The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-07-09
The Tug Had No b.
With a long Has.
Inspector FalrchIId Says the Pr
tlce Endanaers Life.
What Is Said In New York of the
Recent Collision.

New YORK, July 8.-The barge Walter
Sands, which was run into Saturday evening
by the steamer Eleanora, was taken to Ho-
boken Sunday, and yesterday an examina-
tion of her was made by the manager Of the
Myers Excursion and Navigation Company,
her owners, in company with a carpenter
sent over by the Maine Steamship Company.
owners of the Eleanora.
So far as could be seen at the time Of the
examination, there were no indications that
the hull of the boat had been injured. The
damage seemed to be confined to the decks
and the other woodwork connected with
them. The upper works of the boat seemed
to have been bodily pushed over to star
board. This showed very plainly on exami-
nation Of the hole in the upper deck through
which the mast came up before 1t was brok-
en- off by the collision. This hole was at
least four inces to the starboard of its proper
position.
The Eleanora was very little hurt. She is
wooden vessel, and the extent Of her dam
age consisted only in the loss of about 15
feet of her stem. She was reDaired yester-
day and made new start for Portland at 4
o'clock The agent Of the Maine Steamship
Company refuses to admit that the Eleanora
Is in any way responsible for the collision.
He said that the Idlewild had no bust
ness towing the barges through Hell Gate,
measurably dangerous channel, with long
hawser. He said that has company had bet
for damage to the Eleanora than the Myers
Company had to ask pay for damage to the
barge.
AS the case stands neither party will ad-
NIT that It was at all responsible for the col
lslon. The Myers people say that it is sig
nifcant that the EleanOra should be aground
one day and in collision the next day.
The attention Of the agent of the Maine
Steamship Company was called to this sug-
gestion. There's nothing in it," he said.
The Eleanora's steering apparatus is all
right. She was aground Friday, but I sup
pose she was run aground to avoid a collision.
That happened two years ago. The captain
had his choice between colliding and running
aground, and chose the latter"
Capt. Samuel G. Fairchild, state steamboat
inspector; was seen by reporter yesterday
afternoon. He had been so busy he said,
that he had not had time to read Capt.
Bragg's report and as the report from the
other side had not been filed he did not
know where the blame belonged in Ithe pre-
sent case. There was one thing he did
know, however. and that was that 1t was en-
tirely wrong that a tug should be allowed to
tow barges loaded with men, women and
children, using long hawser as it was said
the ldlewild was doing.
buO OdpldtD,
land going with the tide, in case the tug
slows up or stops, no one has any control
over the barges, and they sweep along at a
considerable headway. With another vessel
in certain position it lis almost impossible
to prevent a collision. There should be a
law passed, either at Albany or by Congress,
preventing steam tug Captains from thus en-
dangeriDg lives"
The Steamboat Inspectors are powerless
to take any action toward lessening the evil
Of which Capt. Fairchild complains. II a
between two barges, where, very likely,
some of the paint would be worn from It,
and possibly the woodwork somewhat
bruised by contact with the barges, there is
nothing to prevent his running out as Tonga
hawser as he chooses, and thus saving the
on tho ho roac a., lo.~sSar