Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-10


Defects of Law, and Rules for their
Governmental Searching Inquiry
into the BiundeEs Of Law Maxi rs,
by an Old Pilot.
To the Editors Of the Union and Am riean:
We have, for several weeks past, OBJ
served correspondence Of reporters and
statement from eye witnesses, in the
public journals of the day, relative to
the disaster on the Ohio river, on the
night of the 4th instant, which resulted
in the loss Of so many valuable lives.
We refer to the collision of the steamers
United States and America.
We believe We have had some ex>
perience in the trials and vicisSitudes att
tendant on the navigation of our western
waters by steamers, and shall therefore
weigh more carefully all reports of this
sad affair, remembering that it is very
seldom, that two eye witnesses to an ex-
cited scene can harmonic their evidence
of its occurrence.
1t is stated by some, that the collision
was owing to the darkness Of the night
by others, that it was owing to the vols
ume Of black smoke rolling from the
chimneys of the America, the wind blow
ing up stream at the time, carrying it
Immediately in front Of the boat, and
obScuring the view Of the pilot to such
an extent, that the signal lights of the
United States could not be seen; and
that the same cause (smoke) prevented
the pilot Of the United States from sees
ing the signal lights of the America.
In dissenting to the arguments referred
to, our object is not to cast censure on the
officers of these steamers for carelessness,
recklessness, and stupidity; on the con-
trary, to relieve them ifpossible, Of these
charges, by showing first that it was not
the extreme darkness of the night that
produced this calamity. Had it been
they would most certainly be justly
chargeable for yenturing out on such a
night. By referring to the almanac we
find that the moon rose on that night, at
near 10 O'Clock, and the accident did not
occur, until between the hours of eleven
and twelve; this of ITSELF is sufficient to
satisfy the mind fanny one at all familiar
with river life, that it was not what
would be termed black night Second
ly, we do not altogether adopt the reason
ing in regard to the smoke. Whilst we
concur in the opinion that it might have
prevented the signal lights of either boat
from being seen by the pilots, yet, we
are Of the opinion that the smoke itself
must have been visible Cat reasonable
distance) to the pilot ofthe United States
1t is well established fact, that a
heavy black object is more discernible to
the eye, on a dark night, than any color
excepting fire light hence, the reason
that on many Jack stats, Eve refer more
to their color than to their usefulness
that we have seen on steamboats, have
attached, what are known as might
hawks which are painted perfectly black
to attract the attention of pilots on dark
nights when they could see no other
portion Of the staff. We desire to be
understood when we say that this col.
lision was not in our opinion, attributable
to either of the causes alluded to. We
have only commented upon them, be-
cause they have been before the public.
The true cause may ever remain a
mystery, but we believe that there are
circumstances under which a similar &C
cident could occur, without it necessarily
following that the pilots would be seri'
ously to blame.
From all the information in our pos
session, take it for granted that the pilot:
of these ill. iated steamers were equal tt
the most skilled of their profession, and
knew that portion of the Ohio river q:
perfectly as the oldest citizen knows the
streets of our city, yet, it is not alway'
the case, while running under adverse
circumstances, that even the best pilots