Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-30
THE COLLISION ON THE RIVER.



which Led to the Accident
osficHAs OF Boru TER RExrz AND WASHINGTON
GIVE rKEn vEnsIox OF WHAT LED 70 TEE
ACCIDENT. EACH CLAIMING rnx orHxl TO m
IN FAULT.
Who was at fault in the collision between the
steamers Washington and Pentz which occurred
this side OF Alexandria Monday week was the
question which Steamboat Inspectors
Seville and Cooper were trying TO
determine this morning. For several hours
the gentlemen sat in one Of the rooms of the
Georgetown custom house and examined wit
nssses. The examination. however. wss not
completed today, and will be resumed shortly.
CAPT. TrLLs TESTIMONY.
The first witness today VS. r. A. Tull, the
pilot in charge Of the Pentz At the time Of the
accident Capt. Tun testified substantially
that the cause Of the trouble was the fact
OF the Washington having deliberately
crowded him over to the Virginia shore
of the river. He was in the pilot house and in
charge OF the boat. He backed out from the
wharf at his usual time and Immediately
after the Washington started out,
blowing two whistles. He answered
and stopped. allowing the Washington TO pass
on down the channel. Near the arsenal he saw
that the Pentz was gaining rapidly on
the Washington, and thinking that the
latter designed TO allow the Pentz 10 pass her.
as the Norfolk sometimes did, he put
her helm aport and came over 70
the westward. Below Giesboro the Pentz
tapped the Washington and was gaining
rapidly. From that point. said Capt TUT.
the Washington by porting her helm
crowded the Pentz over continually.
running exceedingly close 70 her
and being well over 10 the westward. The
Pentz passed within ten feet OF the trap nets
this side Of Alexandria. The Washington blew
| three short whistles, which were not answered
Immediately the Washington ported her
wheel and started across the pentzs bows. The
captain stopped the Pentz and the vessels col
lided. The Pentz had about 400 passengers,
who were greatly frightened: Capt, Tull
thought the Washington was entirely TO blame
| for the collision. having pushed the Pentx az
far Is il was possible for her to go.
r. EMORY TULL's STORY.
r. Emory Tull, the quartermaster Of the
Pentz, testified substantially as did the captain.
Two vessels, he said, were anchored below Gies-
boro, and the Pentz was Obliged to pass SO
close that il Was necessary to haul in the yawls.
| The Pentz and the Washington then
side by side and only about tW enty feet apart.
| ''Soon afterward," said Mr.. Tull, ''the ferry
boat from AleXandria WAS met and the Pentz
gave three whistles and passed her TO star
and she did not answer, but crowded US and
We had to port and go further TO westward.
AT the trap nets between shepherd and the
magazine, the nets being on the westward side
Of the channel, the Washington blew three
short puffs OF whistle and Immediately ported
her wheel and We stopped the Pentz and the
Washington struck us on our port side forward
Of our forward gsngway."
In answer to questions Mr.. Tull said that the
Pentz got alongside of the Washington just be-
/ ~ H. A.
to westward because there was no room
to eastward. The Washington crowded with
port helm az soon rs the Pentz got alongside.
pushing the Pentz clear to the west side Of the
| channel. The boats were about fifteen yards
apart when the Pentz was stopped. She was in
shoal water.
JOHN W. DYER WITNESS.
John W. Dyer, who is bartender on the
Pentz, the next witness. He board
at the time of the collision. He came out OF
the bar at Giesboro and walked forward, watch.
| ing the Washington. Saw that tbs PentZ was
| so far to westward that she passed within SIX
or eight feet of some anchored vessels.
The Washington ana the Pentz when they
| Tapped were not, he thought. over twenty feet
apart. Said the witness: TO the best Of nv
| Judgment at the trap nets the Washington
headed over to us and crowded us TO westward.
OFFICER M'KENSEY's EVIDENCE
|
officer on the Pentz, testified that the Penta
followed the Washington down from wharf.
The Washington slowed up near arsenal. APP
| parently waiting, as when the Pentz
reached her she started of again. The
Pentz was on the starbOard side.
Below the forks of the channel the Pentz blew
one whistle. The Washington kept bearing
us over to the Virginia shore, said the wit
ness. ''She pushed US SO far that there was
only about twenty or thirty feet between US
| and a schooner at anchor. The Washington
| blew two whistles and we answered. The Pentz
| blew a whistle, which was not answered. She
| then blew three whistles just below Shepherd s
wharf and ran still further over toward US and
| the collision occurred
| No one was hurt, according to the witness,
| although several ladies tainted and everybody
was scared. He was positive the Washington
| kept throwing over toward the Virginia sh ore,
and in his opinion the Pentz WAS as far over
toward that snore as ii was possible To 90.
CAPT. EcKRIDGE's VERSION.
Capt John b. Eckridge of the ferry boat City
of Washington testified to meeting the two
boats on his upward trip and to passing them
between shepherds and Magazine wharf.
channel and he went length
| further westward. The two STEAMERS were
| abreast Of each other. Both apparently were
pursuing straight course. He thought there
was easily room TO pass between the anchored
| schooner and the Virginia shore.
BOTH BOATS RUNNING VERY CLOSE.
| E. L. Fields, a superintendent Of dredging,
was on the steamer Washington as q passenger.
| At the arsenal he remarked that the
| two boats were running very close.
| The Pentz's nose would reach as high as
the wheel house." said the witness, land
| at times only about fifteen feet separated the
boats. Later on the Washington blew the
danger signal and no attention paid by the
Pentz. was forward on saloon deck, and
| when the Pentz dropped back L started back
| and the boats struck while was almost mid
ship. In my opinion there was no reason for
| the Pentz to crowd in so, as there was room to
| westward. / am familiar with the channel.
| Not only in my opinion did the Washington
not push to westward, but am certain that
the Washington fell of eastward. am certain
| that if at any time the Washington had stopped
| the suction would have drawn the two boats
| together"
CAPT. DAVIS OF THE WARRINGTON.
Capt 9. P. Davis of the Washington testi-
fed that the Pentz answered his whistles,
but did not change her position in re-
| gard to the distance between them
| and he could not get away from her.
He afraid, he said, to stop, for if he had the
Pentz would have run oFer him. His warning
| signals were disregarded. II the Washington
had stopped the accident would have been
worse.
Ii Trouar <ba chief onuinaar T.