Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-02-06
THE FATAL COLUMBUS.
The Canse Of the Wreck-Was IL the
Captains FAINT!


Columbus of Gay Head, Martha's Vineyard,
Jan. is, BY which 81 lives were lost, Vas be-
Gun this morning before Burnham and SAY
sge. constituting the board of inspectors OF
steam vessels for this district The examln-
.,ion of witnesses was conducted in . cate
cbetical form BY the inspectors. The wit
nes,es were all sworn. The first examined
vas Capt. s. E. Wright Of the unfortu nate
vessel. Mr. Burnham stated to Capt. Wright
before beginning the examination that there
were no allegations of misconduct or neglect
but the presumption was, that, judging from
the character of the wreck, there must have
been such misconduct, cArelessness or neg
lect
In respon.e to the interrogations Of In
,pector Savage. Capt. Wright stated TINT he
vas 80 wears old; had followed the sea since
he was 10 years old: had held license As
master since 1869; has commanded i've diff
ferent ships. all of them belonging to the
Boston & Savannah Steamship company; left
Boston on the City of Columbus 1t $50 p.
NJ. on Jan. II; took the
VESSEL THE USUAL COURSE
to and around Cape Cod to cross the rips.
From there we steer west by north half north
to Nobska Light until it bears northwest half
west; was at TArpaulin Cove when gave
the order to steer southwest BY west; gave
directions to the second mate to steer west
southwest when Tarpaulin Cove bore west by
north then went below; don't know whether
the second mate gave the man at the wheel
this order or not; l was sitting on the floor
in my room with my back against the heater
and with my head in the pilot house when
heard q call to sport" 1t was the starboard
watch, or more properly. the captains watch.
l lief THE second mate in charge of the deck
when went below; had bow Waterman on
the lookout. When heard the cry of "port"
l sprang to my feet and cried "hard sport, !"
thinking we were running down q vessel I;
couldn't see any vessel but saw buoy two
and half points off the port bow, $50 or 200
yards distant; think the vessel struck within
90 seconds after gave the order to hard
aport; did not signal the engineer.
BEFORE THE VESSEL STRUCK
she was running at the usual speed. After
she struck sienslled the engineer to reverse
| and back the ship. The ship went back a
| full length and then went ahead at full speed.
| To turn her head of l reversed and backed
her again when found it of no use. En-
gineer Morrison came to the port door and
said, Captain, there 10 water in here"
then ordered the qnartermaster to leave
the wheel and told the mate to get the boats
ready. The vessel grounded hard and filled
through the matches and after compartments.
The after hatch was burst open, allowing the
| water to fill her. The vessel then listed to
port, giving the sea full sweep over her.
was in the water to my armpits; went into
the cabins and aroused the passengers, order
ing them to put on their life preservers. We
usually have a Waterman in the cabin to look
out for the fire; don't know whether he was
there after the ship struck; the bulkheads of
the ship were tight as far a. l know knew
Second Mate Harding for three years; he
had sailed with me over q year; employed
the officers of the ship; Mr.. Harding was "a
years old; he had had experience on this
course before 1 shipped him.
The Columbus had six boats. We had
boat drills about every time we made the
port Of Savannah. The mate had charge OF
the drills. The ship filled forward from the
holes in the bottom. She filled aft, should
judge, from the after hatch, which must have
been washed off.
| GOD ONLY KNOWS HOW THE SHIP
came where she struck. The tide was slack
at high water. There is about two and hall
feet of tide at Gay head. The wind va.
blowing fresh and the ship WAS making about
ten knots against it. The ships average
speed was IL knots. We were not exceeding
our average speed. 1t is not usual for me tc
make close shave to Gay Head l Away,
give it good wide berth. l always give it 8
mile berth in the summer and further in win.
, ter. There is a good channel of four miles
Don't think anything could be saved by max.
ing close shave of Gay Head. Don't rec
elect anything peculiar connected with the
trip of November Sth in relation to Mr.
Harding's conduct. Don't recollrct that the
bow watchman reported to me on that trip
that he made any call to the pilot house and
received no response Don't remember hav
a bow Waterman named Ames. Any one in
the pilot house could easily have heard q call
from the lookout. l reprimanded Mate
Harding before the occasion spoke OF for q
trifing offence, still had the greatest con-
fidence in him. The ship moved with the
action of the sea after the engines stopped
We were four miles of Nobska light when |
gave the order to the mate to steer southwes,
| by west. l told him to change the course to
west, southwest when off Tsrpaulin Cove, to
clear Naushon point. Gave this order before
left the pilot house. If the vessel had con.
tinued on a southwest by west course from
where it was ordered, she would have cleared
Gay Head by about two miles and if the
course had been changed to west, seuthwe .,
when off Tarpaulin Cove as ordered she
would have gone three and one-quarter miles
| on Gay heau, a vessel ike the Columbus
would not be safe in less than five or 81,
fathoms of water. Don't know whether Mr.
Harding had license as pilot. told him
to get one, but don't know whether he did OF
not. would not have hesitated to have
signed his appeal for license, had be asked
me, As he was competent. Don't know
whether Mr.. Harding ever had a license.
Second Assistant Engineer Collin, was
next called and testified: Was on watch till
midnight on January 18th, when | went &c
my room. Was asleep in my room when the
ship struck The shock woke me- hurried
below to the engine room and helped to re.
verse her and then returned to nv room And
finished dressing. Don't know how far the
vessel backed; the engine was reversed in
about half a minute, The next order was q
go ahead and then to stop her. l returned
TO the engine room after dressing the engine
| was not working then left the engine with
the chief engineer, when the vessel heeled
over and the water rushed in, the shin
wresten and wrenched badly; the steam
gauge showed 20 pounds saw
! THE MAIN STEAM PIPE BENT
when the vessel heeled over. Engineer
Morrison and l came on deck together.
went to my room again and got
two pairs of pants and made for the main
4 rivysnv On tho sfayhas ~ s;Aa TA-