New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-19
TOO OLD TO BE SAFE.

COMPETENT TO JUDGE-WUAr THE OFFICIAL
REP 'Rrs sHow-sANGUTNE vIEwS OF THE PRIN-
CIPAL OWNER OF THE STEAMER.
The accident to the Plymouth Rock Wednesday,
by which the lives of large number of passengers
were mperiled, excited much comm eBt in shipping
circles yesterday. The opinion was freely expressed
by men qualified TO speak on the subject that the
vessel should be withdrawn from the excursion line
to Long Branch This was urged on account of the
age Of the stes usr-tweuty-seven years-and the
belief that she was unable to withstand the heavy
seas running at times outside of Sandy Hook. The
condition in which the panic stricken passengers
found life-preservers, SOM with rotten strings
AMI Others with strings ALL and the difficulty
encountered in getting them out of the racks were
strongly condemned as showing very inefficient
cement in vessel licensed to carry g. 900 pas
sengers.
G. w. Scofeld the principal owner of the Plym-
Outh Rock, was questioned by a TRIBUNE reporter
In regard to the vessel. While the reporter was
waiting his turn Mr.. Scofield remarked to visitor
that the accident was only " nine days wonderD
He told the reporter that he bought the Plymouth
Rock in the winter of 1873 from Jarrett & Palmer
He did not pay cash, the consideration being
100000
"Isnt that cheap for a vessel said to have cost
originally $600,O00P'
well, don't know In addition TO its original
cost jim Fisk spent great deal of money on it,
too The question of a vessels usefulness deter
mines its value. The age of the Plymouth Rock has
not deprecated its value If it had staterooms it
would be worth $175 600"
what have you spent on the vessel i'm the way
of repairs 7"
Forty thousand dollars in three years. and it is
In better condition to-day than ten years ago. put
in new tubes in the boilers guards repaired the
engine and hull. and made various other repairs. 1
have put it in thorough repair yearly. When bought
the Rock it was all run down. Every year the Gus
tom House has required us to do this thing and
that"
Do yon think such old vessel is seaworthy 7"
I" There is no question about its seaworthiness."
" If the vessel had been in perfect trim do you
think Wednesdays accident would have occurred 2"
I've heard of lots of such accidents the break
Ing of the steam pipe. It's not sign of weakness"
Is it a sign of strength 2"
1t could happen to a vessel newly built just tho
same the breaking of o shaft The Plymouth
Rock is not too old to rum and she's good for twenty
five years more and perhaps fifty if she's kept up
don't think safer sounder boat sails from the
harbor."
DO you approve the slowing away of life-pre-
servers so securely that they couldn't be taken out
without ripping off the stats p
"They might have got caught in rack and if
they were taken hold of by people in a hurry they
might be hard to get ont. don't think this acct
dent will have any effect upon passenger traffic.
People will patronize the boat the same as usual,
and next Sunday Pll wager Pn carry as big load as
last Sunday"
OFFICIAL REPORTS conc RNING THE BOAT
f. Curtis the cap ain, and John A. Sherman,
the engineer of the Plymouth Rock. made report
yesterday to the United States Local Inspectors of
Steam Vessels, in which they say: 1--WE broke the
main steam-pipe just between the Unbelievable and
the steam-chest This causen some excitement
among our passengers, which Was soon allayed by
our officers and attaches. No one was injured"
According to the records in the Inspectors Office
the last examination of the Plymouth Rock was
3. al hate Tho nll
was of wood built in 1854, and that extensive
pairs were made in 1879; She is of 1,S10 10-1OO
and is to be used for travel on the rivers and to
Long BRANCH. She was reported to have on board
boilers were made in 1873 at the Quiptard Iron
and II feet 8 inches IN diameter Each boiler has
ten hues, the iron of which reported as of
varying" thickness. This was explained by one
OF the Inspectors to mean that the iron was so old
that 1t impossible to ascertain its exact thick
ness. The timbers of the hull of the Plymouth Rock
were not bored for a thorough examination at the
Inspectors Jayne and Mathews were unwilling TO
make statements to the soundness of the boat
captain Jayne, however, admitted that they were
the Plymouth Rock than would be necessary in the
case of newer and stronger boats.
the hull of the Plymouth Rock many times. AL
though not III the last two years He said yester-
ha nsM oe cosass an fd P Less
on the dry dock in 1879 because she leaked so
Years Last t new centre ieeson was pn i'm
This spriug condemned all her eight lie-b boats as
they were in very bad order 1 don't know any
ont as far as Long Branch as an excursion boat
The pipe that broke is believe, twenty-seven years
old, as the boat has never had engine as far
as know: An old engine is apt to give out"
Assistant Hull Inspector George w. Wimert
made an inspection yesterday of the Plym nth
Rock. lie found some of the straps missing from
about the life-preservers and in other cases the
shoulder-straps were loose, so that they could not
be fastened He said that the accident Wednesday
was caused b the strain which the pipe received
from the action of the water the boat. The
joints spring joints but these we not sufficient
In this case. Inspector Wimert has examined the
hull OF the Plymouth Rock previous occasions
tie showed a sample OF the borings that hal been
ago. He considered them showing that
the timbers were i'll good state, but
they did NOS seem to prove as much desired
Some Of the pieces thoroughly rotten Others |
which it was said disco0red by being near
ron-work, soft 10 the touch and easily broken
only small proportion of the borings consisted of
tough, strong nDres OF white oak,
Assistant Boiler Inspector Craig, who examined |
TIE broken pine yesterday, said &c found that the
upper nozzle OF the steam chest was broken off. |
ordered Z To be renewed before the boat used |
again. such accidents have frequently occurred |
before. have been told that four or FIVE similar
ones nave taken place IN the last two years. Heavy
boilers with coal bunkers on the guards apt to
list. Such accident as this cannot be provided
against in boats that have theT boilers so placedn
WHY SHE SHOULD BE LAID ASIDE
shipbuder of extensive experience living
In TINS city, said yesterday to TRIBUNE reporter |
In regard to the condition of the Plymouth Rock:
The Rock is an old boat, and ought to be laid |
aside Unless she has had very extensive repairs |
made on her she is trustworthy. You say $40 900 |
has been spent on her in three years. Why $40 900
for one year might perhaps put her in safe condi-
ton, but a smaller Amount Thu, nuhI;c runs