Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-04-10

Full Text Of the EvtdeRee Before tns
Local Board OF Inspectors Of steam
Vessels. n Regard 10 the Less Of the
steamship matilda.
SEATTLE. April 8. le4.

A meeting OF TIE Ipal1 oi NHi~o
States Local inspectors OF steam vessels
for the Puget Sound district, Washing
ton Territory, was held at their Office
this day for the purpose OF invesiigat-
ing the matters pertaining TO the acci-
dent TO the steamship Umasilla. by
grounding On Fiattery Reef February
.. lisa, subsequently floating OF and
belng towed 10 Esqolmalt Harbor,
where she sank IN SIX :athems OF water.
VICTORIA. Il. C.. Feb. a, lsS4.
Messers Morgan and HInckiey. United
States Local inspectors Of steam
boats, Seattle, W. L.:
| have to repor. 10 you the disaster 70
the steamship Umati.la by grounding
on Flattery Reef at SO q. m February
9, 1874, subsequently floating of and
being toxed by the steamship yelling
ton to Esquimalt Harbor, and there
sank in SIX fathoins water. Asthe time
Of the accident il Was showing aud the
reef was not discovered until too near
To clear it. The ships forefoot and for
ward water-tieht compartment are
stove in. The course | WAS making. &C
cordine to the best OF my judgment.
should have cleared Flsttery rocks
twelve miles. FRANK WORTH.
Capt. St,nr Umatilla.
Captain Frank Worth makes oath
that the above IL true statement to
the best Of his knowledge and belief.
Signed FEASK WORTH.
Ouestion.-What was yenr position on
board of the steamship Umatiila At the
time Of the accident on the 9th day OF
February, les4!
Answer vas master.
Q-Can you state at what time you
passed Cape Blanco on your last trip up
to the Sound!
AT about 3 hours. 20 minutes Am.
Of the s,h day of February, 1884.
O. Can you state what distance YOU
were off the cape At that time!
About ten or fifteen miles.
o. What course were You steering at
the timer
A.-North by w. Il w.
Q.-How long did you continue on
that course!
A.-Until she struck on Flattery Reef
Q-What speed did You give the ship
from the time yOu passed the cape ny
TO the time she struck
Al gave her for the first twenty
| four hours 10 knots, and for the last five
hours about II knots per hour.
Q-What do you compute the dig
| lance from Cape BlancO to Flattery
| Reef?
A.-About 33l miles.
Q.-Were you on the bridge when she
struck?
A.-No, / WAS coming from breakfas,
| at the time.
Odd you observe any drift in not
| ing your position on the day previeus e
the accident?
Al only observed that there val
about 3 greas deviation in the com
pass to the westward.
| Odd you IN making passage NORTH
| in winter msuths ever observe y strong
northerly set to the curr, Mt. especially
Lear the land?
A.-Only once, and that was one triy
when we were bound out. A stronI
southerly gale was blowing. At thai
time | estimated that had about fou
knots nOrtherly current.
Q-How do you account for yoar be
ing SO far ahead of time and also SO fal
he eastward Of your supposed posi-
tionf
| Al cannot account for ii in an,
other WAY than that there WAS an un
usually strong curi ent northerly and to
ward the land.
| Q.-Was there any swell, and if 8,
from what direction was II!
| Ave had very little swell. but wha
there was, Was from the westward.
JOHN A. o'BnrEN,
Being duly sworn. says:
Q.-What position did you fill Oh
board the steamship Umatilla!
| Al WAS chief officer.
| Odd you save your log or an,
data by which you can tell the cours,
steered and the distance run for the las
twenty-four hours before the &C sident
| Al put the log with my overcoa
and sextant into the boat. and that WA
the last | have seen of 1t or my over
coat.
Q.-Can you tell me from memor,
what hour you passed Cape BlanroI
| Al came on dock at 4 a. III. of tn,
9Th aud did not see the lighthouse, bu
il il my recollection that the second of
ficer reported that We passed IL about .
a. IN.
| ON your judgment, what distanc,
aft did you pass tho cap,I
Al should Judge ten or fifteen miles
! could only see the loom Of the land.
| Q.-What course was being steered
| when you came on deck
A.-Nor,h by West y West.
| Q-How long did Won continue OF
that course?
| Ave continued on that course III
I'll she struck, except in the morning
watch the captain gave the order t.
steer nothing to the northward of N. by
W. u W.
| Q.-What distance WAS the ship max
ing per hour up to the time she strucl
after passing Cape Blanco?
| Al gave her about ten knots pei
boar.
| Odd you get an observation Oh tn.
sth 80 AS to note your position on the
chart at that time?
| Al noted IL IN the log.
| Q.-Do you practice prickin9 your po
sition on the chart daily in coming ut
the coastl
| A.-Whsn We are approaching land,
make reference to the chart.
| O. Did you observe whether the sbiI
was in the position she should hav,
i bVVhs WIN tcknhu w VIZ 0cuf NO stttEtA
and the distance run on the sth!
Al did not observe that she WAS out
| Of her usual track.
| Q.-What was the state of the eathel
the - hours before the accident
A.-The weather was variable. Wher
We left San Francisco we had strong
northwest winds.
| Q.-How long did they continue
| A.-Not more than II hours.
| Q-What Was the weather on the
morning of the accident
| A.-Hcavy snow and hail squalls.
| Odd vou see the reef before SHE
struck
| o. was going to breakfast when
the lookout gave the alarm.
| Q.-When the alarm Was given how
| far was you of from the rocks
| A.-As soon as | heard the alarm
looked over TO port and saw line OF
breakers about 10 or 30 yeards off.
| Q-Wss the ship stopped before she
| struck
| A.-When | got on the bridge the in
dicator showed full speed astern.
| Q.-Accoriing 10 your judgment VIII Al
should have been the position at the
time she struck
Al should have placed her at ieas,
| Is or ~ miles to the southwark aud
| westward.
Odd you observe any deviation in