The morning call., 1893-11-10

DIX WOen SDe went upon tHe TOckS dt
Point Bonita. was commenced yesterday
before the State Board of Pilot Commits
sioners at Battery and Washington streets.
Commissioners James II. Bruce. A. \.
Trask and William Young were present
The president opened the proceedings by
announcing that the meeting was called
for the purpose of investigating the loss of
the steamer New York while in charge of
Pilot Johnson
Clement Bennett was sworn as official
stenographer.
Captain Frank Il. johnson was the first
witness examined. I'VE left the dock
about 40" saiu he. II backed in to the
stream alter letting 90 of the tug and
Strengthened the ship down channel.
should think. about midway between the
Mail dock and the Oakland ferries. l said
to Pilot johnson, as l do to all pilots.
Now, captain. are you ready to take
charger
lie said, Yes, sir I stepped on one
side ana Captain johnson took charge.
II said, Will yon go down the city front;
or are you going outside of the shipping"
lie said, i will 60 down the city front,
it is the best way, and everything is clear
Nothing further occurred until we got
about The end of the seawall, when it set
IN foggy. l had the chief officer on the
lookout forward at once. passed the steam
whistle lanyard into the pilOt-hOuse, put
a man at the steam whistle with iDstrnc-
tions 10 blow it frequently, stepped off the
bridge, got my overcoat and came up again
in less than a minute. Shortly after we
made Lime Point. The pilot gave the
order, S 'starboard two points We
passed Lime Point and shortly afler
that made DiablO llttle on the
starboard bow. We passed Point Dlablo.
as near as I could estimate, about
two cables lengths off. AS we passed
DlaDlo | walked over to The chart box and
L laid the ruler over the chart and SAID TO
the pilot, Southwest is a goO0 safe course
out from here
pilot johnson replied, Not with such
an eDb-tide running. The tide is running
like sluice-gate and we will nave to keep
nearer the n0rthward shore
Il said. Very WE'LL
Il gave instructions to the third officer
to go to the standard compass on the alter
part of the bridge and con the compass
carefully for the pilot. l took my position
on the starboard part OF the bridge. right
outside, nearest 10 the land, keeping close
watch, men on the lookout forward, and
the whistle going nearly continuously.
"Shortly after o'clock / saw the loom
of the land right ahead, and very close too.
l gave the order instantly to the quarter
master at the wheel. Hard starboard
Hard over uuickp and at the same instant
that she would 90 clear. but at 1904 we
took the ground. At the time | spoke to
The pilot after striking / spoke some what
harshly to him, ana he replied to me that
it was his fault, that the tides had been
the cause of it. That is about as near
statement as covers the ground.
three cabIe lengths off. We were steer
ing west, when the pilot gave the order
starboard two points. which would be
west-southwest. From Point DiablO out
the pilot Steered southwest by west quar-
ter west by standard compass. The pilot
said as the tide was running like mill
race or tiO0dgate we should nave to keep
over toward the northern shore.
Did you hear the whistle at Lime Point
when you passed lt?' asked a Commits
siOner.
at was going" replied the captain.
''And on the North Head? ?"
at was going at the time. am under
the impression it was after passing Diablo.
Pilot johnson heard the fog whistle, and
at the same instant he said, There is the
whistle
"Could you locate it?"
ut appeared to me to be ahead on the
star board bow. j should say the starboard
bow
when you passed Lime Point and P POINT
Diablo were you going full speed?"
Full speed. We slowed once. Then
we went full speed ahead. After passing
Diablo we were making fifty-two revolu-
tons minute. The ship swung to south
west by south, half south, after she struck.
Previous to that we were steering quar-
ter west. She may have slowed little
after striking, as she naturally would"
In reply to a question if the fog was
thick after passing AlcatraZ. the captain
replied that he could see Lime Point
plainly, and the fog was not so very
thick"
Pilot johnson said he had no questions
to ask the captain. lie made no exceptions
to what the captain had said.
II wish TO say" added Captain John
son. that anything | said in the heat OF
passion | apologize for now"
You have nothing to apologize for,
said the pilot.
The pilot had full charge of the vessel,
Captain johnson said, until she struck.
This charge was absolute. He had charge
of the ship before the captain saw the
danger. The full speed is known as
harbor speed or ten knots.
The third officer took the stand to tes-
tify. His evidence was mainly rehearsal
of what the captain had stated and which
he corroborated in full.
Pilot johnson took the whole blame for
the loss of the New York. He stated that
lie sailed her down the bay past the ship
ping, and when he drew near Lime Point
he changed the course two points. In his
estimation the New York was about 1900
yards from Point Diablo wien passing.
He did not hear the foghorn at Point
Bonita previously, and kept sharp look
out for it. He expected to hear it much
palmer. but was deceived and taken COM
pletely by surprise when the ship struck
upon the rocks. Captain Johnson took
the ship out of his hands when danger
was imminent. The pilot said he believed
his course was perfectly safe, and he felt
confident of it all the way down. Because
of the fog he held to northward To avoid
shipping that might be coming in and
which always sail into port during foggy
weather in mid channel. The statement
of Captain Johnson was zorro borated in
every particular and the pilot admitted
his own responsibility for the disaster.
The investigation was continued until