Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-29
THE CASE CLOSES.
investigation of Collision Between
Newport News and Columbia.

investigation of Collision Between
Newport News and Columbia.
After the report of The Star closed yes
terday of the proceedings in the investiga-
ton of the collision of the Norfolk steamer
Newport News and the ferry boat Column
bia, which was held at the custom house in
Georgetown, several witnesses were heard
and the case closed. Lewis Sprague, a
Chesapeake bay pilot of TWENTY-FIVE years
experience, who was q passenger on the
Newport News, testified as to the dense
fog, and said the Norfolk boat was lying
almost motionless, having no Roadway at
ALL when the bells were rung to back full
force. The Columbia appear ed to him to be
ranging toward the Maryland shore, direct
ly in front of the big steamer. He thought
that everything possible had been done by
the captain of the Newport News to pre-
vent collision. OF
gineer Of the steamer, corroborated the evil
dence of the captain as regards the giving
OF the different signals. He felt the impact
OF the collision, which, hewever, was very
slight. He did not think the boat had
struck anything large. He stated that he
could have stopped the boat In minute
and quarter, when going at speed Of
twenty miles an hour and at the time Of
the collision the Newport News lost head
way in one and one-quartef lengths He
carried 135 pounds of steam at the time,
though the limit is 100 pounds. When max
Ing landing four and a half minutes were
required.
John F. Posey of 47S G street southwest.
the first officer of the boat, who was in the
pilot house at the time Of the collision told
substantially the same story as the other
witnesses. When he saw the Columbia
she was making great headway, and was
even with the bow Of his boat.
Joseph j. Denly of 476 NJ street south
west, the quartermaster who has been en-
ployed on the boat for over two months,
was standing aft of the wheel at the time
Of the collision, according to his testimony.
but he felt no jar. He heard the wheels CT
the Columbia, saw her in front of the bow,
and heard her three whistles which were
sounded almost instantaneously with the
shock. AS an evidence that the ferry boat
was making Roadway he claimed that the
Norfolk boat was turned two and half
points to the eastward, though the witness
admitted that he could not get range mark
on shore to positively ascertain If the CO.
lumbia was moving.
The Norfolk and Washington steamboat
people. through Mr.. Callahan, stated that
they had several more witnesses, but they
did not deem it necessary to place them on
the stand. Mr.. Ridley Of the Ferry Boat
company, submitted deposition, sworn to
by Capt. James r. Scott, a Waterman en-
ployed by the company, who was a pas
senger on the ferry boat at the time of the
collision. giving his side of the story, which
Capt. Fowkes. Mr.. Callahan agreed to
permit the affidavit to go in as testimony,
If Mr.. Ridley would allow the introduction
OF the deposition Of Joseph Darden, a vir-
ginia state pilot, who lives In Norfolk and
who was passenger on the Newport
News at the time of the collision. This
was agreed to and the case was closed
The hearing lasted from 10 o'clock in the
forenoon until after pm, and vast
q antity Of testimony was taken The evil
dence will be typewriter by the stenogra-
piers and submitted to the board of steam
peat inspectors for decision, which will not
be made known for fully two weeks.