The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-08-22
THE PRWABIG DISASTER
An ~Ft1pOrIaut Etatements-PrOtest OF
Capt. wilson and Other Officers OF
the Meteor.

inst, the first straightforward account Of
the recent terrible collision, which has been
given. 1t consists Of the protests of the
officers of the Meteor, and statements sworn
to by them before a Notary Public. one
cannot resist the conviction that the blame
in the matter lies at the door of the officers
of the Pewabic.
We condsnss below the protests of the
Mate, Captain, Wheelsman, Lookout and
Engineer
And said appearer, Byron Mills, states
that on said 9th day of August, he was first
mate of said propeller Meteor snd acting
ss such; that he came on watch at about
half-past SIX o'clock P. of that day and
found the Meteor steering nOrth northwest;
steeTed that way until she made Thunoer
Bay light, which was At about half past
seven O'Clock. Then hauled her up north
west by north, half north, and STOOD on
that course, and at about e quarter past
eight o'clock made a white light about two
or two and a half points of her starboard
bow, and shortly afier saw a green light on
the same vessel. This Meteor still stood on
her course, showing her white and green
lights TO said vessel whose white and green
liehts were seen as aforesaid, until she was
nearly abreast of nor, which vessel after
warts proved to be the steam propeller Pc
9abic. of Detroit. While watching the
Pswabic. che suddenly shut in her green
light and showed her red light. The course
ofthe Meteor was not changed from the time
of the change last aforesaid, when she
made Thunder Bay light, until the Pewabic
sho wed her red light, when SAID mate or
dered the Meteor's wheel hard a-Port,
which was answered immediately He
-. Alaat ~ Aha whistle. and ring
the starboGrd engine cell TO stop aud back.
Seeing then that q collision could not be
avoided, be rung the port engine bell to
stop and back. That immediately after
wards the vessels came together. Said
mate further says that before the collision
he was watching the green light on board
of the Pewsbie, and asked the wheelsmsn
if she was workingdOwn on us, who replied
that be thought she was not. In 8 short
time the mate again asked the wheelsman
the same question, who this time replied
that he thought she was coming down on
rs aud then the Pewabic showed her red
light.
Aud said sp2earer, Thomas Wilson, says
that on the said dsy he was, and still is
master of the propeller Meteor that in the
evening of the said day, while sitting in
his room, his attention was directed By the
wheel change, and his room being on the
starbosrd side, and the door being open, he
stepped out upon the deck, and Immediate
" saw the Pewabic, iron one to two
len gths of, standing across the Meteor's
bows. He ran directly for the pilot house.
As he got halfway there, the Meteor's
whistle was blown, and just as he reached
the TOD of the pilot house the collision &C
Cured. The mate was then at his post, and
reported that the Meteor was backing that
he ordered the mate TO 20 down and see
how II inps were there, saying he would
stay where he was. He kept the boat back
ing until she got loose from the Pewabic,
when he stopped her, He then heard
cries from the Pewabic that she YVES
sinking, and rang the bell TO go
ahead with the ~stsrOOsrd engine. As she
was then heading directly toward the Pc
wabic, intending to go alongside for The
purpose of saving what he could, but from
the fact that the vessels were so close that
the Meteor had not room TO swing, she
went head on to the Pewabie. The Meteor
kept her starbnard engine working to pre-
vent the vessel separating, when the crew
and passengers of the PeWRbic commenced
coming on board the Meteor. That the
Meteor remained there until said master
saw the Pewabic's boz going down under
water, when he backed her off clear OF the
wreck about one hundred feet. That said
/ mHbLlI kuOu Tau nv " ~ ~ oSDS -
to the starb1ard quarter boat, and When he
got there he found the after boats fall cut.
With the assistance of his mate and others,
he showed her over the side, and told the
mate to iump in and make for the wreck,
which he did, taking with him one wheels
man and one deck hand from the Meteor.
This was the first boat from the Meteor
and the first from the wreck. Aud AFTER
he collision every effort was msde oy me
the officers and crew ofthe PeWabic, tosaSe
the lives Of those on the wreck.
And said appearer, JOhn Patterson, says
that on the 9th day of August, he was
at the time of SAID collision at the wheel /;
the course given him on taking the wheel
WAS north northwest. He continued on
the course until he sighted Thunder Bay
Light, when tho course was changed to
northwest by north-half-north, which was
continued until the mate ordered the
wheel hard a port, when he saw the red
light on the Pewsbic just before the colli-
sion, which order was Obeyed by this sp
pearer, with the assistance of the lookout,
who had sprung into the pilot house to aid
him in doing it quickly.
And said sppearer, Thomas Wilson, ST.,
says that he was the lookout on the Meteor
on the evening of the Sch day of August,
standing alongside the mate in front of the
pilot-house; that be saw a white light
about three points on the stsrboard bow !;
tho mate was standing watching the light;
that a short time after he saw the white
light he saw a green light on the vessel;
she seemed TO be coming down on 3 straight
course, showing her white and green lights
TIL very near The Meteor, when she seemed
to haul sharp around, showing her red
light, and standing directly aerO's the Me-
teOr's bows. The mate ordered the wheel
hard 8 port when he saw the red light
opened.
Aud the said appearer, John NJ. Cronen-
weth, says that on said oh day Of August
he was chief engineer on board of the pro-
peller Meteor, a-d had charge of the ca
ginss; that hearing the whistle blow he
ran to the engine room, aud the bells rang
30 stop and back Immediately, the star
board bell rang first and the port bell i'm
medistely after /; both Of the engines were
stopped immediately, and then backed SIS
the order was given both of the engines
were backing whent the collision took place.
Police CouRT.-Judge Abbey disposed of