ohio, to re-
woke the pilot license of George Cleveland;
mate, he having been licensed at that port
All of which is respectfully submitted.
P. j. RALPH,
(Signed) 2. E. SAUNDERS,
Local Inspectors of Steamers, District of
Detroit.