The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-15
THE MORNING STAR DISASTER.


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Report Of the Supervising Inspector-Tbs
Officers Of the Morning Star Exonernted-
Those of the CORTLAND Blamed.
The Supervising Inspector OF the Eighth district
after thoroughly investigating the circumstances
tending the collision between the steamer Morning
Star, passenger boat plying between Cleveland and
Detroit and the bark CORTLAND, by which SO many
lives were lost. made the following report under
date OF September o.
That the Morning Star was a regular passenger
steamer making night trips back and forth between
Cleveland and Detroit a trade in which she had been
employed for several years. That she had been duly
boat inspectors OF Detroit her original certificate Of
inspection properly sworn to and then fled In the
ies that she was a stanch safe and seaworthy yes
sci, provided with lifebOats fire pumps, hose, life
preservers and floats signal lights and every equip
ment required by law to render her safe and proper
means for the transportation OF passengers The
testimony OF the witnesses fully confirms
that the means for saving life In OF
accident were much In excess OF the demands Of
the law that there were several kinds of life pre-
servers, all with the requisite buoyancy easily to be
obtained, and that her officers temperate, prn
dent and experienced men, duly licensed In compl
land for Detroit on the evening OF the 10th OF June
last, with q full complement OF officers and men,
having on board, near can be ascertalned,
about seventy cabin and other passengers taking
the usual and proper course. west northwest; that
about half past twelve O'Clock in the night. when
she suddenly came in collision with an unseen ves-
sci, which proved to be the bark CORTLAND, Captain
Louden, by when collision the steamer was sunk in
the almost incredible short space OF five or not ex-
ceeding ten minutes, the bark sinking an hour or
80 afterwards. The night was very dark. Though
there was no fog, It was one OF those peculiar
dark nights when the clouds overhead shut out
the star light and cast dense shadow over
the water dark and impenetrable that II TX I'M
possible to discern vessel even OF the largest class
coming down without light directly upon you.
not unirequent, and such night was this. Though
1t was impossible to see vessel on such night, yet
proper signal lights, If they were properly displayed,
would readily be seen three or four miles away.
Captain viger, Peter Talon the second mate;
Bernard Dempsey, the lookout man, and Dugaid
Mclaughlin, the wheesman, were all ON the for
ward deck In and around the pilot house. having an
without ntermission for approaching vessels from
the time Of leaving Cleveland to the moment OF the
s in their .1 nrsner places ana
| could easily be seen by approaching vessels IN
time to have avoided collision. The above
men took their positions on deck expressly
| to look out for any object coming toward
them that might by any possibility endange a,
| care they may be supposed to have exercised no
lights Indication OF danger were to be discovered
vessei,s bell followed instantly by the renection Of
| the steamers lights from vessels sail, showing
large vessel crossing te steamers DOW ana 30 close
which came In q moment after, the steamer striking
the vessel on its starboard side, about fifteen feet
L
ment Captain viger rang the engine bell to stop,
then to put hack al the same time giving the pIope.
order " the wheesInan to 'hard starboard MS
| wheel" which orders were all promptly executed.
| At this time Duncan McLoughlin the ilrst mate,
clear away the lfeboats to man the large one, and
lie by the steamer until further ORDERS These orders
were promptly executed the large boat lowered near
Unfortunately, however, when 1t was lowered, owing
to the heavy sea running, the boat became nearly
filed with water and for time rendered her nearly
unnanageabe. The captain then passed through
the cabin, telling the passengers to put on their life
preservers (Of which there was abundancel, then
go ont where the lifeboats were being provided at
the same time requesting Captain Blanchard, pas
senger, but experienced sailor, to assist in ad
justing them, which was complied with. Many were
30 adjusted and the persons sent cut "a directed;
only one OF these. as he remembers major Hutchn-
| son. was drOwned-his body buoyed up by the pre-
| server Captain Vger then went forward 10 learn
| the extent OF the injury and found the steamer in
imminent danger the water already rushing IN over
her main deck and she fast settling away. He was
then obliged to seek safety the hurricane deck with
some others who fortunate enough TO get there
the steamer sinking beneath them, parting from the
hurricane deck and leaving 1t aiOat with those upon
drawn into the terrible vortex accustomed by the
sinking OF the hull and drowned. Occasoning the
loss OF about forty persons. such seems TO he
truthful statement OF the main facts OF this severe
calamity.
The important question now in regard to this dis
aster TO he settled Is whether the coldng vessel had
shown reasonable and proper signal lights as re-
CURED 10y law. The act OF Congress approved April
20, 1884, III relation TO carrying signal lights sail
Ing vessels liz plain and explicit enough, that all sa-
ing vessels shall carry the starboard side green
light, constructed as to throw uniform and un-
broken light OF the horizon OF ten points
or The compass, so fixed as to throw light from
right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the
sarboard SIDE and red light on the port side i'm
the same manner, both Of such character az TO he
visible on q dark night, In a clear atmosphere at a
distance Of at least two miles.
From all the testimony Of the witnesses OF the
steamer and that Of the vessel and confirmed by the
passengers, to my mind IL IL clear and conclusive
That on that night the bark CORTLAND showed no
such lights as the law intended that the green light
was burning very dimly. and 1t IL highly probab..
that ~ was screened from view to the approac hing
vessel so effectualy that could not have been seen
by the others ON the steamer, and, consequently it
was tantamount to no light ut all. II appears tn
nave peen placed In the milzen rigging-a place in
my opinion, improper 10 such vessel ~ the Court
iand am further satisfied that the Officers on the
Courtiand were guilty Of culpabe negligence in not
giving timely warming both by her bell and torch
bPht OF her approach, as the steamers lightx were
maize In ample time to have avoided this direkI ca
ianity III seems TO me little less than heinous Of
renee IN the officers Of a vessel attempting to cross
steamers bow under such circumstance. 10 is too
much 70 expect Of human care and human foresight
Tor Captain Niger or any else to have fOreseeu
this danger and TO have guarded against IL.
!, therefore fully exonerate Captain Il. r. yiper
and all other officers OF the Morning Star from either
censure or blame.
ALFRED GUTHRIE
supervising Inspector Eighth district,