Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-01
TBE STEAMER wAsHINGroS.
Her Oficer. Give Their Version Of the Cans
Of the Recent Collision

Her onie.r. Give Their Version Of the Cause
Of the Recent Collision
After TIE Stars report closed yesterday in
the investigation Of the collision between the
steamers Washington and Pentz, further testi-
mony WIS offered by the officers Of the Washing
ton
SP Davis. the captain Of the Washington,
testified as follows Il was in charge of the
Washington" said the witness, lat the time of
the accident. When went mp on the hurri-
cane deck TO start away after had let my lines
go. heard the Pentz blow one long whistle. |
waited until she backed over the flats. then gave
two whistles. which were answered l rang
ahead ant never thought further of the Pentz.
Below the arsenal my course from the George
town hass Is south by west. When II WAS between
the blAck buoy and the forks of the channel
buov a gentle man the pilot house steps re-
marked. Captain. he Is going TO get IN your
suction. Further down. just below GIesboro,
/ blew three whistles and sta: boarded the wheel
and went a. close ~ the Maryland snore 1t
WAS possible to 60
THE FES II DID SDr CHANCE HER POSITION.
The Pentz answered M whistles, but did not
change her position in regard to the distance
between Is. and / cOuid not get away from
her. At that time think, the boats were not
more than fifty feet apart he Washington
fell OF to the eastward. ran down the Mary
land side uatil was Obliged t. come away or
run aground. 1 suppose the head OF my boat
went 10 the eastward about One-iOurth OF
point L then put my boat back ON her course
10 Keep from going ashore. healing south by
west. her regular course. Just below the mas
azino wharf a schooner was anchored about 20
or 100 yards from the Virginia side Of the chan
mel
POSSIBLE WAY OUT.
Il said then TO the quartermaster: We will
go under the stern of that vessel and the
Pentz will either stop or go to the westward
and then We can get away from her, As l
ran down on the vessel | noticed that the
Pentz was heaying her wheel hard star
board 4 then said to the quartermaster:
.StarboarI your wheel; he Is going to try to SO
between the vessel and Us and We must give
him ROOM We then went to the eastward
NATL saw he was clear Of the vessel. The
Pentz's stem at that time was not further Tor
ward than amidshIp of the Washington. nor
did II any time reach my forward sanSway-
After passing the vessel the PenZ blew two
whistles to the ferry boat Up to the time that
We passed the schooner there was IN realty no
danger but the coming of the Pentz so close
to the Washington in order to pass under the
schooner's stern put her IN such position that
she could not get away, the suction holding
her.
AwARSING SIGNAL TO STOP.
after passing the ferry boat the Pentz blew
one whistle. being then ABOUT my BEAM did
not blow one whistle in reply; blew five short
toots as a warning signal to stop. / was afraid
to stop my self II | had stopped the Pentz
would have run over me. My warning signals
we're disr. garded In a little while l heard the
people On the PentZ shouting stop. Stop.
and saw that the PentZ dropping astern-
Immediately ordered my wheel hard TO port
in order 10 throw my stern away from the
Pentz- Il / had not done this, when the
Pentz's guards went under the Washington
sLe woule have crushed III the Pentzs waist
and probably crippled somebody. As soon As
the Pentz cleared the stern OF the Washington
/ stopped the Washington Ii would have been
perfectly safe for the fentZ to have gone be-
tween tine anchored schooner and the shore.
She would have escaped our suction in this way
and everything would have been all right The
wheel Of the Washington was no. ported at any
time and We did not IN any way drive the Pentz
over. II The Pentz had stopped at the danger
signal the collision would not have occurred.
II the Washington had stopped the accident
would have been worse