Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-03-10
THE TUG Responsible
The Grounding of the FOrmOSa En-
tirely IneXcuSable.
WHAT CAPT. oHRLoFF SAYS.
The Mogul to Be Libelled for
the DamaRes-Tho Ship to Be
Lightened.
WHAT CAPT. oHRLoFF SAYS.

agrouhu Dy Jhe lneXcusable negligence
OF the master Of the tug Mogul Wednes-
day evening, is still fast in the mud.
She is resting easy on the soft mud
bottom, taking no water, and it is
thought that her hull will sustain no
damage. There will be no higher tide
than that of Wednesday until Sunday.
Lighters were procured yesterday and
towed alongside for tightening the ves-
sell 1t is thought that the removal Of
the deck load will enable her to float
on Sundays tide. She is in eight feet
of water at her bow and twenty feet at
her stern at low water.
There is no possible excuse for the
grounding Of the vessel. Soundings
taken about the ship correspond ex-
actly with those i'm the charts Of Bell
ingham bay. The night was
perfectly clear, and the shore line
was distinctly visible. Masters
of the small Sound steamers never
think drumming 50 close in shore in
doubling this point. Why a master
with $4,000 worth Of property in tow
should take the chan ces of running so
close in shore in channel six miles
wide is beyond the comprehension of
all navigatOrs. He was within $50 feet
of the line Of piles on the mud fiat and
his course would have taken him with
in l25 feet Of the next point about 40
rods ahead.
Captain Ohrloff was almost pros
trated yesterday morning after his
long watch and anxiety through the
night, lie Is man who feels his en-
plUyers interest as deeply as his own,
and the peril of the property intrusted
TO his care weighs heavily upon him.
In speaking Of the accident yesterday,
he said:
"The tug come alongside about $3.50
o'clock Wednesday evening, and about
8 O'Clock we starred out. The night
was perfectly clear and calm, the stars
shining brightly. The shore was dis
tinctly visible. The ship was steering
well, answering her helm perfectly.
Soon after passing Dead Mans point /
heard rumbling noise. At first /
thought that the anchor had dropped
] soon found that we were fast ashore.
j noticed that we were close to the
land, and | said TO the captain of the
tOwboat: "How did you get so close in
shoreP' He replied, "That is what /
would like to know; | have miscalcu-
lated the distance" / then said to
him, at looks as though this was done
on purpose. You had all of Bellinghani
bay before you" 81 cannot understand
ii. There is no excuse whatever for
running the ship ashore in a channel
six miles wide"
1t was expected that the Mogul
would remain TO assist the ship off at
high tide last evening. Instead of
doing as he was in honor bound to do,
her master pulled out about 2 o'clock
III the afternoon, abandoning the ship
in dastardly manner. He was hailed
by Captain Ohrlon as he passed the
FormOsa, but refused TO notice the sig
mails. Captain Ohrloff telegraphed to
the British vice-cOnsul at Port Town
send to stop her pay. She is clearly re-
sponsible for the damage, and will be
libelled. She would have been seized
here yesterday had it been anticipated
that she was about TO leave the port.
The news of the grounding Of the
FormOsa OceasiOned considerable COM
ment in Port Townsend and many in
quiries were made for more detailed
news Of how the accident happened.
BY request Of Captain +. A. Bartlett,
Of Bartlett * Steed, who are the con-
signees Of the ship, Captain j. b. Libby
of the Puget Sound Tugboat association
ordered the tug 1yee to this port 10
render such assistance as might be re-
quired. Captain Biondi, representing
the San Francisco marine insurance
companies, came over with the tOwboat
10 look out for the interests he repre-
sents, as did also +. A. Bartlett, the
consignee of the ship. The towboat
left Port Townsend at $3.50 and made
the run to this port in three hours. On
arrival here Captains OhrlOff. Bartlett
and Biondi held a consultation and
decided that the work of discharging
tho deck load which had already been
commenced, should be co Itinued until
the ship Is sufficiently ligbtened to
make il possible for "A towbOat 20 haul
her off the mud when a survey will
be held TO determine whether any
serious damage has been done by the
grounding. If no damage Is found TO
have been sustained the cargo will not
have to he discharged and the ship
will proceed to sea as soon as her deck
load can be reloaded.
Captain Ohrlof was very severe in
his condemnation Of the treatment he
had received at the hands Of the master
of the Mogul, who steamed away and
left him fast in the mud, instead Of re-
manning by him to render such assist |
ance as he needed. The tug Tyee laid
at Ocean dock all night, and will re-
turn to Port Townsend this morning, |
the services Of tow boat not being |
required until the deck load Is dis |
charged, which will be about Sunday, |
when the the will rise higher than on
any day since the ship first went
aground. Today Captain Ohrlof will
note protest and prepare suit against
the MOgul for loss Of time and expenses