The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-13

" y ~ boata adjourned III O'Clock
THE AFTERNOON SESSION
was opened with the cross.exauination OF
pllo. Long, Mr.. Doyener attempting to pro.
cure from him an admission that II Ills state.
meht were correct, 10 tho effect that when he
first blew the Sci0to was 500 yards distant md
on tho West Virginia shore, she could not
have crossed the river, assembled some little
distance and Strengthened up parallel to the
shore In the minute and half which he
fixed as the time which elapsed from his first
whistle to the collision, but Mr. Long would
asked II lic had no. rung the 10 ahead bell
after the engines had commenced to back,
md the witness said le did not. IIe was
asked II no had not intended to round out
ahead OF tho SciotO, but missed his calcula.
tion and struck her port, but he denied that
such was the case. lie did not think a good
pilot would ask for the Ohio shore II he was
Oh u descending boat, ind an ascending boat
had approached within 400 yards, and nearer
the Ohio shore. Mr.. Cracraft entered his pro.
test against the consideration oil any testi.
mony as 10 the opinion OF individuals as TO
what good pilot would do In certain hypho.
tetical cases, or as to what custom would die.
tate In certnin cases. The investigation
should DO directed merely 10 whether the let
ter OF the law had been observed. Inspector
Young said he had examined the witness,
and had obtained all theevidence he thought
desirable from him. .
Long said that since 1866 the only experl.
ence he had had was In steering the North
Wheeling and Martins Ferry ferry boat
"Climax" In her trade and on little excur.
sion runs. lie had stcered boats from Wheel.
Ing TO Steubenyile and back, but Il was
come years ago, and then he had no license for
that part OF the river. The John Lomas on
the Fourth was the first boat he had ever
stecred from Wheeling to Steubenyille and
buck us n licensed pilot. Mr. Doyener
catechsed the witness as 10 the location OF
the bars between Steubenville and Wheeling,
with view to ascertaining the extent OF his
knowledge as u pilot. EglgE1
The inquiry then took rather sensational
turn, Dovener asked the witness II there had
not been some feeling between tho Lomas
and Little Anna, and lie admitted that there
was. 7tI
:; Was tho Little Anna not up to stcuben.
vile that night?' ~ - :
"She was not"
"Was she no. on her way up at the time of
the accident, and did you not think that was
herr" :,
NO, sir; did not pass the Little Anna,
and did not see her at all that nigLt,n -
Your only reason for taking the Ohio
side was that you thought the ascending boat
was large one, md wished to avoid the
swells?" ''>
''rhst was all, and made remark to that
ELECT to some parties in the pilot house"
When the boats struck the Iomus was kent
backing until she was clear Of the Scioto and
then stopped, and Long called JOS Hoffman,
regular pilot OF the boat, to take the wheel,
why did you do THAR he was asked.
~ felt rather bad over the shock, and
seeing the people jump in the water, and did
not feel like working
lie said further that he saw Can't. Inele.
bright working with the Lomas lantern n.
| the time OF the accident, but he did not know
what he was doing with them. Dovener had
asked If the Captain had not taken down the
red signal light md after IN interval run IL
up again, and il II red light in front ofsthe
pilot house would not injuriously affect his
eycsight;, He supposed ii would one were
there. There mi ght have been u steamer
ascending in such position that she could
not be seen by him while he was above the
bend. He did not blow one long blast COO yalls
above the point. lie got oil ut the glass
house landing on the down trip. lie had
gone with the party on the invitation of the
Captain, and was not paid or employed TO nj.
lot the boat on that trip. He was almost al.
ways in the pilot house while on the boat.
He had helped on excursion trips, In tho eve
nings and on Sundays often, md it was for
ms purpose MS papers were renewed, Capt
lnglebright taking them onu for him.
The points Of his rudders were pointed
somewhat to The ONO shore when lie com.
menccd 10 back, and ho afterward straight.
pnnI than n tim rtpnr r. -.
when he backed away from the Scioto his
stem had not backed down stream, and said
II had. lie attributed this to the fact that The
boat held to the Scioto some. He had sur.
rendered the wheel to Hoffman, whom he
saw standing in the pilot house Just after he
had runs to stop the boat Just after pulling
loose from the Scio.o.
Re-examined by Mr.. Gray, he said Tint be
bad no idea when lie whisiled first that the
two boats would come close together. He
thought they would pass ut Il distance of at
least fifty yards. -
In answer to an inquiry by Mr.. Fehren-
batch the witness said when the Scioto blew
tue cross whistle the boats were about 500
yards apart, and lie commenced TO back when
about $50 yards inieryened. When lie began
to back the rudders were straight up stream,
but when the boat commenced to back thev
ut once Strengthened them. He was asked II
from that position OF his rudder the boat
would not have tendency to 10 to the right,
which he answered in the affirmative
'rhen.' said Mr.. f., "you whistled TO allow
her to so just where You were going ?" mo:
| then commenced to back. That was all |
could do" - : -. :.
Was it not witha view to accommodating
the cross signal That you shaped Your course
toward the West Virginia shore ~ asked Mr..
Gray. =
mo, sir; that was something could not
avoid, My rudders jerked on me.r
MOSES M'cASS, ENGINEER OF THE TOMAS
in charge OF the bont at the time of the coils.
ion, next testified. lie heard the Iomas'
first signal, aud went 10 the door 10 sec what
boat was approaching. lie saw the Scioin
good ways down the river, and near The
Virginia shore. After the whistle her course
seemed to be straight ut the Ionas, and the
witness became uneasy at her delay In re.
spondins to tho whistle. lie went TO the
throttle, and just then the Scioto answered
with two blasts; The stopping bell on the
l.oInas rang. and he heard two Sounds OF her
whistle: The 20 ahead bell was then rure,
rang, and the backing bell rang. lie mt once
backed, and kept 1t up after the bonts had
struck till they were apart. Her headway was
not stopped, but was materially checked, He
knew when the boats parted, by the raising
Of the boat when her wheel rot a full din.
He thought 1t was minute and half or
two minutes from the Lomas' first whistle to
the Scioto's answer, and the Scioto was then
on the Lomas's port, because he went first 10
the starboard door and could not see her. and
then went TO the port side and saw the other
boat. He had given the full force of steam
TO backing. and kept 1t on till the bell runr
TO stop. Going down stream it would tuke
probably dozen revolutions OF. the Lomas's
wheel to check her licadway. The witness
was acquainted with the Scioto; she Ind
strong engines and good wheel, and he
thought three revolutions would check hcr
Roadway dead while going against tic cur.
rent. . - -
Mr.. Doveuer directed his inquiries to a.cer.
tanning the meaning OF the ringing Of The
bells on the Tomas. He asked him II he Ind
not told John Sweeney the day before Thai
the pilot got his bells all mixed up. lie
denied cmphatically TINT he had. The
witness WIS not very tractable, and once
when asked q question he retorted, ais II nny
OF your business?' and when asked II The
I Il 3 .N-