New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-07
JAMISON ON THE STAND.
THE CAPTAINS STORY OF THE ST. PAUEs
STRANDING.
sor,Np1Ncs AND OBSERVATIONS TAKEN BEFORE
THE VESSEL WENT AGRoUND-oTHER MEM
BEERS OF THE CREW CORRoBoRATE

BEERS OF THE CREW CoRRoBoRATE
THE CAPTAINS STORY.
CAPTAIN s. G. Fairchild and Thomas H. Barrett of
the local board OF United States Inspectors OF Steam
vessels yesterday began in the Federal Building an
,nvest,saton of the strandnS OF the American Line
steamship ST. Paul Long Branch. Captain J. c.
Jamlson. commander of the st. Paul. the first
witness.
Captain Jamison testified that he had commanded
Atlantic 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 ls until she stranded on
the NewJersey coast at 1:47 o'clock on the morning
Of January Is He said she followed the winter
course OF the American Line. as laid down on the
charts The last observation Of the sun for lati-
tuds was taken on January %. and for longitude at
1901 a. m. on January "a. After that the vessel
navgated by Pole Star observations. the patent log
and the speed of the machinery. Deep-sea sound
ings taken by patent apparatus. which gives
TIE presence Of the water on a gauge and shore
soundngs by hand line and lead which gave actual
depth Of water and the character Of the bottom.
The 81. Paul and the Canpana, Captain Jamson
said in view Of each other until $40 o'clock on
the night OF January a. when the fog settled down
The vessels separated then. and after that he did
not the Canpania's steam whistle. The Pole
Star observation taken at 627 oc.ock that even
ing satisfactory. At midnight on January "a
Captain Jamison figured that the st. Paul was
about th.rty-hve miles cas-; Of Sandy Hook. AT
tina. time he the bridge and the crew were
st their posts. There special watchers at the
bow and lookout In the crows nest" No effort
was made TO signal for pilot At midnight deep
sea sounding was made and twenty-four tathoms OK
water reported. AT that time the 81 Pau was III
the ne!ghborhood Of Fire Island, and ABOUT twenty
minutes later the vessels speed reduced from
IL 10 ell knots hour. her course being set west.
The ST. Paul stopped and soundings by manu-
line we're taken at 12:45 a. m. on January o. soie
hot,orn and twenty-five fathoms OF water were re-
ported. Captain Jamison. according 10 MS reeho"
ing expected 10 find a sandy bottom ana siA'ee"
fathons Of water at this point ana ne theh oeca"ie
aware that he ahead OF his course hl'eeh OF
sixteen miles. and that instead OF Den's OIL 'is
shore OF Long Island he was approaching the hish-
lands OF Navesnk. The course was chansea 'i'0
minutes later suit the new position! anu ue We
ssYs speed was still further checked stop was
made and sounGings were taken at lA4 d. H. ""u
saventeen fathoms reported. captain JaHilsoi'
sad he prepared 10 drop anchor witch A
.a.boros was called and the vessel was sent aheao
slowly for a mi.e and half Iheh ai'o'"e' p
WAS made at 81 q. m, ana souhuinsa "
Seventeen fathoms were again reported anu d. ''.e
I'D ,vas at that time high. sixteen fathoms "ere
recorded in the ogoooK - .,
The captain concluding that ne was Sin OF se'
,a from, tho shore Of the Highlands. cec'deo 10 20
s,n further in He proceeded 10 do So ana a' 4.''
the : Paul struck. Then ne oisco'e'eu '
,.ss.l was off the iron pier at Long brahci e's''
r rre miles south of where he hac be.ieVeu i'ei ~
~ r.,,,on,ne the change OF position at midnight 10
have been correct He had though, after torog
That The twenty-five fatEoms OF T soai bn, as II
,rneI out !, must have been the onsnore enc
~. nessengers were asleep the captain sdIu w.
the st paul struck. and there was no con- 5Snl
thourht vessel was IN port "Aei1 -!
- ewakened Captain Jamison was gues.oiIeI'
,.gardag the electrical appliances on 'ne ma rsfns
ni his onnjon of the patent log ana the appa ga
+' Ling soundings while proceeding az rap.i
- ne stated that he had always Iounu mem ~, -.
H. cerrect but said that seaweed was iKety 10 ri
,c-so-. with their working. Observations Oh
e.',etV 80 nsualv taken but when the reports
,.rsi he aid not take them into consideration Inc
,n',igb. observations Of the Pole Star on January
81 80 horne out by observations OF otner stars ne
said This was 1i5 mics TO the east oi ""e'e '''
s. Paul struck. -, I,.. o@,.r enoreer and
,,ar.ermaster OF the ST. Paul. who gave testlnohy
,ersrsii,g the observations soundings ana worknES
- ne machnerv Of the vessel prior TO ner strdhu-
N, Their stories corroborative OF the tesV-
,n0rv given by the captain $500. r, -,
THE closed the hearing for the day. and II Will not
Ia rssumed probably. until the return OF other
members OF the ships crew who are no" mah''is
a trip on the steamship 81. Louis.