The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-13

have superintendent the repairs and addi-
ttons to the McAlester last year.
j made no personal examination of the yes
sci and did not examine her inside. have
been through the vessel several times. Eve
| rytbing, decks and upper works, seemed to be
In good order. In the hull found that the
| majority OF the p]anks above the water line
| had shrunk, leaving seams. The lumber APP
peared 10 have been green when used. TIE
vessel had been laid up and as q matter of
course seams opened.
Ali river steamers laid up must have their
sides caulked before setting out. / would not
be positive about the tinbers being green. l
think the seams were greater than in vessels
similarly exposed. could not say. when the
McAlester was laid up at the dock, whether
the seams were as open as when last Ca,llked
went TO sea. | could not examine her tim
bers unless the ceiling and plankiUg were
removed. Previous to January 1878, to pro-
pare her for her trip to Sabine Pass, she was
caulked in the sides above water line, and
additional sheathing put on her.
In Ia few places small spots OF rotteDness
appeared, as Is the case with all VESSELS Il few
years old. The sheathing was put on before
caulling the. vessel. and considered Der
strong enough to be sheathed. ! consider this
method OF sheathing as affective and often
resorted TO, II Is the only way, unless every
alternate plank Is taken out, or the seems
Ioped. ! consider this Hhe sheahing) the
best mode, aud many vessels now in port are
SHeAbDeu UOVn 10 inc nliRe OF 10 LIe water
limo. In some places the workmen found it
difficult to make the spikes hold When they
did they put In longer ones to reach into the
timbors. Do not think it happened frequent
Some places IL was difficult to drive In She
spikes on account Of tho hardness OF the wood,
and boring had to be resorted to. The sheath
ing was 1tss-inch yellow pine, and added much
TO the stiffness Of the vessel. | considered the
McAlester safe and sound. would have gonn
"a IL
have crossed the gulf fifteen or twenty times
know not what may have caused her loss.
MIR. ELwEbI
was sworn and said My name is Chas. H.
Elwell master Of steam dredge Essayons
since ten years. | left Boston in 1868 as mate
OF the Essayons, and was with her until 1871 !;
then master OF her and of the McAlester up
to now. have been on the latter from Sep
TENDER to November, 1877. Iexamined her at
that time and reported dry rot in her plankiDg
IN ono or two places outside Except in case of
extraordinary weather, ] considered her sea-
worthy In every respect. On the second and
third II January the weather at Sabine Pass
was blowing fresh from the northeast. The
Essayons was ut Sabine Pass At s g. m. it
blew harder and we paid out tho seventy five
fathom chain. Tho wind hauled from nor tn
east to east, blowing harder all the
time. From to IL II hauled from cast 10
west, creating very hard pitching and roll
ing sea. About 3 y. M. the wind got round
to nor Invest and remained there for twenty
four hours. ] considered tho storm as very
severe and Unexpected At that time the
Essa, ons was between four and five miles,
soul heast from the Sabine lighthouse in tho
Gulf, in five and half fathums OF water
bad no doubts rs to the safety of my vessel
out we dragged some before the wind. We
had two anchors out. with seventy-tive
ter Of the McAlester, was II good seaman !:
no had passed examination as masters
mate in the United States Navy and had
served under me about q year off and on. /
q vessel at sea. Capt. Warren was shpmaster
from Philadelphia to the West Indies mum
her of years, and captain of q towbuat on the
river since the war. ! think him entirely
competent TO perform the duties of his charge.
Mr.. Heap, tho first assistant engineer, was a
good and competent man; he has been en-
ployed on the Essayons as engineer for five
years. The entire crew was good.
MIR. r. u. SEXTON
sworn. said am engineer on the steam
dretige Essayons, ono year since 1868 then
re-eunpoved in 1870, and have been on her
Dlnd the McAlester ever since. The boilers
and the machinery of the McAlester were in
poded under extraordinary circumstances
There was no danger of explosion under the
charge of q competent man. ] do not believe
they could haveexploded when the vessel
pitched about i'm heavy sea- The assistant
engineer of the McAlester, Mr.. Heap, was
good man. the tiremen and assistants were
all competent. was with them off and on
seventeen years.
Mr.. Orbip, water-tender was engineer on
Morgan's road, and considered him compe-
tent To my knowledge of the MeAlester,
her boilers and machinery, etc, would not
have hestated to take charge of her. would
have gone with her anywhere, even to Eue
rope.
Adjourned TO tomorrow at 10 40 O'Clock.
O