The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-23
Bermingham's Decision on the
Al-Ki-Homer Collision.
cRITicIsEs THE LOCAL BOARD.


Cant w. J. Bryant United States M
spector Of hulis for this port. IS surprised
and somewhat Indignant at the decision OF
Supervising Inspector John Berning nam.
rendered at San Francisco. as reported
in yesterdays Posi-inteiiigeneer revers-
ing the anding OF the local board In re-
gard to- the Homer-AI-ki collision. Capt.
Bryant had an official copy OF the deci-
sion on file in his office yesterday. he
thinks IL makes a very faulty ANALYSIS OK
the testimony in the case. and that IN
spector Birmingham has made 6iunder
In taking up the appeal al all after the
limit OF thirty days. prescribed oy the
rules OF the department. had elapsed.
The general statement OF the case IN the
decision is as follows.
81. appears from the evidence taken be-
fore the local board thai about ls.30 a. m,
January % the night being cloudy put
otherwise clear. the Homer backed OUT
from Schawabachers wharf with her helm
10 port and when about 900 feet clear
OF said wharf stared ahead. destined for
Alaska, and a. that moment Capt. lessen.
OF the Homer. discovered steamers
lights about half a mile distant In north
west direction. which subsequently proved
to be those OF the Al-ki, apparently head
ing toward the British warship Pheasant.
then at anchor about ]. 900 feet northwest
from said wharf and somewhat less dis
lance from the city front. Capt. lessen
Immediately gave a single blast OF MS
port of the Al-ki. which was promptly
answered by the latter. The Homer APP
pears TO have proceeded slowly to pass TO
the northward and iEshore of the Pheas-
ant naturally thinking the Al-Ki would
pass outside or to the southwark OF that
/ vessel, which was failing about north. TIE
! Al-ki did not pass outside the Pheasant,
but soon after rounded her stern with
helm aport going full speed about 10
! knots until warned by danger signals
from the Homer which appears to have
q tfn,, ,fafrx
; OF the Al-ki had of tho Homer's where
ahouts. Directly he received the danger
signal he reversed his engines fun speed
astern, put his helm hard to port and
very soon thereafter collided with the Ho-
mer. Ii appears that at the time OF tho
collision the Homer was proceeding slow
ly. having little more than steerage way.
and when the collision occurred had the
Al-ki four or five points forward OF her
port BEAM"
Birmingham Grows Sarcastic.
After rehearsing the testimony of the
several witnesses Inspector Birmingham
criticises the local board for failing to sub
ject Capt. Gage, OF the Al-Ki, to an ex-
animation as searching as that given Capt.
lessen. and In doing 30 grows sarcastic.
as follows:
Strange as II may seem. the master of
the Al-ki was not questioned as to why
he came around the stern of the Pleas
ant in the dead hour of night at full speed.
1t is true that he volunteered the state
ment that he always came from Four Mile
rock in the night at full speed: but had he
further stated to the court. which assert
ed that such was the common practice.
that he proposed hereafter to discontinue
such methods of navigation, the CONNER
ciai community OF that region would no
doubt have felt greatly relieved. but as
the matter now stands there is some
doubt as to his future procedure when
nearing the water front of Seattle at nigh,
unless IL should occur to the local Board
to {rf "a n i'm va
haste 10 save n minute or two in getting
10 his wharf might he agreeable to him.
self and owners. 1t would be correspond
ingiy disagreeabe TO ether vessels which