The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-04
EOX ABOUT THOSE WIDOWS!
Steamer City of Columbia
Swamped With Libel Suits.
OWES MORE THAN 100 }.
samuel Kent, ef New York. Who
the steamer. Enils 10 Get hts
Money and seeks Redress fn the
Bomd Come Next With 49,, tssNb.


The famous steamer city of Columbia.
Capt. Ezekiel C. Baker. which arrived
few days ago from New York. is now in
the hands of a deputy United States aar-
shat. owing To libel suits fled yesterday
In the Federal court. Another suit viii
be flied today, which viii make the ag-
gregate OF claims against the big steamer
$6o.uu and VIII probably tie her up SO
completely that Mrs. Hannah Gouid's
widows will have 10 use some ether means
OF getting 70 Dawson.
The first suit was flied by Samuel l..
Kent, of New York city. who fitted the
steamer City of Columbia for her voyage
10 Seattle His bin calls for $.s.ss Ii.
and includes supplies and repairs. The
deputy marshal had hardly placed Kent's
plaster on the vessel before he WAS cssied
on 10 put on another for Balfour, Guthrie
Il Co. They have purchased the hottomTy
bond from the Valparaiso Dock Company
and have a claim on the vesse. for ST.
ieS.es. Mrs Gouid's Kiond,ke widows are
interested in this bond. as well as a num-
Der Of other passengers who came from
New York on the s,eamee. Today third
libel win he filed, and one that Will have.
1t IS said. priority over the other Two.
Ii will be for the wages OF the officers
and crew OF the steamer. totaiing over
$lo.o00.
The troubles of the City of Columbia.
since the Columbia Navigation Company
purchased her from the Old Dominion ine
and renamed her, have been varied and
many. Ii is said that they did not have
the money TO lit her out, and consequently
weat into debt $4,000 before leaving New
York. The number of passengers secured
for the trip around the Horn was not near
iy so large as expected. but the Column
bIa started out. Then came the disas-
trous wreck In the Straits OF Magellan.
in which the vessel was very badly dam
aged. This incurred an expense OF sZ7,ooo
at the por; or Valparaiso. where Capt.
Baker was not acquainted and had to
give bottomry bond for security.
No None, Came.
The vessel arrived In this port on last
Friday, and the representatives of the
company said. IL is claimed, that they
were ready TO fix M everything. The OFF,
| GERS and crew had received no pay since
| leaving New York last December. and
were getting rather impatient. They
were promised their money soon. Three
| days is usually given the owners TO get
Their money together after the steamer
reaches port. AT the expiration of that
time Baifour Guthrie & Co., to whom the
bottomry bond had been assigned, made
a demand on the owners for their money
and were refused. The fling OF the Kent
suit brought matters 10 head aud the
other claimants have been falling over
each other TO get their libel papers Out.
Samuel l.. Kent. who asks the court to
allow his claim for $24. soli came to the
assistance of the Columbia Navigation
Company when 1t first purchased the City
of Columbia. A number OF repairs had TO
be made on the vessels hui and engines.
She had to be QUILTED with coal and pro-
visions for the long trip Judge Thomas
Burke ard Thomas II. Hardin represent
Kent IN the suit and prepared the papers
under which the steamer was first iiheled.
The claims which Kent holds by assign
merit are an follows: William Rowlanns,
for supplies. sIo,sea, ii. c. caikins. sup
plies. s.e26; Morgan Iron Works, repairs
to machinery. s.. SO. Slegel Cooper a. Co.,
Si.I75; George Smith. s3is.
The bottomry bond for t27. ZOO represents
a number OF claims which were assigned
at Valparaiso. Chile. TO the Valparaiso
Dock Company, and by the latter TO Ball
llbeis. The City of Columbia had to go
into drydock for a new bottom. and was
detained In the Chilean port forty-seven
days. Al this was very expensive Be-
fore setting out for Seattle Goa. and sup
plies had to be procured. and for time
IL looked as II the steamer would be sold
In the South. Mrs f;ou.d's Klopd;ks
widows and other passengers came 10 the
rescue with their savings. small and large.
and the bctsomry bond was finally float
ed. The Columbia's women passengers
who helped In the difficulty. and whose
claims are covered by the bond, are Mrs.
Hannah Gould, Mrs. NJ Henderson,. Mrs.
r. Lines. Mrs J. Fitzgerald, Mrs ]. Wat
son and Miss Kate McRea Other passen
gers interested are J. w. Pinkley. Charles
Robbins, O.. Busch. w. w. Werner. r.
Beck. George Neil. A. v. Partridge. Thorn
as Howell and r. Freeman Their inter-
est IN the bond was assigned TO the Va
naraiso Dock Company for collection.
Preston. Carr a. Gilman represent the
holders OF the bond. and say that the CITY
OF Columbia is in so deep that she will
undoubtedly he sold. May 10 has been set
for hearing the suit.
More Heavy Claims.
United States Commissioner James
kiefer In behalf of the officers ard crew
OF the City of Columbia. Will file libel
this afternoon. claiming something over
sla.09 for wages due, This libel will have
priority over the other two and must be
paid first The officers and crew Of the
steamer have been expecting to be- paid
of every day since they arrived bat the
company has an yet taken no steps 10 sat-
isfy their claims. consequently they bring
suit They do not expect 10 20 To 81
Michael I'm the steamer, al least not In tne
seTvis=e OF the Columbia Navigation Com
pany.
Richard ChiIeost of this city who was to
have been general manager OF the eoup-
pany has a claim for s. fse for salary. Of
fee and other expenses. He has presented
EfAs claim. but does rot expect 10 realize
on IL. Capt. cfsilcost says that the rhgy,
wiz not bring over t5o.dao when sold. and
that the claims OF tia officers and crew
ard the bottomry bond will EFT tina, no.
When Capt. Chiico.t heard that the city
OF Columbia had been wrecked ne gave
up hopes OF operating her IN connection