The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-07-20
THE SOUND DISASTER.
Continuation of the Narragansett
Investigation.
THE WHISTLES NOT HEARD OR MIS-
INTERPRETED

New LONDON, July 19.-At the re-opening
OF the Narragansett investigation this morn
ing the examination of Capt. Nye of the Ston-
ington was resumed. He stated that he was
familiar with pilot rules. They required one
long blast of the whistle when passing an ap-
preaching boat and steering to the starboard.
The inspector then read from the rules
CURED
The examination was resumed and Captain
Nye said:
We heard the Narragansett's whistle and
supposed it heard ours. The Narragansett was
about point off the port bow when we first
heard her. When we changed our course to
the west it was about two points We ran not
more than half minute on west course be-
lore we changed to northwest. When we
heard the Narragansett's two whistles she was
three or four points on our port bow There is
no doubt in my mind that she heard my gener
al fog whistle. If she had answered with two
whistles or one short whistle there would
have been evidence that she heard us.
We left Stonington at 8 80 p. m. We gave
the course of the steamer from leaving New
York till the collision at II % New York time.
Our usual running time from Stonington to
New York was eight and one half hours. The
distance from Stonington to Cornfeld is about
% miles. The time we first heard the Nara
gansett's whistle to the collision was about
four minutes. After we made the City of Bos-
gansett's whistle that she was to pass to the
starboard. / knew it was about time to meet
eastern bound boats and was using extra eau
ton.
The captain then repeated substantially the
testimony of Saturday as to his action after
the collision, and stated also that he ordered
the whistle blown for assistance, and the call
was responded to by the City of New York
which he Immediately dispatched to the relief
OF the Narragansett He also ordered rockets
discharged, but thinks that they were not seen
owing to the fog. He ordered some of the
cargo to be thrown overheard, in order to
tighten the steamer. When it was discovered
that water was making in, one of the flood
gates was open in the bnlkhead.
The boats were probably lowered in ten
minutes after the collision. They were man
ned by deck hands. The chief officer remain
ed on board all the time and was forward most
OF the time directing the repairs. The Ston-
lngton was differed and manned as follows:
Captain, first and second officers pilot, wheels
man, eighteen deck hands, three deck boys,
freight clerk, passenger clerk, cashier, stew
ard, chief engineer, first assistant engineer,
two oilers, four fremen and three coal passers.
The number of walters don't know. Nearly
all OF the deck hands were good sailors. Both
mates and the watchmen, wheelsman and
pilot were capable of taking charge of a small
boat.
There was but one pilot aboard this season.
Previously there have been two. The change
was made, L suppose to save expense. do
not consider there was a necessity for more
than one, as the master was also a. pilot
L took the steamers of the line as far as
Hammocks and from New York to Sands
Point. know of no other steamer running
through the Sounds that carries only one pilot
The custom has been to carry two. From my
experience the duties of pilot are more special
than those of engineer.
i attribute the collision to mistake as to
I how
log whistle signal to turn to the right and as
made in answer so my whistle. 1 don't re-
member hearing the Narragansett give three
blasts OF the whistle two or three minutes be-
fore the collision. If she had given such a
whistle there is no reason why should not
have heard it. I heard her blow two blasts
just minute before the collision, but don't
remember that she blew two whistles more
than once. We were going, think, about
nine miles at the time of the collision. Had
slowed down on meeting the CITY of Boston.
but had afterwards hooked on.
IL would take one-half minute for one man
to put the wheel hard to port or to starboard.
don't know that man could do it any
quicker. . Don't know the exact number of
passengers on the Stonington the night of the
collision, but it was about 300. None of my
officers reported to me how many of the Nara
gansetts passengers they picked up. I be-
lieve we landed about 40 of the Narragansett
passengers at Stonington. The Stonington is
allowed to carry about $50 passengers. 1 forget
the exact number. No complaints were made
about the boats leaking on the night of the
collision.
Joseph Silvia, wheelsman of the Stoningtop.
was the next witness He said that he Keeps
no lookout and steers simply by compass. The
boat steers hard. 1t takes about minute to
heave the wheel over from port to starboard.
Cannot do it alone when going at full speed.
but can hold her alone with the wheel hard
down. Up to Cornfeld size had been blowing
whistle twice minute. The first whistle we
raised after passing Cornfeld was the Nara
gansett, a point or point and half on the
port bow. We were running west by south.
The second time I heard her whistle it was
two points on the port bow. The bow then
held her up to northwest, and cast off. If a
thousand passengers came aboard that night
they would probably have been taken. 1
should expect to get my discharge next day if
did not take them. l never had instructions
to take a limited number, or orders to take
more than allowed by certificate, but am to
take all who come aboard. Never had lnstruc-
tions as to running the boat in bad weather but
acted on my own discretion. 1 never have
been told that would be discharged for refus-
ing to take more passengers than the limit
ard don't know any captains who have been
discharged for this The pilot told me he
never heard the second whistles or the third
whistles from the Narragansett We were
running from west to northwest when first
saw the Narragansett's lights. When saw
the light [ gave three whistles and the pilot
rang four BELLS This was about half minute,
l should think, before the collision. l don't
think we could have avoided collision if we
had had another man at the wheel. After the
collision remained in the pilot house. The
captain and pilot did not appear to be excited.
If there were more than four bells before the
collision didn't hear them. We slowed down
when we first heard the whistle of the Nara
gansett The captain and pilot always assist
me at the wheel in thick weather.
Abram Loon, bow Waterman of the Nara
yansett, testified that he had been employed
eleven years on the company's boats. He said:
When we raised the Stonington point and
\ half we blew two whistles three times with
such intervals that they could easily distin-
guish Then we blew three whistles. never
heard any whistle from the Stonington until
.fter we reported the light, and then only one
ong fog blast. said to the pilot "She is COM
ng into u.s. and within minute and half
after I first saw her she struck us. We had
been blowing single whistle since the fog set
n.
He further says that the first boat was low
cred ten minutes after the collision and took
off ffty-four passengers. He jumped over
With chair and was picked up by the City of
New York's boat I saw the Stonington's
vhistled after that, but the whistles were
mixed ~
Stephen A. Mowry, mate of the Narragan-
'ett, testified this afternoon. After receiving
5he captains orders he proceeded to lower the,
beats, beginning with No. 4, which lowered to
main rail. He then told man named Thayer to
over it carefully and put in the plug. He
hen went to the uext boat aft, which was full
If passengers. He got them out. lowered the