Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-02-28
PACIFIC COAST.
7 he Tacoma Investigation.


ton into the loss of the Tacoma was
concluded this morning wish additional
testimony of Capt. kor.s, II when ne
stated tbas os hgG no reason TO doubt
that any OF his officers had recorded
| any bGt co-recE courses, sud did aos be-
ileVe they were actEatel t5 Iaaiiclous
motives. He admitted at first that LIE
vas n error in the course he stsered
after leaving Eiattery Rosk, which was.
Notwithstanding CONTRARY testimony.
south by east, .hree-q1arters eAst. o.
servstions taken By HIM the d<y pew
Gus TO the disaster showed that the
compass was about four degrees out,
and when the course vas south BY
sout'1, the deviation Of the compass was
i've 81 hthS points easteFiv. and on
sousa by southeast fo0- degrees easter
iy. n his Judgment the vessel was worth
three hundred and City thousand dolls.
and the value of her cargo $1,000. On
| conclusion of his testimony. Captain
horts announced that ne had no f1.-
Their witnesses to Offer, and th2. With a
written theory of tie loss OF the vessel
| the case should be considered closed
| rs statement prepared by him cited
| numerous instances where deviation of
| compaSses had been recorded: also cali
ing the attention of IL: pectors TO the
fact that he had information that on
board the U. s. steamship pewhattan,
| IN 1873. with both standard and binna-
Gle compasses, took a jGup OF two and
half points, which lasted an hour and
half. waea they resumed their normal
condition. lie also referred to the c1se
OF captain Rice. of the steamship Fasco
dc Cana, who noticed difference in
his compasse5 near Port Oxford, Ore
gon, and IN the China sea, the latter
lasting four hours. the time given being
substantiased by Mr. James, a pronlI-
nent insurance man in the CITY. He
made the further point that al iron
ships are subject to sudden changes il
compasses, and that no amount OF viei- |
lance on the part of tie master can |
guard against it, especially during thick |
and fcggy weather. A great many iron |
ships are lost annually, OF which little |
or no explanation could be given by |
those abroad at the time. and why |
could not the Same occur on the Taco |
ma, which was liable TO the same infiu- |
ences! He stated that had he known |
these facts before 7. would have been |
better, and he might have avoided the |
accident. He claims that all measures |
OF safety had been taken while he was |
Ing dCstiDt.
The case was then taken under adj |
vlsement by the inspectors. who viii |
render decision in few days.
Turk suing for Damage 10 his
Chararler.
PORTLAND, Feb. 2S.-Thc libel suit OF
James Turk, the notorious sailor board
inghouss keeper, against the Orcgo8idH
publishing Company for 325.0O0 WIS |
begun today in the State Circuit Court.
Turk makes this claim on the ground |
that the OyrgoHian charged that he aud |
his gang had become notorious in shang-
haing sailors. The case will reach the
jury tomorrow.
A Hard.up City.
SAN Francisco. FEB. 27.-The munic-
ip9l affairs have assumed such critical
state that the Finance Committee of
Supervisors this afternoon decided upon
a bold stroke to enforce rigid economy
as the only means Of saving the city
from serious injury.
communication WAS received stat
ing the fire department was without
hay and coal, and that unless both wore
furnished Immediately it would be ne
cessary to tnrn the horses out to pasture
and close the engine houses. In view
of similar complaints from other de-
partments the Committee decided that
all street lights should henceforth bs ex-
tin9uished, As there was no money IL
the treasury TO defray expenses. \
Wholesale reduction of janitors was
made. and a proposition entertained to
transfer funds set apart to p1y judg-
ments against the city to the general |
fund. The law library will be closed |
during nights and all burners i'll the
city hall with the exception of one in
each passage will be removed 1t is /
also suggested that the number OF |
courts should be diminished, and a |
meeting of Judges ard Supervisors has |
been called for tomorrow, with the pro
bable result that vacation will be |
taken by certain departments of the |
Superior Court. Large reductions vii! |
also be made in the working force of the |
Auditor, Tax Collector and Assessor.
smugglers Detected.
Large and valuable Seizures of opium |
have been made. Custom house officials |
are unusually alert. Orders had been |
given by the surveyor of the port that |
all persons, whether officers of the ship, |
lady visitors or deck hands, who passed |
off the steamer Gaelic be subjected to
rigid examination. While carrying out
this order quartermaster was arrested
and five boxes of prepared opium were
found on his person.
Fatally Injured.
Henry Deford, while awaiting exam
ination in the Federal Court on charge
of passing counterfeit money, attempted
to escape by jumping from the third
story of the appraisers bnildine, re-
csiving injuries which will prove fatal.
A Sick Mans Suicide.
SAN FnAScIsco. Feb. T.-Girard Fitz-
gerald, young man 9 years of age,
was found dead in Oakland this after
noon with bullet hole in his right tenn
pie. He has been ailing with consump-
ton.
Personals.
Gov. Newell, of Washington Terri
tory, is in Salt Lake.
s. j. Mccormick, formerly of Port
land, delivered an address this evening
before the Land League.
The Markets.
The markets, as rule, have been
steady for the past two days. Barley is
firmer, at 81 % to $1.271S. Owing to the
dry warm weather TO-DAY it is strong and
rising.
There ID steady demand for oats at
Bile to 81 50 for the range.
Bran is quiet, at $l7.
Hides quiet and weak, at 1Sctdi SlSc
for dry. 20c for calf and lie for&ip.
Wool firmer and good demand for
choice grades at 15c(d20 per pound.
there being very little Oregon left hare.
The stock on hand amounts TO about
800, 900 pounds.
Hops are dull and neglected and
prices nominal. Buyers and sellers are
apart on Soc{d 900 per pound.
Wheat is quiet and unchanged.
Ocean fre.ghts dull.