The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-07-21
THE SOUND DISASTER.
Trying to Fix the Responsibility


THIRD DAY OF THE INVESTIGATION.
NEW LONDON, July 2O.-Allen II. Thomp-
son, pilot of the Narragansett testified today.
A great deal of his testimony was identical
with that of Capt. Young. In regard to the
whistles he said when he sighted the Stoning-
and he ordered the wheel hard to starboard
think these blasts were answered; then gave
two more blasts, but could not understand the
answer. We slowed and stopped; After,
steamng and stopping gave two blasts and
seemed to be committed to memory. In ans
wer to inquiries by the INSPECTORS he said he
rang the bell five times before the collision,
four call bells and jingle, and that he was
positive he did not at any time before the col
lights on the Narragansett to go out in rough
weather and have often experienced difficulty
on this account in the pilot house. The bow
Waterman reported all vessels we met that
night. At the time of the collision we
were headed NNE. On discovering the Ston-
ington's light two short blasts were given and
then the boat was slowed. Don't know what
bells were given afterwards. Could not hear
bells from the engine rooms, and don't recol-
lect hearing any that night The two whistles
were blown several times and after that three
Whistles The helm was hard starboard ON
sighting the Stonington's light and was kept
so. The Narragansett steers well; can put the
wheel hard over in a minute and can hold the
wheel alone at any time. The captain assisted
me at the wheel.
David Babcock of Brooklyn, President and
manager of the Providence and Stonington
Steamship Company, stated that nearly all the
captains and pilots had been in the employ of
the company from the beginning. Up to this
season two pilots had been carried on each
boat but it was considered that the boats were
just as safe with one pilot. Cant. Young was
one of the Oldest pilots and was considered
ps sseoy steamer Nv r ske n daaass on
Capt Lamphere, of the City of New York,
about - O'Clock the day after the collision.
Ascertaining that the passengers were at pier
necessary clothing. Some were sent to hotels,
and the injured were cared for and transpora-
ton provided for those who desired it. He de-
tailed the damage to the Stonington and Mar
ragansett and to the freight, and said SO far as
is known twenty-six bodies were recovered,
and there are three or four missing. It is safe
to say the entire loss of life did not exceed
thirty. The whole number of passengers was
something under 800. Instructions have never
been given to captains that they were to go
through, no matter what weather, nor have
any instructions been given them to take on
board more passengers than were allowed by
the certificate.
Mr.. Babcock gave it as his opinion that the
duties of engineers were more onerous than
those of pilots, as the latter were only on dur
ing the passage. The running with one pilot
was only temporary arrangement, and it was
intended to have two pilots as soon as the right
kind of men could be procured. No report
came to him before the collision that the Mar
ragansett was short of an engineer. All re-
quirements of instructions as to equipments
had been strictly complied with, although they
often had been considered exacting. 1t was
his opinion that the ordinary life preservers
were of "a kind that passengers were apt in an
excitement or fright to put on wrong, and they
were then rendered useless. He believed
cork jackets preferable on many accounts
Henry S. Sheffield, pilot on the Stonington
on the night of the collision, testified that
from Cornfield he put her on the west by
was dehse fog and light breeze west south
west. Was blowing a fog whistle twice
minute, the blast lasting fifteen seconds. Was
in front of the window of the pilot house on
this trip and Capt. Nye stood at my right. 1
gave the quartermaster his courses. We
passed one sailing vessel between Bartletts
and Cornfeld, leaving her ON the starboard.
After leaving Cornfeld we steered west by
south for Stratford shoal blowing one whistle.
First sighted the City of Boston about half
and she answered 1t. She passed within
about 300 feet of us. Continued blowing the
whistle until we raised whistle about one and
one-half points off the port bow. Altered our
to be coming nearer altered our course to north
west. Saw the Narragansett about the time
we altered our course to north
west. Slowed down and blew three
whistle and received no answer
from the Narragansett. Blew three whistles
again and was answered with two from her
when we were about $50 feet apart and the col
lis;on soon followed. Immediately after we
got clear from her. We were heading north
west and she bore northeast from us. We
+bo c;x hun6ra6 foat
The fire on the Narragansett was visible about
five minutes after the collision. She did not
light up enough SO that we could see people on
her deck. We did not attempt to work up to
her but drifted to the westward after the col
lision. Think our time was five minutes
slower that night from Bartlett's Reef to
Cornfeld than it usually was. "a comparison
of the log showed that from Stonington to
Cornfeld the same running time was made on
June 9th as on June 18th, the date of the col
lision.) From the time we first raised the
Narragansett's whistle to the time of the
collision was from three to five minutes. tShe
did not alter her whistles while we we run
ming on the west course. We were about up
Narragansett,s- lights. Capt. NYe gave an
order to the wheelsman to haul up to the
northwest. Bow Waterman reported the Mar
ragansett's whistle when we first made it.
With the Narragansett u points off our port
bow ana steering east by northeast and we
steering west there would have been no CO
lision. We should probably have cleared each
other by 800 feet. After we hauled to west
about half our ordinary speed. We reversed
as soon as we blew three whistles After the
collision remained in the pilot house blowing
relief whistles. After making the Narragan-
setts whistles we hauled up to the westward
and ran in that course one minute. The one
whistle we were blowing was neither long
fog whistle nor one short blast required for
passing to the right but about half way be-
tween the two. Whom running on west
course we heard the Narragansett's whistle
twice. The last time we heard the whistle it
seemed to be in about the same position as
when we first raised it. 1t was son the west
course that we slowed down. just as soon as
word was given to haul her northwest we rang
bell to stop was an interval of three seconds,
and between the bell to stop and The bell to
back an interval of two seconds Aminute af-
ter the captain surprising she was not backing
ordered me to back her and l rang two more
bells, and at the same time the captain shout
ed through the speaking tube to back her
strong From this time to the time of the col
lision was not more than two seconds. 1t We
were running under the fog whistle and were
answered by two whistles from the other boat
l should blow three whistles to stop. know
the law requires 1 should answer another boat
with the same whistle she gives.
Michael Clancy, Narragansett deck
Waterman, at the time of the collision was at
Lno SIdrDOdfu OIL lilo dltor SduSWdy. 1du
been standing there five minutes. Saw the
Stonington not more than two and one half or
three minutes before the collision. Could see
her hull and headlight but not her colored
lights.
Joseph Phillips, bow Waterman of the Ston-
ington, said:-When we first raised the Nara
gansett she was blowing one whistle. 1t was
about two or three minutes after hearing her
first whistle that we saw her lights. She was
then bearing little more off than at first.
Afterwards She blew two whistles and the
Stonington answered promptly with three. At
that time the boats were not more than
length apart When I saw they were coming
together went to the pilot house and on the
captains orders called the officers and went
into boat and assisted in saving passengers.
Illinois Colored Men.
T,1x, Grpf