The Portland daily press., 1892-02-26
TOR TOWING THE OREGON.
The Salvage Cases on Trial in the
United States Court.
TOW BOAT COMPANIES AND STEAM
SHIP OWNERS AT ODDS.
The Libellants are the Knickerbocker
Steam Towage Company of Bath, the
Central Towboat Company and Messrs.
Moore and Wright of Portland.

Steam Towage Company of Bath, the
Central Towboat Company and Messrs.
Moore and Wright of Portland.
In the United States District Court
yesterday, before Judge Webb, the sal
wage cases against the steamship Oregon
were taken up. The libellants are the
Knickerbocker Steam Towage Company
of Bath, owners of the tugs Knicker-
booker and Clara Clarita, the Central
Towboat Company of Portland, owners
of the tugs Belknap and Plymouth, and
Moore & Wright, owners of the tug
Mary ]. Finn, all of which went to the
assistance of the steamer when she broke
her shaft off Seguin on the third of De-
cember last The Portland tugs claim
compensation at the rate of $12 per hour
from the time they left the dock in Port
land on Saturday morning until they re-
turned at 2 o'clock Monday morning, and
claim that such was the contract with
the agent of the Steamship Company.
On the part of the company it is claimed
that the contract was $12 an hour for
the time actually engaged in towing the
steamer. The tugs Belknap and Ply
mouth got out to the steamer on Satur-
day afternoon and each took a line from
the steamers bow but were unable to do
anything with her
On Account of the Rough Sea
and the heavy gale. One of the lines
parted and the other was cut and the
tugs ran into the mouth of the Kenne-
bee for harbor that night. 1t was late
Sunday afternoon before the weather
was such that they could get back to the
steamer, and then the Toronto had the
Oregon in tow. At the request of the
officers of the steamer, the tugs kept by
her until just off Portland Head, when
the Toronto cast off and the tugs took
her, the Mary J. Finn having joined them
off Seguin Sunday afternoon, and
brought her to her dock. arriving at
o'clock Monday morning. The Finn had
been out several times looking for the
steamer but was forced to return on ac-
count of the rough sea.
The Knickerbocker and Clara had no
contract. The captain of the first named
tug says he went out to the Oregon on
Sunday forenoon asked the captain if he
needed assistance: that he referred him
TO Capt. Reid, port captain, then on the
Toronto, who asked him about his tug
and hawsers that he replied they had
another boat and ten inch hawser
at Bath and
Captain Reid Told Him To Go
and get them and come back as soon as
possible; that he did so, and got back in
the afternoon; passed his heaying line
aboard the Oregon and they hauled his
hawser aboard, but on the Toronto sig
mailing not to take it they threw it over
board; that thereafter, although he asked
several times what they would have him
do, he could get no answer until off Port
land Head, whittier he accompanied
them, where he was informed that his
services were not needed.
On the part of the defence. it is claimed
that they did not take his hawser; that
he rendered no assistance to the Oregon;
that he did not get back from Bath with
the other boat in season, and that when
he did return the Oregon was safely in
tow of the Toronto.
The company have rendered, and pro-
duced the checks in court to the Cen
tral Wharf Towboat Company, 5000; to
Moore & Wright, $50, and to the Knick-
erbocker Company $3.50, which they
claim is all the libellants are entitled to
receive and much more than they earned,
even on a salvage basis. The cases were
not finished at the adjournment of the
court last evening. Benjamin Thomp-
son is counsel for the libellants and Da-
vid w. Snow for the Mississippi and Do
minion Steamship Company.