The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-07-22
NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
DOMESTIC.

Inc iuNeellgduOn OF the NarraXan-
sett disaster began in this city to-
lay before the local inspectors Beck
With and Hovey. Hon. T. w. Wallis
stated at the opening of the pro-
;eedlngs that he appeared as counsel
or the Stonington Steamboat Com
.Iany, but was informed by the in
pectors that no counsel would be
flowed to take part IN the investi-
CATION or TO examine the witnesses.
The hrst witness examined was
Nm. Smith Young, who stated that
lie had been master and pilot tor
twenty years, and that at the time
Of the collision between the Ston-
ngton and the Narragansett was
master OF the latter and held Ii
;ense as such during the trip on
which the collision occurred, and
hat that trip was the first and only
rip on which he had commanded
he Narragansett. lie was q pilot
IN board OF the steamer at the time
OF the collision. lie handed in a
written statement, which after some
discussion was received by the in
'pectors, and which is, in substance,
rs follows:
The Narragansett left New York
1t 5:26 p. NJ. | consulted with
he pilot, Mr.. Thompson, as
20 what course he should
steer, as the night at that time bid
air to be foggy, and asked him at
il:20 p. NJ. the time of night. He
old me and said it is about time for
he boats. When in about eight
minutes | sighted a bright light
bearing two and half points on our
starboard bow from my position as
1 stood looking out the front win
Gow on the starboard side of the
pilot house, and at once gave him
.wo short blasts in quick succession,
md said ''hard starboard," and at
the same time heard one faint blast
rom the approaching steamer, and
hen the signals from the other boats
we're given so confusedly that
could not tell if they were meant for
one, two, or three blasts, and so rang
% slow and stop, sounding two blasts
three times at intervals distinguish
lble, and then rang to 20 back and
gave three blasts twice; also heard
.hree blasts from the other boat,
which proved to be the Stonington,
she striking us between the forward
gangway and the starboard paddle
OoX. From the time of sighting to
The time of the collision two or three
passengers were swamped in lower
.ng. After telling the boat crews to
leave the fire and assist at lowering
the forward port boat | turned
and went to see if the forward star
BOARD boat was being lowered, and in
going stepped across the gap made
Oy the collision with the Stonington
outside of the frame, and assisted in
lowering the forward starboard
BOAT, and took in all the passengers
that were on the hurricane deck for
ward of the wheel, and pushed off
and took in all | found in the water
between the wreck and the steamer
Stonington. After landing the boat
load on the StonIngton | returned,
picking up several persons on my
way back to the Narragansett, when
| found large number of passen-
gers on the promInade deck at the
Ooat Narragansett, at this time be-
ny aground IN five tathoms, the tide
running very strong by her stern,
and made it difficult to hold the lite
Ooat up to it. l took on board, ask
ny Tor ladies and children first, all
that | thought was sale, and told the
remainder 10 keep cool, that another
Ooat was coming behind us. They
said, all right, Tor the boat had MOI
settled any Tor some time. | started
ior the Stonington and, returning to
the wreck, he says: | made a thor
ough search all around the water in
The vicinity OF the wreck, and neither
found or heard any one answer to
our shouts. l then returned and
made last to the wreck, and, in COM
pany with my officers and their
crews, remained there through the
night. The captain also said thai
one of the ladies, whom he after
wards learned was Mrs. Dix, chung
10 the net work around the prone
made deck to keep the other passen-
gers from overturnlng the boat, and
showed Inc her hand, burned until
the skin was peeled. AS we helped
Il man out of this boat into mine he
said, pointing to her: "She is the
bravest woman living. She has held
this boat to the wreck and has
saved us ALL" which her burned
hands showed. While giving my
orders from the starboard side near
the pilot house on hurricane deck,
where l remained a greater part OF
the time, knowing that my officers
would come hero first to find me
or orders, without loss of time,
until | lett to lannch boat, no one
was on the starboard side forward
of the wheelhouse, during which
time passengers came to me and
asked assistance in putting on lite
preservers, which quickly gave, ty-
ing some around them, and all this
time had on my rough weather
clothes. l changed at Stratford,
with nothing to be recognized
by but my regulation cap
with gilt buttons on each side
Of it. The other officers. were
in like condition. Several in their
shirt sleeves answered my call Tor
their watch below in the quickest
manner. This doubtless led to the
report that the officers were seen at
the boats or helping the passengers,
or heard giving orders. My officers
and crew, as lar as know or have
heard, obeyed orders promptly and
worked as quickly as possible, under
the circumstances, to save our pas
sengers from most powerful elc-
ments-fire and water. Had it not
been on fire, l would have run the
Narragansett on to the shoals, where
she would not have sunk below her
main deck.
New YORK, July 1.-THE asso-
ciated banks weekly statement shows
the following changes: Loans de-
creased S1,ll9,0UO; specie decreased
o206, go; legal tenders increased ST.
25O,6U0; circulation decreased $751;
luU; reserve increased S7U3, u50; banks
now hold $l5,47l,275 in excess OF the
legal requirements.
BALTIMORE, July ia four-story
brick building, Is and Is CRANBERRY
street, occupied by II. b. Battle a.
Co., under the name OF the Atlantic
Furniture Company, with stock and
machinery, was totally destroyed by
ire this morning. The loss on stock
and machinery is estimated at S22,-
UuU, on the building, and the machIn-
cry $l5,OOU.
CINCINNATI, July 1.-THE Reput-
lican congressional convention OIL
the twelIIh indiana district nomInat-
ed 5. Taylor, OF Fort Wayne, ior
Congress.
ATLANTA, Ga, July 17.-Judge