The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-07
ST. PAUL INVESTIGATION.
Testimony Is Taken Regarding the
Grounding Of tho Big Liner on the
Beach nj Long Branch.


Beach at Long Branch.
New York, Feb. 6.-The investiga-
tiOn as to the cause OF the running
ashore of the steamship st. Paul was
commenced today. Captain Jamison
testified that he had commanded At
lantic steamships for several years and
had never met with serious accident
before. He described the last trip OF
the ST. Paul from the time she left
Southampton on January Is until she
stranded on the New Jersey coast, at
l.47 o'clock on the morning of January
35.
1.-The StPaul and the Campania," Cap
tain Jamison stated. were in view OF
each other until $50 on the night Of
January "a. when the fog settled down.
The vessels separated then and after
that he did not hear the Campania
steam whistle. The polar star Observa-
ton taken at 627 o'clock on that even
ing was satisfactory. At midnight,
January "a. Captain Jamison figured
that the St. Paul was about thirty-five
miles east of Sandy Hook. At that
time ne was on the bridge and the crew
at their posts. There We're special
watchers at the bow and lookout In
the GROWS nest" No effort was made
to signal for a pilot. At midnight deep
sea sounding was made and twenty
four fathoms of water reported. AT
that time the St. Paul was In the
neighborhood of Fire Island and about
twenty minutes later the vessels speed
was reduced from sixteen to six and one
half knots an hour. her course beng
set west. The st. Paul was stopped
and soundings by hand line taken at
1245 q. m, January 25. A soft bottom
and twenty-five fathOms of water were
reported. Captain Jamison. according
to his reckoning, expected to find q
sandy bottom and sixteen fathoms OF
water at this point and he then be-
came aware that he was ahead Of his
course fifteen or sixteen miles and that
instead of being off the shore Of Long
Island he was approaching the High
lands of Navesink. The course was
changed three minutes later to suit the
new position and the vessels speed was
still further checked. A stop was made
and soundings taken LA q. m. and
seventeen fathoms were reported.
Captain JamisOn said he prepared to
drop anchor when IA fathoms was
called. and the vessel was sent ahead
slowly for q mile and half. Then an
other stop was made at l.37 a. m. and
soundings taken Seventeen fathoms
was at that time high, 18 fathoms were
recorded in the log book. The captain
concluding that he was six or seven
miles from the shore of the Highlands
decided to go still further In. He pro-
ceeded to do so and at 1.T the St. Paul
struck. Then he discovered that the
vessel was off the iron pier at Long
Branch, eight or nine miles south of
where he had believed her to be. reck =
oning the change Of position at mid
night to have been correct. He had
thought after midnight that the 22
fathoms Of water found was at the in
shore end of the muddy channel but as
1t turned out 1t must have been the Off
shore end.
The passengers were sleeping. the
captain said. when the st. Paul struck
and there was no confusion. They
thought the vessel was In port when
they were awakened.
Captain JamisOn was questioned re-
garding the electrical appliances on the
vessel, his opinion Of the patent log
and the apparatus for taking soundings
while proceeding at a rapid speed. He
stated that he had always found them
to be correct but said that sea weed
was liable to interfere with their work.
ings. Observations of several stars
were usually taken, but when the re.
ports varied he did not take them into
consideration. The twilight Observa-
tions Of the polar star on January "a
were borne out by observations Of
other stars. This was 1l5 miles to the
east Of where the St. Paul struck.
This closed the hearing for the day,
and 1t will not be resumed. probably,
until the return of the other members
of the ships crew. who are now max
ing trip on the steamship ST Louis