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

Il
may desire. These steamers were larg,
fully three hundred feet long, wit
double cabin of increased height, render
ing them less liable to be governed du
ring strong gales add to this the fac
that at full speed they required abou
fifteen feet water in depth to run steadily
On less they would be restless, incline'
to dodge about, here and there. We hav
seen it occur while running on less dept
of water, and strong wind existing a
the time, and striking on the boats sid
or quarter, that she would run out o
position quite the width of the river, o.
until deeper water was reached, before sh,
could be Strengthened up. Now, suppos,
these to have been the circumstance.
under which either of these pilots had t
labor on that night and then to find hi!
boat in position only reached agains
his combined will and Judgment, this too
in the face Of an approaching boat from
an opposite direction, whose course he
was forced by the power of adverse cir.
cumstances to encroach upon, whilst
they were nearing each other at the rate
of twenty five or thirty miles an hour
This would leave but little time for cool
reflection. 1t may be said, and truly so
that both steamers should have been
stopped; but how few men there are
who are equal to the emergency when
excited by the approach of unexpected
troubles. Certainly nothing could have
been more foreign to the mind Of these
pilots than that a collision would ever
ensue between them under ordinary cir
cumstances. They were old pilots
in this particular trade, and accustomed
to meeting each other every night
for years; often, we have no doubt,
at that same point, Warsaw, and
passed with perfect safety. These
facts were well calculated to inspire them
with confidence in each others skill and
ability to hold their respective boats in
proper position again. Influenced by
this confidence, they were not unwilling
to permit themselves, to approach each
other with less fear of an accident occur
ring, than had they have met strange
steamer at different point and different
hour. They each had their hour for
leaving port, and passing intermediate
landings, so that their hour for meeting
was well nigh an established fact.
If we are correct in our surmiSes, great
must HAYS been the CONSERVATION and
confusion in the minds Of the pilots when
feeling that collision was inevitable.
The great responsibility for the lives Of
passengers and property resting on them,
and their character and livelihood de-
pending on their success as pilots, was
highly calculated, during the enactment
Ct an unanticipated trouble, to increase
their confusion. Who are bold enough
to say they could have calmly stood at
the helms Of these steamers and prevent
ed the accident, under circumstances
such as we have pictured. We venture
the assertion there are bnt few
Not being familiar with tie Ohio river
in that locality, our ideas of the cause
may not be applicable to this disaster,
but we have endeavered to show how an
accident of its magnitude, might (almost)
unavoidably occur.
We have attempted this article, not in
Vindication of any one or set of men, but
of pilots, as a class, believing such sad
occurrences happening to first~class
steamers, are calculated to arouse feel,
ing Of insecurity with the travelling pub.
lie, which would result to the detrimept
and unjust censure of pilots generally.
However feeble this effort may appear,
yet, we fell it duty We owe in the hour
of need, to raise our pen in support Of a
class of men with whom our sympathies
shall ever be. We have been by their
side in the hour of adversely, sat with
them in their council chambers, and know
them to be men Of worth Never was
their good judgment and wisdom dis
played to greater advantage, than when
they undertook and successfully carried
into operation, the organization of pilots
associations at the various ports on the
western waters. These associations were
termed the home or local associations,
and were blended in one grand union,
STYLED "The New Orleans Pilot BenevO-
lent and Reading room Association" the
object of which was to dignity and ele-
vate the profession, and for the general
diffusion of that knowledge pertaining to
a more safe and thorough system Of nav
igatiOn than had ever before existed. The
rule adopted by themselves for their
own government, was productive of great
er safeguards to life and property than
any law ever enacted by Congress, or
rules adopted in pursuance thereof by the
Supervising Inspectors. We give below
the rules referred TO:
"Rule l It shall be the duty Of every
pilot, in case of floating in the fog to blow
three distinct whistles every five minutes,
which shall be answered in the same
manner by any boat within hearing.
But if lying to shore or aground, the bell
shall be used, giving the same signals as
in meeting boats.
"Rule 2. 1t shall be the duty Of every
pilot to prepare statement Of the con-
ditiOn of the river for each box at the
different wharfboats, whether there be
any change in the channel or not sign
his name thereto and deposit it in the
box.
"Rule 3. Any pilot meeting boat and
wishing information as to the condition OF
the river, shall blow five distinct whistles.
The boat so applied to, shall answer in
the same manner, then giving the signal
to pass. And in no case separate until
the necessary information has been OBJ
tanned, if possible.
Rule 4. 1t shall be the duty of every
pilot, in case of being aground with his
boat, on seeing boat approach, to give
such boat signal as to which side to
run. II not certain as to the channel, he
shall give four distinct whistles, which
shall signify to sound"
Under the working of these assOcia~
tons it was not long before the skill and
efficiency of its members became mani
fest, and to show the very high apprecia
ton in which they wero held by captains
and owners Of steamboats,, we have only
to refer to resolution passed through
the Convention of Captains and Own
ers," held in the city of Louisville, July
10, IL, II and -, 1860, in which there
were ninety>four delegates, representing
as fine talent as was to be found in the
government
Resolved, That committee of three
be appointed with instruction to meet
the Pilots Association, or q committee
thereof, at st. Louis, in August next,
with power to agree on the following
plan for mutual aid and protection, viz.
That the Pilots Association having
first agreed that no member Of that asso.
citation shall pilot any boat other than
such boats as are commanded by mem>
bers Of the Captains Union Benevolent
Association of New Orleans, or of some
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