The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-01-20
DAMAGES.
First Suit on Account OF the
Gilehrist Disaster.
The Owners asked to pay Five
Thousand Dollars.

1
| Suit has been commenced in the United
States District Court at Davenport, against
H NJ Gilchrist & Co., owners of the steam
cr Jennie Gilchrist. by Mary Mccabe, adj
ministratrix of the estate of John McCabe,
for five thousand dollars damages for the
| death of John McCabe, who was deck
hand on the illfated steamer.
This is the first suit that has been com
| menced against the owners of the steam
| boat, aud il is understood that if this case
results I'm favor Of tie plaintiff other dam
age suits will speedily follow.
THE CIRCUMSTANCES
of the fearful affair are Of SO recent date
that brief mention of the affair viii suf-
flee. On the 9th of last October the Jen-
ME Gilchrist met with an accident above
| the Government bridge in the breaking of
her cam rod, portion of the machinery
that regulates the revolutions of the wheel.
The boat drifted down the stream and
soon collided with one of the piers of the
bridge. The steamer capsized and those
on board, or at least nine of them were
drowned. At the time of the accident two
barges were in tow, and great negligence
was displayed by the officers in charge in
not removing all the passengers as well as
members of the crew in one Of these barges,
as those who reached the barges were
saved, and Thea Officers themselves made
for those objects as places of safety.
THE NIGHT .@
was very dark and navigation might rea-
sonably be considered dangerous. as the
Gilchrist was chartered as adaylight steam
er with no accommodations for night travel.
The petition sets forth that the pilot of the
steamer protested against making the run
from Rock Island to Rapids City, as the
voyage included trip over dangerous
and rocky portion of the Mississippi liver
known as the rapids. The darkness of the
night Gid play prominent part in the dis
aster above the bridge, as after the ma
chimes had refused to work, the pilot and
captain, one man holding the two
offices, was unable to tell how near the
craft was to the bridge before the collision
became inevitable and rush was necessary
from the unfortunate steamer.
MccABE.
at that time, was deck hand, and pro-
tested against the general condition of
affairs on the steamer before her departure
from Davenport, as well as Rock Island;
but the defendants in the present suit led
him to believe that everything would be
remedied. The petition sets forth at great
length that the accident and its resulting
fatality was caused by direct neglect, in
violation of law, and therefore prays for
the damages.
It states that by reason Of the accident,
collision and sinking of the steamer, John
MeCabe came to his death by drowning,
without any contributing negligence on
his part. This was due, according to the
petition, to the fact that no anchor was
ready for use, and further by the steamer
making a night trip, and that she was not
properly manned and officered.
FURTHER FACTS.
The plaintiff states that she is tie adj
ministratiix of the estate of Jonn McCabe,
late of Scott County, deceased That the
defendants are justly indebted to said es-
tate in the sum of 5000 For cause of
action she AYERS in brief that the defend
ants owned and operated tie steamer Jen-
ME Gilchrist in the Mississippi river. in
the states of Iowa and Illinois, and were
carriers of passengers and freight.
That the boat was licensed by the II. S.
to carry passengers in the day
time only; that il was required to have an
anchor on its bow and ready for instant
use. The petition further goes on to say
that the boat was required to have cap
tain Or master, a full complement of licens-
ed officers, and was only allowed to carry
100 pounds of steam; twenty passengers
and no more; the Gilchrist was by law re-
1uired to keep suitable number of watch
men in the cabin and on each deck, and to
give the alarm in case of accident or disas-
ter, etc, with nearly all of which require
ments The owners failed to comply.
THE PLAINTIFF
AYERS ''the facts to be that said defendants,
maliciously and in direct violation
Of law, caused the boat to be navigated in
the night time without full complement
of licensed officers, etc. The machinery is
Al eered To have been dafective the hoat
overloaded with freight and passengers,
and incompetent and drunken officers and
crew IN charge.
RAILROAD RUM0Rs.
Articles of consolidation of the Louis
r;llc Mn. Ifaaxss- H. 4