The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-23
THE RECENT DISASTER ON THE HUDSON.

Onicial InvestisatIss Int the Circumstances
of the Vanderbilt and Dean Richmond Col
iision by the United states Inspectors of
Machinery and steam Vessels.
Yesterday morning full and searching investigation
into the facts attending the recent collision the North
river, between the Vanderbilt and Dean Richmond,
whereby the latter steamer sunk, was commenced
before the official inspectors OF steam vessels The
er OF the two boats represented by counsel and
the witnesses on behalf or the Dean Richmond the
first examined.
William d. Vandsrherx, on being sworn, deposed as
foiows:-i am pilot by profession. and have been
licensed nrs class pilot for the sixteen years live
a. Athens ana was the pilot In charge or the Dean
Richmond at the time Of the accident; We len Athens
on the night Of the 10Th September at quarter past ten
night just abreast OF Esopus Island and passod
the st. John, and also the light OF q stsamboat
that was coming up; this was the Vanderbilt she was
coming up and We we're going down. and we we're both
running straight for another head to head heard
two dstlnct whistles from Vanderbilt when shs was
about two miles and half on gave two Whistles in
return and Immediately seered TO the In order 10
avoid the approaching vessel after this the Vanderbilt.
she also had altered her Course and steering
wards into the land 20 as TO head us OIL II
room for him to do this, gave four or Ave alarm
whistles In quick succession, and the engine
bell 70 ana back Mseu hs
about sixty feet on saw her wheels stop and begin TO
back asern she struck on the starboad side just
Abaft Of the forward gangway some forty 10 fifty feet
from her stern, but say positively what distance
1t was, did not measure 1t she went into nearly
down TO her keel the Dean Richmond then began 10
sink slowly, and sent q man down to whether
there was any water lower deck; he came back and
said there was sone he went again ana when be re-
turned the second time he said the water was coming
IN fast; the engine OF our boat was backing all
the time; we went on sinking fast. and as
sank down to the level OF the hurricane deck passed
passengers to the Vanderbilt and others to the
to the Drew and taken New York. the Dean Richmond
sank to about Of the height OF her upper
half miles OF when first saw her, aud about three
quarters OF mile when she first signaiiod us; when she
blew the single whistle to US the second time she could
not lave been further of than two three times her
iength-may be MORE be less the channel between
the Vanderbilt and the Richmond perfectly clear,
and no vessel was In the way: the schooner, which
afterwards came up just abreast of some dis
lance of, aud did not pay much attention to her;
only heard the two whistles nrst from the Vanderbilt and
then a single one; heard signals except
from our own boat; saw light nearly abreast Of
the Vanderbilt on her stat board bow; this light was
'boa TO the westwards that Is more in that direction,
the Vanderbilt was more over to the at the time
we heard that vesses first signal 10 US, this light or
tow was about three-quarters Of mile also from
have met the Vanderbilt several times going up aud
down the river and knew the sound OF her whistle
quite well; never heard two boats whistle alike;
whistles different in sound and strength aboard dr.
ferent vessels saw other steamboat whatever did
talked about since. did NO. Know the irnt had seem
abreast Of the Vanderbilt propeller; the collision
happened about threequarters mile below the island
and when we're turned TO tho ward and nearly
half way the channel Of the river his point
course after rounding the island towards the elbow
in straight line; we did not change after
the last single whistle had been blown by the Wander
blt, it impossible for 30; the Vanderbilt
had kept her and had kept mine after the
whistles were blown and had each sbeered q little
should probably have cleared each other by hun
dred feet or at all events the gap between US would
have been pretty wide one; never dreamed Of . col
son until saw the thing was inevitable the tide was
~ the food and we were going some twelve or fourteen
miles hour, and the Vanderbilt probably sixteen,
near IS can calculate; as soon as blew the alarm
whistle, which. in itself, means confusion" rang
two wheesmen in the pilot house besides myself
~, Edward Van wars and Alonzo Teel; Mr. Jad-
son Mercy was the other pilot. but Is was his
my watch deck the time the boats struck the
CINE mus! esys made SSH ay turns back nv, Ts
to slow, stop and back; NO canaot pull 70 back ali 1t
once as the machinery could not act 80 suddeny lsaw
forward on the stsrbosrd side he was dressed in his
shirt and pants and was baeheadcd this after the
collision and he was giving orders 70 take our pas.sn
far % could see there we're some vessels along the
west shore mostly sloops and scnoonss after the acct,
dent noticed several quite near aud schooner,
was laying close under our stern the Wander
bit was the only steamer near US. and there
was . slo0p whose name ! saw, tho William
Bridger the witness was hsre asked If there
any other whistle except his alarm signal and he re-
a the time he heard tue rst whistle the boats were
about threequartcrs OF mile apart and when he blew
me alarm they were 9n' couple ?. ngsns separated
myself
and 10 the pilot house besldes there certain
rules for the guidance OF pilots and these had under
my eye; when two boats are nearing each other aud
there appears be OF collision, the rule Is to
ring the alarm bell, whichever perceves this state Of
things rs and 70 Immediately ring stop tho boat aud
and back astern; did so as quickly possibly could;
youth upward, since the year lS4S; TO tho
best Of my belief there was no neglect on board the
naa R{c,ra md Al aft mr. VIII bI<wu
did everything We could to avert collision; saw
that vas out OF our power TO get TO The westward Of
the Vanderbilt SO blew the alarm whistle and gave
the order 10 stop there was nothing done wrong aboard
u.s. watched the course and wheels OF the Vanderbilt
she up; did not see her wheels stop until sne
just within sixty feet OF u.s. when they began 10
turn back our pilot house VAS about thirty feet above
the level OF sne water ana situated aoou. seventeen
exact width Of the Dean Richmond vs. perhaps she Is
seventy eighty feet across her beam; after the col
lision observed that the bow OF the vanderbilt was
wrenched round all to side and broken ike; the
Dean Richmond had flied once. but had sunk
were the channel pretty deep, tho
sixty five seventy feet In DEPTH the Dean did not
,Sa s . oo0 r sns sSn on mr.
told me therc we're some hundred and tty passengers
board u.s. did not take long TO take them all or
the Drew came down about twenty minutes after the
collision; We did not signal her. she came down to US
her own accord; don't know what passengers she
took on believe sho took some saw Capt Curtiss como
his room, which Is just the foot OF the pilot
house stairs shortly beorenesry at the time In
TACT that The vessel stfucx NJ went at immediately 10
about getting tho passengers on he then went on
board the schooner and when they were ali removed
sal ely 10 the Drew ne aboard the Dean Richmond
again. On direct examination the witness 81 that the
bean had suc timber in her TO keep her aost above
her hurricane deck, II she were full ofswater.
Crosse xamina. lon resumed.-I went the watch at
Athens wh tho watch the plot house all tho
way down along with two wheesmen saw the Wander.
bt first when sue was clear Of the island on tho west
side Of the channel nearly midway through the Wander
b headed up towards the elbow, that In direct
line towards US, about two miles and hall OF. as
wIro Iraa aulrnt fhn ntnnf rlUuF ttf
overcast then, but certainly GOOD night for
seeing, good night a. pot could wish for; tho
moon had risen before left Athens, and was l
think, In her second quar- or; the Hood ndo first
abreast 81 Esopus Meadows; the usual
going down tho rvsr With the last OF the ebb tide
VAS round the elbow stern towards the part
Of the island some boats DO th pg and
other; some might ceriainy track up along the east
shore; II s all matter OF taste; that night Van
derbt was heading toward US and that was her proper