The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-02

TIE MAWASSETT VERDICT


Balance Of interest paid by the
'hlcu StatcS........ lf,o2h,sI M
TIE wAwAssErT VERDICT.
The official report of the Wawassctt in
yestigation was made public to-day. The
inspectors recite briefly the history of the
Wawassett. and state she was considered
seaworthy in all respects, and allowed to
carry thirty cabin and twenty deck passen-
gers. They do not believe the statement of
the officers, that they did all they could
possibly do under the circumstances to save
the lives of passengers This opinion is
freely and clearly borne out by evidence
taken in the case. Referring to the testi-
mony of Capt. Woods, they say the saving
of the boat seemed to be uppermost in his
mind, to the exclusion, at that time, of the
preservation of the lives of his passengers,
most of whom were helpless women and
children. Accordingly, he says, he ordered
the pilot to head the vessel for shore then
very near. Instead, however, of assuming
command and directing the passengers to a
position in the boat where they might provide
themselves with life preservers, or ordering
the crew to prepare the life-boat for use,
took some of the fre-buckets with which
to throw water on the tller-ropes, leaving
the passengers to crowd together SO as to
cut off all chances of escape. just at that
time the engine ceased to work, and the
boat stopped. The supreme moment
passed and with it the possibility of saving
life through the appliances on board.
Robert North, engineer testified that he
was at his post. and therein he is support
ed by the testimony Of the other officers
Indeed, the evidence of the officers and
crew coincide in all particulars. They as
scrt that there was no time to do more than
was done. There was no opportunity to
save life that every man was employed
in the best manner wherever he happened
to he; that boats. planks, etc. were
thrown overheard, and that hose was laid.
Int water could not be applied, etc
ri testimony of some passengers of
more intelligence perhaps, and cooler oh
servaton. seriously contradict the state
ment Of the officers. After n careful re-
view of the whole testimony produced be-
fore us. we regret to have to acknowledge
that the cause of the fire still remains
mystery. hut we are of opinion that it orr
ginatcd in the fireman's room. under the
forward deck adjoining the forecastlc, and
near the bulk connection Of the boiler, and
we recommend that inspectors require all
bulk heads. boiler matches and other wood
work near and around boilers of all steam
vessels to be covered with metal, leaving
sufficient space for air to circulate between
such metal covering and woodwork as n
preventive against future disasters to
steamers by fire; they further find John II.
Woods. master, was acting without
license, that he had no organiza-
ton or discipline whatever in the
fire department on board of his vessel eX-
pccting, as he said, each officer and crew
to assist and do the best they could in case
of fire and other emergencies. 1t hose had
been attached to either of the pumps, and
one or both of them promptly used in con-
nection with the fire cXtingushcr and
smother pipe, the latter Of which was I'M
der entire charge OF the engineer, we firm
| " believe the fire on the Wawassett must
have been put out and II dreadful calamity
avoided. The negligence and misconduct
of the chief engineer of the steamer Wa
wassctt prior to the burning of the steam
err, as well as his nollicerlikc conduct af-
ter the fire occurred, arc all, in our opinion,
| deserving of the severcst condemnation and
highest penalty provided by the law. We
have, therefore, no alternative than to re-
yoke the license of r. Mast as engineer on
steam vessels navigating waters within the
| jurisdiction of the L. S., and it is so ordered.
j. j. Lowcry, inspector of hulls, testiiedpos-
| itively to preparing the original certificate
of the steamer, so as to admit of the car
riagc of but fifty passengers and fifteen
officers and crew, making total Of sixty
five The evidence was fully confirmed by
the subsequent production of the original
certificate from files of the Georgetown
custom house. We, therefore, declare that
the Potomac Ferry company was running
the steamer Wawassett in open violation OF
the law and earnestly recommend that steps
be promptly taken by the proper officers OF
the government to impose upon said conf
pany extreme penalty OF the law for such
violation, as also upon John II. Wood
master, and Robert W. Gravatt, mate OF
the Wawassett, for plying their respective
vocations without United States licenses II
defiance of the law. The report has beer
referred to the solicitor general for sucl
action as he may take in the premises.