New-York tribune., 1880-01-16
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
THE FEqRYBoAT COLLISION.

ZACH PILOT DECLARES He WAS IN HE NOhi-
CoNDlTION OF THE sUNkFN BOAT
The steamboat O.yphant, which was sunk on
Wednesday in the collision with the ferryboat War
rcn. lay yesterday in front OF the Old Terry 20
Rridce-st.. BROOKLYN Her keel was all that could
b, seen above the wafer. She IS IN charge OF the
Board of Underwriters. The insurance was a'str-
buted as follows: K!na of Hartford, $4,000; !;
Greenwich OF New-York, 5000, and the British
America 81, 600 Mr. Matthews was directed by
the Board of Underwriters 10 inspect the sunkeh
vessel and see If il was worth while to raise II roh
the water. He viii begin work today and have
the boat placed on dock to see # she can be re-
pared. 1t is thought nat the machinery ana the
boiler have dropped out.
An investigation will soon be begun by Austin
Jayne, local inspector of steamboats, but 1t VIII
probably bs & week before all the testimony mas
been taken In the meantime the responsibility 'or
the accident can hardiy BE- placed, as the pho's oi
The two vessels which c,me III collision each declare
that they were blamclcse. The following is tue
sworn report o Charles Adams. OF the OIh-"h'' 10
the steamboat in psCtOr: ~
"On January left Pier No. Il East KycI'
nj 800 p. III, bound for Long Island CITY or ilun-
tors Point, with fourteen passengers on board 'he
tide bcin- chh. strong, and arrived az the 1907 0l
Graud-st., NcV-N crk, a. By 2. ~. was ID thc
pilo. house. saw the MUrIs'aua steamboat liH-
lem coming down aud about to make 10 UTaHd-st.
landing. The Harlem blew one whistle, indicating
The signal and Immediately put ny wheel
10 port to give her a chance. ne OE-
tr9nd-sf pier / looked - iay stirboard hNud
aud saw the ferrybO3t Warren bound from Grand
a., WllianSburE 10 GIaad-st., NeW-lork lhc
Warren was lycg stli - the ry'r nGaIyr NV
York dian TIE B-oOklyn shore. headed ne Oi}-
phant TO 90 between the Harlem and tho warren,
r9pn9siug the Warren would remain stlll, as she
was at the time. At once the W rfen started at ~.
sp,ed. She blew one whistle, indicating ihat shc
wanted to cross my bow. | answered her with one
whistle aud Immediately pat NV wheel hord apoIt
10 4" outsi lo according to ne; Siehu' W""lu lo'
have diSobcyed his signal and gone INSIDE on ac-
count OF the position o. tha ilailcn iAc warren
came on. J stopped ana D'thu my u9t',
and was backing when We came together
and struck hard or. From thirty 70
forty feet of nur bow was knocked in, near rs !
can Judge OGv forward dock was lifted up and ran
over the deck of the Warren. The Oiyphant sank
forward bui her stern remained mp for some time;
on hoard of the Warren. some GOT tug boat
that came alongside. The Olyphant had drlted
down below GIanG-s;.; wren TWO tN-s I'oe laSS 10
tow her down 10 the Old Brdge-St. Jerry slip. Sh9
gradually settled on one side. and aitciWalu llihcu
bottom side M. The tugs towod her 10 the tip' or
as near as they could, where she l. now lying
The pilot OF the feTryboat had made no formal re-
port Yesterday bUt IL stII MAINTAINS that the NJ ar
rcn bad no headway when the two boats came III
Mr. Shorthand, the owner Of the ,Olyphant said
that Adams, the captain q his boat was nor 10
blame for the accident, " We can prove without
dopbtD said he THAT our boat was backing when
the accident occurred. The pilot OF the ienyboat
says that when he blow his whistle he ala h9' IN
tend 1t for the Gyphant, but 10r q Tug beIiHu
What was tic idea OF blowing whistle for q boat
behind when there was much danger IN front
When he head our pilot return the whistle Why
did Mason not give another signal 10 SHOW that IT
was not attended for Us Ga. am sure we are
night, and oXOueIatc our captain from all censuIe
| have written note to the Ferry company de-
manding damages from them. Ii they don't pay l
will libel their vessel and sue them in court"
Inspector JAYNE said the Oyphant WAS in good
condition until the accident occurred. One OF his
assistants Andrew Craft. inspected the vessel about
four months ago and made a verbal report that she
was sound in every particular. The Oiphant was
built In 1868 at Shooters Island. She was IA feet
long u fcet IN breadth, aud was allowed to carry
100 passengers.
one of The employees on board of the Olyphant
stated to a reporter yesterday that he was III con-
tnual fear that her boiler would explode by over
pressure. The boat. be said, registered 10 carry
forty-eght pounds OF steam but that limit was fire.
uuentlv exceeded in the effort to make the trp be-
fween Hunters Point and Wail-st IN a half hour or
less, order to make connections with tie tIaihs