Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-07-20
TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
THE NARRAGANSETT

aster began In this city to-day before
local INSPECTORS Beck with and Havey.
Hon. II. M. Wal or stated st the open
ing of the proceedIngstha heappeared
as counsel for the Stouington steam-
boat company, but was Informed by
the inspe ctors that no counsel would
be allowed to take part In the inyesii-
CATION or to examine witnesses. The
fret witness examined was
Wm. Smith Young. who stated
that Is be had bean master
and pilot for twenty years,
and at the time OF tue collision be-
tween the SloniDgtoa and Narragan~
sett he was master of the latter and
held license as such. The trip on
which the collision occurred was thu
first aud only tflp on which he had
com rfSauded the Narragansett. He
was the only pilot on board the
steamer at the time Of the collision.
He handed in o written statement,
which after some discussion was
received by the inspectors, and
which is IN substance SIS fol-
iows: The Narragansete left New
| York at 5:O6 p. N. l consulted with
the pilot, Mr. Thompson, as to what
course we should steer. I asked him
at Il:20 .. N. the time of night, and he
told me, and said: 1t is about time
| for the boats. . a04When in about eight
minutes Isighteda bright light bear.
ing q points on our starboard bow
from my position, as I stood looking
/ cut of the front window on the stars
| board side Of the pilot house. l at
once gave him two short blasts in
quick succession, and said: Hard
starboard At the same time l heard
lone faint blast from the approaching,
steamer. Then the signals from the
other boat were given SO confusedly
that I could not tell if they were
| meant for one two or three
blasts, and so rang to go slow
and stop sounding. Two blasts
three times at intervals distinguishes
bic. He then rsng to go back and
gave three blasts twice. He also heard
three bla>ts from the other boat, which
proved to be the StoningtOn striking
us between the forward gangway and
the stsrboard paddle box From the
time OF the ghting to the time of the
i coils ion two or three minutes elapsed.
At the time OF the collision I opened
the ra l 10 see what the damage was
| but turned aud said to the pilot, "let
| her 60 ahead wide open.p Knowing
che was pointed for the west end of the
shoals aud in same breath / said, "cail
the matesu Then officer Field came
to ask what he should do. Isaid "clesr
away and lower the boats and life
rafts as fast as pessibie The fret
officer, Mawley, 10 the meanti 10 g
was examIuing the-exteBt -eftRe dam {.
4 age. Tue next officer who came to
/ me. was purser KlerDan. [ ordered
him to call every body AID put on their
life prese1vers At that time, first
officer MaWleY came to me and said ::
Captain, stle ia making water very
fasF." said "Call all hands and get
the boa and life RATS over as quickly
as pnss bic During this tune, Mr..
! Thompson was in the pilot house
doing his duty there. as long as he had
steam tOswOrk With; About eight or
ten minutes after the collision, the
side OF the smoke stack I told the
bow watch to try aud put it out. I
/ turned and saw 1t wss OF no use to
battle with the Fl 4mPs. I then ordered
the bow watch to assist at 10 Wering the
forward port boat as quick as possible,
/ hich was done success fally and filed
] with passengers. One boat, mum Der 8,
wbish was told by the second officer
and wheelsman, was attempted to be
lowered by passengers, was swRmped
in lowering. Alter telling the boat.
watch to leave the fire and assist 81
lowering the orward port boat, I
turned and went to see If the forward
stsrboard boat was being lowered, and
IN going stepped across the gap made
by the collision With the Stonington
outside OF the home frame, assisted al
lowering the forward starhoard boat
J took in all the passeBgersthat-weF on
the hurricsn deck forward of the wheel
pushed off and took In all I found In
the water between the wreck and
thesteamer StOningtoH.ga AFTER land
ing the boat load on the Stoningtor
returned and picked up several per.
sons on my way back to the Narra'
number of passengers on the prone.
sett, at this time, being aground in
five fathoms of water, the tide running
very strong by her stern, made it diff
cult to holu the life boat up to lit. ]
} took On board, asklpg for ladies and
children first, all that Thought was
safe. / told the remainder to keen
cool, that another boat was coming be
hind us. They said, sail right,'I fol-
the boat had not settled sny for some
, time. I started again for the Stoning
ton. Returning again to the wreck
he says, made thorough search al
around the water in the vicinity of the
watch. neither found nor heard
any answer to our shouts. I then re-
turned and made fast 10 the wreck
and in company with my officers and
their crews remained there through
:. the night. The captain also said one
3 or the ladies, whom afterward
learned was Mrs. Dix, clung to the
net work around the promenade deck
to keep the other passengers FROM
overturning the boat, and showed ms
9 her hand, burned until the skin
was peeled. AS we helped man oul
of this boat into mine he eaid, point
ing to her: "She is the bravest woman
l living, she has held this boat to th,
! wreck and has saved US ALL" which
a her burned hands showed. Will,
giving my orders from the starboart
side near the pilot house
T = on the hurricane deck. where re
= NAMED greater part Of the time
showing that my officers would com'
;. nere nrst to find me for orders. withou
= .neioss OF time, until I left toiaunci
}, eDe oost, no one was on the starboarC
sine forward of the wheelhouse. durip,
Wnicn fime the passengers came to M
ana asked assistance in pustjnp nj
8 life preservers, which I quickly gave
u tying the same around them All n
{ this time had on nv rough mao,b =