Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-07-12

Sciot0 YVES pointing siehuy w ne
Virginia shore. There was Pien.
ty OF room between the Ohio SHORE
and the Scioto for towboat to pass. There
is no doubt that the proper bells were rang
to back her, start her and stop, on the Lo-
mas. After the up whistle was blown by
the Tomas the boats appeared to me 10 De
from four hundred 70 five hundred feet
| apart. 49,
situation. nor no reason why the Scioto
could not have responded in the proper
mander 10 the first signal Of the Lomas
and passed her accordingly. Further than
! that, if the whistle OF the Tomas had been
answered properly the collision would
not have taken place.
The Scioto, when the Tomas first sig
nailed. was nearest the point, but an mex
perienced pilot would probably suppose
that she was in the bend. Both boats
seemed to be going at each other. This is
| induced BY the shape of the river. Inc
Tomas finally shaped her course 70 the
right. say there was no necessity Tor
collision. After the boat had sunk there
was roorn for boat to pass. Before the ".
S. law there was a time when the
shane of the shore guided the
pilot. L always obeyed the law for the sig
mails. She 1.-THE Scioto) came toward us after
the whistle. We came together, think, at
full ten miles an hour. The Lomas beside
the momentum of the current could not
have been running more than two or three
miles ad hour. My impression Is that We
were not exceeding two or three miles an
hour. on the whole not going over seven
miles an hour. The Scioto, in my opinion,
was 100 wards or more from the shore when
she sank. would think there was at least
ten feet of water. l have been
pilot for thirty-two years. Until ABOUT
two and a.half years have had a license
terested in boats, and when pilots were
scarce would act myself.
To Capt. Fehrenbatch-If 1 had been on
the Tomas would have blown for the op-
posite side from what she did. Accord
ing to the old rules, the bend be-
longs to the descending boat and
the point to the ascending. / don't think
ever made cross whistle in my life, nor
never scratched boat. l have been in a
position of that kind frequently. My 6uty
wonld be to avoid accidents il possible.
There certainly did some time elapse be-
tween whistles. Some appreciable time.
There was IL or IL feet Of water where the
stern of the Scioto LAY, and little less
where her head lay. If she had been out
in the stream few yards she would have
been clear under water.
To Capt. Gray-There is no reason why
the Scioto should not have taken the
Virginia shore.
To Mr.. Gray-Yes. I talked with Keller
after the collision. ! was on the hurricane
roof until We got all ashore. A brief de-
scription of the manner of landing the pas
sengers of the Scioto by the Tomas here
followed, Mr.. Smith very graphically de-
failing the methods of unloading them.
After the third load Keller came up on the
hurricane deck and began talking to me.
/ asked him: "Who was at the wheel?' 81
was" said Keller. "Why did you not
answer Jacks whistler" said l.
al couldn't" said he. WHY
said ]. 81 have been accustomed to running
the Ohio shore from Wheeling up, said he.
That's strange, said l. Well, anyhow from
Warren up. That's still stranger, said l.
"Well, in this stage of water, said he" /
then left him, and met him later on in the
evening in the pilot house, where Jack
Long, Joe Huffman were also. aHd some
further conversation resulted He (keller)
after giving his reasons, appeared to dodge
from one thing to another. He told about
running the Ohio side, first from Wheeling,
then from Warren, and finally on thestage
of water.
To Capt, Dovener-Yes, sir; have taken
some interest in this matter. | have writ
ten letter 10 the mdTllu rcIIt L"NS.
Yes, came out of the. lighted cabin; don't
think the light affected my eyesight 10
any extent The way came to write the
article for the Times was In this way; Mr..
Meek asked me to give my opinion: went
up to the wreck and to SteubeHyille, where
met man who was exclaiming against In
glebright and the Tomas, the pilot Of the
Tomas, and things generally. The mans
name was Stewart. took UP piece. OF
paper and wrote the article in question.
know John Long presume he is only
pilot about the city. He handles a boat
very we'll. / steered some going up on the
Tomas. After the accident Long did not
touch the wheel. He was all broken up.
He was out of my sight Long did not
steer any coming down. Longs license,
am told, hung up in the pilot house. Sufti-
Gent time was allowed to run 800 yards
between the first whistle of the Tomas and
the collision Maybe a minute and a-half.
At this point the investigation adjourn
ed until 8 A. NJ. to-day.