The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-05
Impossible to Tell How Many
Lives Lost.
THE INVESTiG CATION.
Testimony Of the Captain and Mate Of
Schooner Nellie Cushing.
THE wRECK-sTREwN BEACH.
The Sand Yet to Give UP
.... It's Dead.

...-..... It's Dead.
NEW LONDON, Sept. A, 1872
The arrival in this city OF General Joseph Nimmo,
Supervising Inspector General, to institute q
searching investigation into the causes which led
to the Mctis horror, at once revives the keen in
terest felt by the community In one of the most
heart-rending disasters that ever occurred on the
Sound. The calamity Is the more fearful to con-
template, since it is impossible to state
how many souls went to their final
account, Notwithstanding the attempts that
have been made to figure down the
exact number lost and missing General Nimmo
was accompanied by Captain Addison Low, Super
vising Inspector Of the Sound district, which ex-
tends from Passamaquoddy Bay to Cape Clear, Va,
and Captain Bems, Inspector from Buffalo, They
reached the city last night at nine O'Clock and at
once proceeded to the New London Custom House,
where they were met by E.. p. Beckwith,
local Inspector Of hulls and P. B. Hovey, local
Inspector of boilers The two latter had previously
taken some testimony from the captain, mate and
one OF the crew of the schooner Nettie Cushing,
which will be found below. 1t may be mentioned
that the local inspectors will make the investigation,
under the direction of the Supervising Inspector,
who will, of course, assist in the inquiry.
uCHCipi NillmO CuHicS IOu VdSHluStoA AOA
the purpose of learning the main facts
in the case and to see that the investigation is
properly organized according to law, and of Offering
to Captain Low the cooperation of the Treasury
Department and any assistance he may desire.
In conversation this morning the General stated
that from his interview with the local board and
from what he had learned of the action they had
already taken, he felt satisfied the whole matter
would be thoroughly and impartially investigated.
THE INQUIRY
will embrace three important points,
l. The actual equipment Of the steamer and the
condition OF the appliances on board in order to
cure the safety Of human life and property.
q The manner In which the two vessels were
managed at the time of the collision and after the
g. The means that were adopted by the master
and officers of the steamer to prevent her from
sinking and to secure the safety OF human life after
they found the water was coming In. The in
spectors will also make inquiries as to the efficacy
OF the various kinds Of apparatus on board for the
preservation Of life, including lleboats, rats and
llfe-saving mattresses
The schooner which ran into the Metis is now
lying in New London harbor and 1t being necessary
to examine the damage done to her, If any, and
otherwise inquire into several matters appertain-
ing to the COLI sion in which she played SO prOmi.
nent a part General NmmO, accompanied by the
Board went out to inspect her this morning shortly
after nine O'Clock. A thorough examination was
made and 1t was found that the only injury she
sustained was the carrying away OF her jibboom
and bowsprit and some injury to the stem. The
"apron," which is a timber Immediately beyond the
stem, does not appear to have sustained any dam
age at all. The Nettie Cushing is an extra built
white oak vessel and Is constructed in the staunCh
est manner. general opinion prevailed that she
must have been an unusually strong craft TO have
gone successfully through such O collision, and
General NimmO humorOusy remarked that In case
another war occurred he would suggest the prOpre-
ty of chartering her for ram.
NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE SAVED HER,
and for the matter Of that the captain thought she
was sinking, but she weathered the storm and ar
rived at New London with the loss OF her head gear
only. saw the captain the day he came ashore
after the sad calamity. He did not, Of
Se facts We're OF to $ an
when the circumstances Of the matter began to
be discussed among those who seemed to be
favorable impression by his straight story of the
whole occurrence. Towards evening he appeared
to be quite confident that he was not to blame.
local Board and gave his version Of the collision as
f0llows:-
i, Emory d. Jameson, of the town of Friendship,
In the State Of Maine, having been duly sworn here
make the following statement:-.
am master Of the schooner Nettie Gushing, OF
Thomaston, Me. We left ThOmaston August q,
1872, bound for New York. Nothing unusual oc-
CURED until the morning OF the both. At twelve
Sy Se wns T th
wind coming from the southeast. The weather was
drzzling rain. At three A. M. Watch Hill bore north
The weather being thick with rain squalls, took in
light sails, sent Tor mate and saw steamer two
points on the lee or starboard bow We steered
our course west by south. Our lights were in good
order. was standing alongside the man at the
wheel. The mate was aft ] saw the steamers
green light and masthead light also.
= TIL. COLLISION
We held our course and In about three minutes
c0ded. The steamer struck our jibboom and
bowsprit breaking the former In three pieces and
the bcwsprit ut night heads breaking OF night head
stanchions from both bows, and oil our head gear
and cutwater also. The steamer turned us around
n nead to asked the tn wad nSsd e a a.
/ supposed we were sinking or in
sinking condition. She Kept on her course and we
was fifty yards from US heard whistle until the
s;:.eamef was out Of sight. soon after another
Sf4 8 W p Snd se g ssa We We
were going at the rate Of six Knots an hour at the
time Of the collision.
@ What vas the extent Of the Injury after coll
inos beni on the port side; the stem was crushed
within two ieei o. the water and twisted on the
port side carving away upper wa soISs onSy
thus closed the testimony Of Captain Jameson,
and the next witness examined was the mate Of
In free and easy STYLE as II perfectly collected,
and il will be seen corrobOrates the testimony OF
theprevious one. In reply to one OF the inspectors
Il an, mate Of the schooner Nettie Cushing.
On Thursday, August 20, we passed Vineyard Sound,
two O'Clock In the morning Beaver Tail Light bore
about north. The weather was thick and rainy.
then went below AT thirty,fye minutes past one
in the morning I was called by the Captain
and asked II we had not better take
in topsalls. We took them In. She. was
we made steamer on the starboard bow and her
light, which thought was her masthead light,
Quarter of mile OF, about two points or our star.
hoard how. was standing beside the man at the
wheel ana watching the light. When IT had ap..
preached to about one hundred and 1fty yards.
iscovered the red light. At the same time saw the
null She was steering southsouth-easrc crossing our
bow. We kept our course, and IN about Q minute
we struck her about one third me way on ais car,
her 10 take us OF, as we supposed we were In a
sinking condition; but heard no answer, and she
her blow three or four whistles. About the same
time another steamer came up, and passed U.S.
The Captain hailed her. but heard no reply:
found she was not leaklng we then made sail for