The New York herald., 1879-12-25
WHO is TO BLAME?

CHE CITY OF NEW YORK BADLY DAMAGED Bx =
COLLISION WITH A SCHOONER IN THE NORTH
ENTERTAINING STORIES OF THE OFFICERS
OF THE TWO CRAFTS.
That the steamer City of New York. OF the Norwich
line. had narrow escape from sinking of pier
North River yesterday morning In her collision with
tho schooner II. L. James, of Baltimore, palpa-
bic to every ono who looked ct her damaged bow as
she lay Ut the wharf at the foot Of Bcthune street
during tho afternoon. She was swinging into the
North River around tho Battery with upward of four
hundred passengers on board about eight o'clock.
when tho tug Hattie O. Lawson was towing the
schooner down tho North River The steamers pilot.
seeing tha tug. claims to have whisted one blast to
inform the tug that he would take the inside
AID hug the shore. requiring the tug to take
The outside. Tho tugs people. recognizing tho peril
she wasin from such nlanDuvre. blew two whistles,
rs they state to acquaint the steamboat people Of
that fact. and kept ON their course. Tho steamer
City Of New York blew her whistle again to signify
tbst aha must have the inside. which her people
claim Was their right Of way. Both boats had ap-
prosehed 90 near to one another while this was
going ON thar collision inevitable, and tho tug
et GO her hswser from the schooner and sought her
own safety. while. the schooner csme on to
tho inee Of the hog frame. carrying
s As injury viii inys sSs Se es %
placing new hog frames both sides, the owners
ssy. Steamboat men who inspected the City OF New
York say that had the schooner struck her five feet
further forward nothing could save her from going
to the bottom, as her whole bow must necessarily
schey Of tho steamer city Of New York and that Of
Captain Raymond Kelly. Of the tug Hattie g. Lawson,
that the above is in tho msin Correct account @
FRI FRI collision.
III AZ CAPTAIN scHE1LY.s STATEMENT.
n arafa lin Aoh 11u ~ aia NJ Novy
r.s Local board Of Inspectors which the follow
ss ay INTO hrer s0hs tn
captain. at about aquarter to eight yesterday morn
~s ss1ned G to po Is Hattie LAWSON towing
sr d % l.
We immedistsly blow ono blast Of tho whistle. in
tending to 90 to the right OF him and put helm to
port. We got no response and thought 1t advisable
tQ slow down. We were then heading one or two
scross our bows, AZ tho same time blowing two wSis
answered with oHs Whistle. The tug sheersd across
e s q New York;
about forty tses sAyond the stem and tearing away
An uNENv1ABLH POSITION. 500
Captain Raymond Kelly, Of the Hattie @. Lawson,
ssnns and asked for LIS vsrson Of the 81
the collision. Ho said that he had made his report
to the Local Board OF Inspectors the substance Of
which was the falloving;-"We were going down
the North River when saw the steamer City Of
Now York coming around tho Battery at her ordi-
nary speed while running in the river. squirting
water up her stem. We were then abreast of pier
9 North River while the steamer was at pier
q and stood from $50 to 800 yards of the piers. We
heard the one blast OF the steamer and answered
with two almost instantly. We could not then have
changed our course, and the steamer could easily
have gone to the middle Of tho river-much better
thsn wo with the schooner. Notwithstanding two
blasts tho steamer persevered In her the
inside. II we remained where we were the schooner
would como into us and sink us. or IL not the
steamer would run us down, SO I let go my hawser
and made for the wharf. few moments afterward
the schooner camo into the steamer and struck her
on the port bow. I judge tho hclmsman
OF the steamer was putting her wheel to star
board, i did not think that the schooner struck
30 hard as I learned afterward. The steamer was
making for tho piers and had not the schooner
struck her she would have torn down the wharf.
The City or Now York foated off to Governors
Island aud subsequently, came up and landed her
passengers at pier 40 The captain OF the schooner
Ysid 70 me just after the collision. What DO you
suppose that man wanted to doy and when the
steamer was dropping down the river picked the
schooner up and took her to . shipyard. We had
Intended taking her to pier As East River from tho
White Star dock. She was partly ilcd with salt.
The schooner's damage is slight her jibboom. bow
spirit and hgurehead being carried away"