The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-18
TWO BOARDS AT OUTS.
Willamette Wreck Raises a
Question of Authority.
INSPECTORS VS.. SURVEYORS.
Owners Decide to Send Her to Dry
Dock on the Sound-Ihe Premier
Also to Be Raised.

Inc Steam coiiler willamette. wnlcn was
damaged in the recent collision with the
Premier, will be placed on the De Lion
dry dock before going to San Francisco.
This is IN accordance with the orders of
the local board of steamship inspectors.
whose judgment in the matter clashed
with that of the board of surveyors and
resulted in considerable feeling among all
interested.
Inc board of surveyors was composed OF
Capt J. A. Hatfield Capt. Z. Biondi, of
Port Townsend, and Capt. +. J. Burns. of
Seattle. This board held several surveys.
as the bow came up with the removal of
the coal from the forward part. and Capt.
A. 0. Benjamin, the diver was sent down
TO examine her bottom. As a result OF all
tins, the board of surveyors thought it
would only be necessary to have temper
airy repairs made and send the vessel to
San Francisco to discharge her cargo be-
fore placing her in the dry dock for
permanent repairs. The local in
spectors thought differently, however, and
maintained that the vessel would have to
be placed in dry dock before going to
sea. Manager C. ]. Smith, of the Oregon
Improvement Company, has decided to
follow the instructions of the board of in
spectors, so the board of surveyors will
keep its hands Off and make no formal
recommendations at al. Capt. w. J.
BRYANT, local inspector of hulls, made the
following statement regarding the in
spectors' position on the matter:
When the Willamette was brought in here l
advised the owners to take off that portion of
her cargo in the forward compartment, and told
Manager c. j. Smith that when ! got time /
would go down and examine her. l was very
busy with the Fye--Perley case at the time, but
finally l got time one day and went down. I
went into the hold and could see at glance that
the vessel was sprung. Coming back | met the
captain and told him she would have to be taken
OUT afterwards learned that the board of sur
veyors claimed We had no authority TO stop her
from going to sea; that she could go in spite of
US, and all we could do was to fine her and the
fine could be paid under protest. Now the fact is
that the inspectors have full authority in such
matters, and any licensed officer who
would take the vessel out without permits
sion from the board would lose his
license. Oh course, the board must
act reasonably and use Judgment bu. We are in
responsible position III such cases. Suppose
should allow that vessel to go to sea when
know she is unsafe and she goes down, causing
loss OF life Who will be held responsible BY
the officials of the department, we or the board
OF surveyors? A board of surveyors is all
right, but it is only advisory, and the
hnaI decision to what should be
done rests with the board of inspectors. infer
from what Manager Smith said to me today
that he intends complying with our orders
without any trouble. lie asked me if there
would be any objection to leaving 1900 tons of
coal in her and told him there would not, pro-
vided IL was distributed.
Capt. Biondi said in reply to this state
ment:
Capt. Bryant is very much opposed to the YES.
declares that since we have docking facilities
on the Sound, she should be dockei and re-
paired here. The Oregon Improvement Com
pauy, which owns the Willamette. will hold
the vessel subject TO the recommendations
OF the surveyors, and Capt Hansen is ready to
take her to Sau Francisco when SO ordered. The
engineers have reported that the engines are
not ont of line, and mechanics are now EN-
ployed cutting away the ragged plates from
the bow.
This interview with Capt. Riondi was
obtained before the final decision of Man
ager Smith TO place the vessel in the dry
dock. Capt. Hatfield said he had moth
ing TO say further than that, in view OF
this decision of Mr.. Smith to place the
vessel in the dry dock the board of sur
veyors would make no recommendations
at all. He considered the action of the in
spectors unwarranted, and causing great
unnecessary loss to the owners.
Tie vessel Is still discharging coal and
will probably take out all but about 600
tons.
The surveyors appointed to examine the
wreck OF the Premier have completed their
labors and handed in their report. The
report states that after giving the vessel a
careful examination the surveyors found it
impossible TO give further details as to how
serious and extensive the damages are.
They therefore recommend that tenders
be asked at the earliest practicable mo-
ment to raise the vessel and place her in a
dry dock, when the full damages can be
ascertained. Bids have been advertised
for in all the principal cities of the Sound.