The New York herald., 1878-02-09
THE WRECKED METROPOLIS.
Official Investigation Into the
Causes of Her Loss.
CONFLICTING TESTIMONY.
Was the Vessel Unseaworthy or Were
Her Timbers Sound =?

tropos disaster was begun yesterday by United states
Inspector OF vessels Low, at his oice IN the
federal building Six important Witnesses we're
examined. These we're George D. Lunt, owner;
Charles B. Dyckman. chief officer Of the lost
vessel Jeremiah Darling, Inspector for the Auan"c
Mutual Insurance Company; Daniel NJ. Cousins sec-
ond officer OF she vessel; Richard Poillon, the ship
builder VINO repaired her, and James Rooney, ship
wright who was EN- ployed in making repairs The
general drift of the testimony taken went 10 establish
the claim of the that the Metropolis was sea-
worthy vessel
THE EXAMINATION
Mr. Luut testified that nearly ne could tell ne
purchased tho Metropolis in April, 1871 I'VE got
her." snid he, ssparticularly for the value of her
engines;' within a week OF that time he was
offered $40 900 than they gavo for ner It was de-
cded however, to refuse the offer and have the vessel
RECONSTRUCTED, as was at first int ended the boiler
were built by the Atlantic Works, at East Boston,
the engine was compounded unaer the direction OF
Mr.. Copeland and the hull was rebuilt at Newbury-
port Mass the vessel was ieDgthened forty-seven
feet; the hull was stripped down and all
the carpenter work was done under the inspection
Of the New York Board OF Underwriters and their
representative Captain Candage Boston; the tim.
bers put ia were Of New Hampshire OAK, the ceiling
plank was OF yellow pine, also the clamps
and pine new keeisons; sho was strapped with
iron; the cabins furnished In the best
manner and hardwood finished; she was brig
rigRed and had unusuai quantity Of sails which
000 all the old maleria that was not considered
FIRST class removed; Marine inspectors Story,
Darling and Parkor visited the ship and passed
judgment upon the work, and Captain Candage
visited it frequently; while looking at the
vessel they compared the work on the ceiling
with that of 200 ton ship, and said that was
heavy and rebuilt to their entire satisfaction
the rebuilding of the Metropolis completed in
October, 1871, and che was classed by the record
.A1*, FIVE years." After her return from the
Bermudas, IN September, 1876, she was inspected
from TO stern inside and out from three eight
panks removed from her outside around the
entire length; that work dono by Joseph Rooney
l. Co. for the inspectors and was done by day. work
the ceiling OF the vessel was opened inside In the
lower hold and between docks also; the own.
ers then called Tor statement of what
the inspectors would require TO mako her entirely
seaworthy and to continue to have her rate In the
same class; G. g. R. Poillon had the contract TO do
all the work necessary to entirely satisfy the nspec-
tors and it WINS done; In March OF lust year she was
examined and reclassed "No u tor three years."
in January, 1873, she was put upon tho dock,
her metal was stripped or and replaced, new
shaft was put In and she was fitted for sea
under direction OF the underwriters ~ considered
the ship In good condition for her voyage TO Brazil"
said Mr.. Lunt 1--WE valued her at $l6o, 600 when she
left this city; there SIS, 500 insurance ON her.
the vessel had never been insured for than ono
half ner value"
THE FIRST oypIcER's TESTIMONY.
Charles B. Dyckman, first officer OF the Metropolis
described tho conditions under which she Left Phila-
delphia on Monday, January 2s and the events that
followed until she was wrecked on Currituck Beach,
North Carolina. on the morning Of the 31st ult.,
telling the same story, but In fewer words, that he
told to HERALD reporter whom he was washed ashore.
In conclusion he aid:'I considered the vessel
worthy in every respect, l never would have put
to her; have had twenty -four years expert
IN tho United States Navy during the civil war and
have commanded three different ships; consider
the gale and not TO any Of the vessel
acquainted with Dr. Green, the surgeon for the
passengers on board; he appeared TO be caring only
for himself; number of telegrams came to the
Of the wreck, which replied TO, the captain
was not present; one Telegram, however from
medical gentleman OF Norfolk, wishing to know II
medical ard was required and that handed to DR..
Green, saying he had better attend to IT. he paid
attention to it, but asked me to loan him my knife
70 cut q stick with as memento OF the
wreck; he had in his possession two pieces
of wood from tho ship. which he said
but perfectly sound, and tho othor piece chestnut
that was also sound; the Doctor told me that he
nem0ntOe6 WroCk-8u
seemed to be looking for was mornentoes; the ship
was fully equipped and had everything on board re-
quired by the certificate of inspection.
sEAwORTHY IN EVERY RRsPECT
Jeremiah Darling, inspector for the Atlaptc Mutual
Insurance Company, testified-A contract was made
with firm at NewburypOrt Mass, 20 rebuild
the Metropolis to the satisfaction OF the
Shipmasters' Association or one OF it's in
specsors; Captain Candage. Of Boston. l was In.
formed, calleu several tmcs to tho vessel, and
the Arm which doing the work requested Captain
story ana myself to go on TO Newburyport 10
got there we found that she had boon cut in
two and between iorty and fifty feet put
the pauks ran and aft to ga good shift to
butt" " and exposed great many of the old frames,
which, so far as seen, were sound 10 all uppearance
the vessels waist was all new tore and att her bige
streak and ceiling were new almost the whoie length
a the ship, also the clamps deck frame
new amidsbips, and It looked Ike good job except
for few things which Captain Story and suggested
ana which at our request were d0ne considered tue
vessel In good condition aud M for any SER
vice. In February, 1874, she calked und covered
with yellow metal in september 1885, astreak OF plank
taken out oil her all around and replaced by new
posed tore and ait and we've found to be very good In
deed her bow was not quito good, but
wss s last she wa ss
and l sent my ASSISTANT Captain Jones, to
see her and have some metal taken of ana try her
seams; he reported to me that her metal was taken
OF ID several places and that IL satisfactory to
Of the other inspectors, but that there
place which he wanted 10 have exactly decided
whether II was good enough, and being new
in the business he wanted mo to see IT.
| met him by appointment at the dry dock ON the
morning OF January l and had the calkers try tho
OF the vessel IN several Places told Mr. Lunt
l wanted to mako thorough job OF the REPAIRS as
he was going ON new expedition and did not want
TO take any chanccs finally, alter trying
eight or ten places, l found one spot
III scam which needed caiking and
told Mr. Lunt he had better strip OF the yellow me tai
and recak the ship and paint her; he SAID IL should
be done and 1t was done; then told him that II ne
would satisfy Messrs. Hoswe aud Mulford that the
mach nery was right | would class the boat;
talked with Messrs. Hosweli and Milford aud tney
said that to make everything safe ought to have
piece OF shalt ana Mr. Lunt agreed 10 havo II put
In IN my presence; then went around the snip
three times carefully looking her top sides to SEQ
whether there anything that looked
suspicious; did not discover any rotten wood,
and l considered the ship In good order
Tor the voyage for which she was chartered; am a
snip builder by proiession have built and repaired
many vessels; have been an inspector tor the At
lantIc Mutual Insurance Company Tor more than
twenty years. and don't know Of any place In tho
United States whore Inspections are SO thorough Us
In the port OF New York.
NEGLIGEScg SAVING PATROL
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