Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-07-21
The nlRRleanSETT DISASTER
Doings Of the Court of lnvesti-
cation, at New London.
New Loxpox. Conn, Jul,

Allen H. Thompson, pilot of the Narragan-
| sett, testified to-day. A great deal OF his
testimony was Identical To that of Captain
Young in regard TO the whistles He said
" hen he sighted the Stonington's light. he
gave two blasts and ordered the wheel hard
starboard. Think these blasts were answered.
Then gave two more blasts, but could not
understand the answer. We slowed and
stopped. After stopping gave two blasts. and
then rang to back.
This witness's statement appeared to be
committed TO memory. In answer to qUes-
tions by the inspectors he said he rung the
bell five times before the collision. four call
bells and single, and that he was positive
he did not at any time before the collision
ring TO go ahead. Have known the gas lights
on the Narragansett TO go out in rough
weather, and have often experienced difficult
~ 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 northeast.
On discovering the Stonington's light two
short blasts were given. and the boat was
slowed. Don't know what bells were given.
Afterward could not hear the bells from the
engine rooms and don't recollect hearing any
that night The two whistles were blown
several times, and after that three whistles.
The wheel was hard starboard on sighting the
Stoningtons light, and was kept SO. The
Narragansett steers well; can put the wheel
hard over in minute and can hold the wheel
alone at any time. The captain assisted at
the wheel.
David Babcock of Brooklyn, President of
the Stonington Steamship Co, testified:
Nearly all the captains and pilots have been
employed on the line, from the beginning up
to this season. Two pilots have been car
ried on the boats, but it was considered just
as safe with one. The pilot, Capt. Young.
was one of the oldest pilots, and considered
perfectly competent.
Nv first information of the accident was de-
rived from Capt. Lamphere, ofihe City of New
York, about II O'Clock. The day after the
collision, ascertaining that the rescued pas
sengers were at Pier 33, orders were given TO
supply them necessary clothing. Some were
sent to the hotels. The injured were cared
for and transportation provided for those who
desired il.
He detailed the damage to the Stonngton
and Narragansett and the freight, and said so
far as is known % bodies were recovered and
there are three or four missing. 1t is safe to
saw the entire loss of life did not exceed 80.
The whole number of passengers was some
thing under 800. Instructions have never
been given to captains that they were to go
through no matter what the weather, nor
have any instructions been given them to take
on board more passengers than were allowed
by the certificates.
Babcock gave as his opinion, that the
duties of engineer were more arduous than
those of pilots, as the latter were only on
during 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 Narragansett was short OF an engineer.
All requirements or instructions as to boat
equipments had been strictly complied with,
although they were often considered exact
ing. The life preservers were of Il kind that
passengers were apt, in their excitement or
fright, to put on wrong, ami they were then
rendered useless. He believed cork jackets
preferable on many accounts.
Henry s. Sheffield. pilot on the Stonington,
testified: From Cornfield put her on west
by south course. During the entire trip
there was dense fog and light breeze from
west southwest. Was blowing fog whistle
twice a minute. blasts lasting 10 seconds.
Was in the front of window of pilot house and
Captain Nye stood at my right. / gave the
quartcrmaster his course. We passed one
sailing vessel between Bartlett's and Corn
nclu, bearing Uer on tle stdTDodEu EtitcI
leaving Cornf ED we steered vest by south for
Stratford Shoal, blowing one whistle. First
sighted the City Of Boston about 4 point off
the port bow. We blew our fog blast and
she answered it. She passed within about
800 feet of us. Continued blowing whistle
till we raised whistle about Il points of the
mort bow Altered our course to west and
another steamer seemed to be coming, altered
our course to northwest Saw the Narragan-
sett about the time we altered our course to
the northwest. Slowed down and blew three
whistles 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 collision
followed Immediately. After we got clear
from her, we were heading northwest and she
bore northeast fl, IN us. We were then 100
feet apart. Fire on the Narragansctt was
visible about five minutes after the collision.
She was light enough so that we could see
people on her deck We did not attempt to
work ahead but drifted to the westward after
the collision Think our time five minutes
slower that night from Bartletts Reef to Corn
field than it usually was. CA comparison of
the log showed that from Stonington to Corn
field same running time WAS made on June ?
AS on June H. the date of collision.) From
the time we first raised the Narragansett's
whistles to the time of collision was from
three to five minutes. She did not alter her
whistle while we were running on the west
course. When we first saw the Narragansetts
lights Capt. Nye gave orders to the wheelman
to haul up to the northwest. The bow watch
man reported the Narragansett' whistle when
we first made il. With the Narragansett ID
points off our port bow and steering + by NJ
and we steering W, there would have been
no collision We should probably have
cleared each other by 800 feet. After We al
tered to the west course we slowed down and
were running about half our ordinary speed.
We reverse as soon as we blew three whistles.
After collision | remained in the pilot house
blowing relief whistle. After making the
Narracansett whistle we hauled up to the
westward and ran in that course one minute.
The whistle we were blowing was neither a
long fog whistle nor one short blast required
for passing to the right, but about half way
between the two. When running on the west
course we heard the Narragansett whistle
twice The last time heard the whis-
tie it seemed in about the same position as
when we first raised it. 1t was on the west
course that we slowed down.
When word was given to haul her north
west We rang the bell to ftop. Between the
bell to slow and the bell to stop was an in
terval of three seconds, and between the bell
60 s,o,, and heU 70 hack an interval of two