Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-04-15
ANSWER FILED
BY Portland Steamship Co., in
the u. S. District Court
To the Interrogatives Covering the
Numerous Suits for Damages.
Steamer Sound. Well Equipped and Every
Precaution Tor Safety Taken.

Portland. Me. April 1.-THE Port
land Steamship Company has filed in
the United States courts its answer to
the series of interrogatories PROFOUND
ed by counsel for claimants in cases
growing out of the loss of the steam
er Portland. NOV. p. 1898. The case
filed. today. was an answer to the coun-
sci of Ludgrr j. Rtnouf. Carver and
RIoGgett of Boston. The answer covers
the u questions asked by counsel re-
plying to each in turn
The point If the whole document
which has not before been made pub
liz is that 4 weather reDort was re-
ceived by Capt. blanchard from New
York stating that the wind had gone
into nc west It is believed that this
was largely responsible for his dec
sion To start out
The report in fun follows:
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COCl:T.
District If Maine. In Admiralty.
III The matter Of the petition 81 the
Portland steamship Company. owner
Of the steamer Portland. for ~ lim!-
tltiun of liability.
Answers of the Portland steamship
Company. the libellant in the above
entitled cause to interrOGatorieS pro-
pounded by Charles p. Mattocks. proc
tor for Walter }. Gately, one OF the m
tervenOrs in said cause.
TO interrogatOry one it says:
Immediately preceding the loss of the
steamer Portland. Hollis II. Blan-
chard, Lewis F.. Strout and Lewis NJ.
Nelson. were pilots on said steamer
and each of said persons held licenses
as first-class pilots.
on that day said Hollis H. Blanchard
held a certificate issued by the United
States local inspectors of steamboats,,
on the 18th day of January, 1897, and
numbered 1865, as a master and first
class pilot for the Atlantic coast. also
as a first-class pilot between Eastport
and Cape Hatteras. and intermediate
ports, including Chesapeake bay and
tributaries which was the 18th cOnSec-
utive annual issue Of such license.
Said Lewis NJ. Nelson at said time
held first-class pilots license, issued
by said inspectors. dated Nov %. 1897
and numbered 1925. which was the 18th
consecutive annual issue of said license
10 him in said capacity. and extended
To the bays and harbors between Port
land. Maine. and Boston. Mass.
The mates on said steamer immedi-
ately preceding her loss. We're Edward
Deerng and John McKie. Ansel L.
DYER. who was one of said steamer
crew. also held license as first mate
of ocean going steamers.
At the time of said steamers loss,
Pilot Lewis F. Strout and Mate Ed
ward E. Deering were absent there
from. having obtained permission from
Capt Blanchard to stop off that trip
to attend the funeral of Capt. Charles
Deering, who was a relative of theirs
hut their places were filled by licensed
officers.
To nterrOgatory two it says:
Prior to the loss Of the steamer Port
land, the libellant was in the habit OF
receiving at Boston and Portland. tins
weather map regularly issued by the
weather bureau. III addition to this
the libeIlant was accustomed to receive
at the Boston office. a report OF the
New York weather, which was obtain
Cd DN slf tNDt1ltltOth pJotl 49, 'Ai'N
forwarded to the libellant by the
Western Union Telegraph Co. These
reports We're repeated to the Portland
office by the Boston office OF the COM
pany and the master of the company
steamer then in Boston would add the
weather in Boston. These reports
from New York We're sent at " +. M
and Immediately repeated as above IL
Portland. From all this information
and other facts within their knowi-
edge the captains of the respective YES
sells of this company would determine
whether to sail or remain in port.
To interrogatory three it says:
Generally speaking the weather
bureau reports have proved valuable
but in many instances where storms
have been predicted for the New Eng
land coast they have been diverted
oceanward. or disappeared before
reaching this coast.
The accuracy of the local predictions
for this coast by the weather bureau
has been questioned by many expert
enced ship masters.
| To interrogatory four it says:
! In the forenoon of November 20
! 1898, the lDeliant received III us BoStoI
| Office from the weather bureau the fol-
lowing telephone communication:
! storm central near Detroit. east
| Storm northeast signals. II a. NJ
East to northeast gales with heavy
snow. tonight. Wind will shift to
west and northwest with much colder
Sunday" and a similar communication
was received at its Portland office very
early in the afternoon of the same day
Very early the same afternoon, a
man containing the weather predic-
lions was received at its Boston Office
of which the following is an extract:
Forecast for Boston and vicinity
Snow. tonight and Sunday morning
| followed by clearing; much colder
weather Winds becoming easterly
| increasing in force, and shifting to
northwest" and a similar map was re-
ceived at its Portland office.
About $50 the same afternoon. its
Boston office received from an expert
enced observer in New York. via the
Western Union Telegraph Co.. the fol
lowing telegram respecting the weather
at that time in New York, viz:
| Northeast light, showing. 3S
Continued on page g.