The Washington critic., 1888-09-20
A SERIOUS ALLEGATION.
Is the steamer Law being Crowded q
the River

Is the steamer Law Being Crowded OF
the River?
The steamer George Law cast off her
lines and started to make her first trip
from Alexandria to this city at o'clock
this morning. The ferry boat City of
Alexandria Started ut the same time.
on Gicsboro point they encountered u
thick fog so thick that the pilot could
scarcely see hundred yards ahead.
The Law was ahead, being somewhat
the fnstcr boat. Her pilot, Jack Wa
tcrs, heard tie ferry boat City of WASH
ington whistle us she left her wharf on
the way down It, Alexandria and again
few minutes later, when she came
opposite the Arsenal grounds. He knew
that the Washington must be coming
down and at about that point lie
blew long blast ON his whistle he
says and rang the engineers bell to
stop the engines. His signal to the
down-comng ferry boat wus unanswered
and IN answcr to the bell the Laws en-
gncs came to standstill. just then
the ferry boat City of Washington
struck the Law on the port bow just by
thc bullthcad.
The two boats scrapcd along each
others sides, the Wushington's guard
rail smashing in the Laws stanchiOns
from the bllllthcad clear aft, until it
struck the heavy timhcrs of the wheel
house. These stood the shock, and the
two boats driftcd apart, and each
steamed on to its destination.
Captain Eslridge, of the City of
Washington, tells n different story He
says that his boat steamed out of its
birth at the Scvcnth-strcet wharf on its
carly trip to Alexandria few minutes
after q O'clock in N dense fog.
or the Arsenal he heard the paddles
of boat coming up the river. lie rec
ognizcd it as the Law, for every old
steamboat-man recognized the sound of
each steamers paddles as quickly as he
would the voices of his friends. lie
knew, too, that the Law and the twin
ferrybOat City of Alexandria, started
from Alexandria at the same time and
that consequently they were both near
by, though he could make out nothing
in the thick fog. The sound of paddles
became louder. 1t seemed dead ahead.
His pull on the whistle string was an
swered by a shrill blast from the alarm
whistle, and at the same time he sig
nailed the engineer TO back. Just as
the wheels stopped and began to turn
backward he saw the Law break
through the fog
IIc spun the wheel around and tried
to avoid her, but the Law came on
and struck the Washington just beyond
the whcelhouse with u crash, smashing
in the stanchions and joiner work of
the sidehousc. Then the rival ferry
boats broke away" and continued on,
the Washington tc Alexandria, and the
Law to this city
Captain Esllridge says positively that
when the Law broke through the fog
and when she struck his boat he saw
her walking beam distinctly, and that
it was moving up and down as if the
nnipn al al full cnpaI nnI
that it did not seem to be hooked up'
as if the engines were backing. lie
realized the danger before he saw the
| Law through the fog, and blew the
alarm whistle to warn her, but the sig
nal was unhceded.
But few passengers were aboard either
boat, and the few there were, were men
used to going up and down the river and
| there was no panic, and no one was hurt
George Bauer, the owner of the Law,
the ferry boat that has been running in
| opposition to the other ferry boats this
summer, was busy writing letter to
the steamboat inspectors when seen
this morning He said that his boat
had been run into three times during
the present month-on the first, the
| seventh and again to-day. His boat
he says, had stopped and whistled to the
| Washington, but received no answer,
and then the Washington ran into him
| nHe, thought it strange, too, that his
I boat should be run into so often by the
| boats owned by the owners of the op
Ippsitlon ferry bouts.
The owners of the City of WashlhGtU
say that the collision of their City ol
Alexandria on the first of this month
was an accident for which the pilots o.
both boats were responsible. The Laws
fantail' was slightly smashed, and th'
company repaired the damage at an eX
pense of ten dollars The collision Will
| the Wakefield on the 18th, was Just a.
the latter boat was coming out OF he
slip at Alexandria, and the collision
merely knocked a splinter OIL the Law
stem.
The Law and their boat, City of Alex
andria, the Ferry Company people say
start up from Alexandria about th'
same time each morning. The Law
being the faster boat, usually gets herr
about three minutes ahead of her com
pctitor This morning, they say, SIN
got in some eight minutes ahead, despit
the collision.
The competition between the boats 10
the carrying trade to the ancient cit
has been brisk.
The City of Washington was damage
to the extent of about $3.50, and MI
Bauer says he is unable as yet to estimat
the damage to the Law, which is NOR
serious.