The San Francisco call., 1897-10-02
Inspector-G r-General Says She
Was in Good Condi-
tiOn.
General Dumont Returns From
an Official Trip to the
Sound.
Reports Appraisers Department on
the Coast in Satisfactory
Condition.

General James A. Dunno ont Supervising
Inspector General of Steam Vessels, with
headquarters at Washington, d. c., re-
turned yesterday from g trip to Portland
and Seattle, ACCOMPANIED by Captain John
Birmingham OF this city, Supervising In
spector of Steam Vessels, First District.
Their trip was an official one and General
Dumont says that he found matters con-
nected with the Inspectors Department
in the north in very satisfactory condi-
ton.
When asked as to the report that the
Eliza Anderson had left Seattle in an I'M
seaworthy condition. both General Du-
mont and Captain Birmingham charac-
terized the statement as untrue.
Said Captain Birmingham: Captain
Bryant, the local inspector of hulls and
boilers at Seattle, claims she left there In
good condition. She was taken on the
dock and examined thoroughly by him,
braces were put on her guards and extra
knees put in. As illustrating what the
inspectors at Seattle thought OF her condi-
ton l might say that they made applica-
Iion to the department at Washington for
permission to make the trip in her to The
mouth of the Yukon for the purpose OF
tHc SLedDeIS on Indl river. DQL
through some biunder in the telegraph
department the matter was not adjusted
in time to allow the inspectors to leave in
her. This ought to De sufficient evidence
Of their opinion OF her seawort. iness'
General Dumont verified this statement
and said: "W hen Ihe Anderson LETT Seat
atle she had an entirely new steering gear,
but that was carried away in the storm
which she encountered and which neces-
sta ed her putting into Dutch Harbor.
Stanch vessels had all they could do to
save themselves in that storm and COLI
slider the fact that che reached Dutch
Harbor in safety in her crippled condition
suffi cient reiutation OF The charge that she
was not seaworlhy. To be sure, she is an
old boat-Duilt, l bel eve, in 1859. but age
alone is no evidence of a vessel's unfitness
for sea. The Mary Powell, one of the
finest and fastest boats on the Hudson
| River, was built only two years later than
the Anderson and | have been around the
world in a ship that was sixty years Old"
Referring 10 the matter of inspection of
steam vessels plying on the Yukon, Cap
tain Birmingham said that as YET there
was no urgent necessity for detailing an
Inspector for that purpose, but that next
year the inspectors located at Portland
would probably be sent to St Michael to
inspect the river steamers.
I Speaking of the merchant marine SER
wee of The United States General Dumont
| stated that when he was appointed TO his
resent position there were less than 5000
vessels which came under the supervision
of the Inspectors Department That
number has increased until now nearly
5000 are subject to inspection by the de-
partment.
~ he death rate in the service has de-
creased wonderfully since 1871" said the
| general. Prior 10 that time the ratio of
mortality was one to every $4,000. Since
/ 1871 IL has been but one in everv /, 800 OOO
Last year the loss OF life in the service was
5u, 1853 and of that mum Der forty-sx were
! passent ers."
General Dumont has been continuously
for twenty-one years in the Inspectors
DEPARTMENT He was appointed by Presi-
dent Grant and has held under each sue
ceedng administration. He is the only
mem ber OF the department who holds his
com mission from General Grant The
general has rendered distinguished serv-
ices to his country and is one of the most
| esteemed gentlemen at Washington. He
| leaves to-nivht for the East.
General Dumont expressed himself as
greatly surprised at the progress made by
the Pacific Coast in the past ten years and
declared that he was much pleased and
benefited by his visit.