Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-05-06
soLEs sUsrkSDED


OFFICE or U. S. LocALISsPEcroRs
OF STEAM VEssELs
WHEELING, W. Va, May 2, 1882
John Fehrenbatoh. Esq. Supervising Inspect,
OF Sean IeSseis, 'h District, CHeiaaa,
Ohio:
SIE:-The passenger steamer Katie Stool
dale, plying weekly between Pittsburg
and Cincinnati, while descending on th
morning OF February 7th last, between th
hours OF 3 and 4 o'clock, came in contac
with the disabled towing steamer Eva
Williams. about one mile above Pix
Island. The Williams was in tow OF tn,
towing steamer b. ID. Wood upward bound
and on the port side, about two thirds he
length ahesd Of the bow of the Wood viii
a coal fiat between or on the starboard O
the Williams. The force OF the collision
was such as to disable the Stockdale, badl,
crushing her bow, and broke off her stern
causing her to take water freely. Tn
Williams was comparatively uninjured
A landing was effected as soon as possible
and after nine or ten hours de
tention was, with the aid OF tn,
s ssietv 10 &c Sncsnssa when She e,sosed s sl wiz
and the damage repaired at cost OF nea
5000 exclusive OF forty days lost time
and freight damaged to the value OF 500
At the point Of the occurrence the river
is straight; there was good water and the
| weather was not averse to safe navigation
Under condition 50 favorable il is difficult
| TO see how disasters Of this nature can &C.
cur without violating the rules and regu.
lations adopted for their avoidance. Since,
then. exemption from collisions depends
| chiefly upon their observance, il is impor-
! tant TO know whether or not they were
complied with in this instance.
Tho nriprinals Tnuia " Rf,laa ~ t1a-
gheny City, Pa, and VIM. +. Holloway, OF
Gallopolis, Ohio, are both first.class pilots
OF several years standing. The former was
on watch of the b. ID. Wood while the lat.
ter was at the wheel of the Katie Stockdale.
Pilot Boles states the Wood was ascending
on the Ohio side of the channel when he
he noticed the Stockdale ascending in
the middle of the river, and
having approached as near as
he could judge within six hundred yards
without signaling, thought IL was his duty
to do so, which he did with two blasts OF
the whistle and was answered, rs he
thought with two sounds Contrary TO his
signals, she seemed to be coming towards
him. when he repeated the signals and was
answered with one. He Immediately stop
ped and commenced backing.
Mr.. Holloway says when he first observed
the Wood he was in the channel and at the
proper distance gave one signal which was
promptly and correspondingly answered
by the Wood when, TO his surprise, she
SOON after assumed "A quartering position by
pointing toward the Ohio shore both boats
then moving in the same direction. He
again gave one signal and was answered
with two. He then stopped aud backed,
but too late to avoid a collision. The head
way of the Wood, We are satisfied, was
fully checked Is it required but four or
five backing revolutions Ia do so, making,
as she had been, not over five miles
per hour. AS to the headway OF the
Stockdale, the testimony Of J. n. McCurdy.
engineer on watch is the most conclusive.
Suspecting liability TO accident from the
apparent confusion OF sounds, he held him
self in readiness for instant duty. In an.
swer to the bells, which, were rapidly
pulled, the engines were stopped, reversed
and backed as quickly rs they could lie
handled, when, after but two or three
revolutions, he heard the crash. To use his
own language, "the shock almost knocked
him down" and he is OF the opinion that
to entirely. check her wQuld. under the Gir'
diversity exists as to the distance both run
from the Ohio shore as we'll as their posi-
tiops at the time of colliding. Pilot Halo
way maintains that the Stockdale was
strnck ON the larboard side OF her stern,
and shows by diagram the position OF both
boats at the moment OF contact 10 De In u
quartering position, pointing to the ONO
side, with the Wood directly in the chan
mel. Mr.. Boles asserts with equal positive
ness that she was struck on the opposite
nr ,tarboarJ side, and in like manner To-
Gates them straight with the current, or
nearly so. and much closer to the
shore. Which of the sbowings is
correct, since il IS not material to
a finding in the case, we shall not
attempt to decide further than to say that
of Mr.. Boles does not warrant the BELIEF
that the Stockdale was struck on the SIDE
indicated by him; that Pilot Holloway did
al or near the required distance signal his
purpose to pass on the right, or larDoard
side. Of the Wood by giving the proper sig.
nal We have, no doubt; that II was not
heard by Mr.. BOles can he accounted Tor
only upon the assumption it was given ST.
multaneouslv with the first Of the two
given by him, while the second signal was
naturally enough accepted by Mr.. Hoilo-
way as the proper answer to his, and gov
erned himself accordingly.
This unlawful mailing by Mr.. Boles
led to confusion and consequent disaster.
IL il a noticeable fact the. of the six wit
resses on behalf Of the Wood whose testi
mony we have carefr.ily examined, not one
heard the Stockds.,e's two signals referred
TO by Mr.. Boley, who, rs before stated, only
thought he heard them. This uncertainty
on MS rart leads us 10 conclude he was Ger
| tainly mistaken. For first signalling, II
will lie observed, Pilot Boles seeks usti 7!
cation under the plea that the Stockdale
! had approached within an unlawful
distance without doing so. The rule
mentions 800 yards as q safe distance for
/ II i. - - .,.it
| ance with which is not at all times 10 be
expected an approximation as near as posi-
! bic thereto is demanded OF this pilots them
! ssc.,!res are TO determine, that they are likei!
| 10 disagree, the present case is proof. Mr.
Boles places the distance at Go:yards, Mr.
| HALLWAY at 500 yards, while the mate d
| the y. ID. Wood fixes il at between so and
| go yards. 1t il OF the first importance
| that the rules and regulations for the govern
ment Of pilots be strictly adhered 10. A
| departure therefrom, as in this instance, b
always fraught with danger; in no case i
the boat not authorized by law TO firs
signal justified in doing SO; ct her, In th'
| absence OF the legal signal, keep on he
course, stopping and looking only wher
necessary TO avoid a collision. II has beer
shown that Mr.. Halloway did, at ProPes'
distance, comply " T'tn a., 'ns .nan a.h' rh,'
discovered the true situation, stop and back
that he should have done 80 sooner is no
40 easy to determine: we incline 20 believe
he was directed by his beat judgment j
has also been shown that Mr. Boles. tn
ascending pilot did, without hearing th
LEGAL signal first gave the same In violation
| of law, Tor which we do hereby suspend hi
license as a first class pilot OF steam vessel
for thirty days from the date hereof.
Respectfully submitted,
HIRAM IOusG,