The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-15

snow tonight and Sunday morning
followed tIy clearing much colder weather
winds becoming easteriy. increasing IN
force, and shifting TO northwest, and
Q similar map was received at its Fort
land office.
About $50 the same afternoon its Bos.
ton office received from an experienced
observer in New York, via the Western
Union Telegraph company the following
telegram respecting the weather at thnt
time in New York, viz;
Northeast light; showing; thirty
eight" which message was repeated to
its Portland Office, with the addition OF
tho Boston weather nc that time, as to'-
lows:
"East northeast, light; cloudy; New
York, northeast, light; showing; thirty
About 8 O'Clock that same night a
telegram from New York was resolved
via the Western Union telegraph compa
ny at its Boston Office. from the same
which the following Is u copy:
Showing; wind northwest"
In the afternoon of said November s6th
it's general manager conferred with Capt
Dsnnison of the steamer Bay State, then
lying at the company's wharf In Port
land, who stated that he had decided tc
remain in port and get the Q p. m. wealth
OF TtDJTb UclOtt utCiuluk bbOub euiliuk,
and the general manager being about &c
take the o'clock train for Boston to at
tend the funeral of Capt. Charles Deer
Ing, ormerly master OF one of the com
pany's steamers, called up by long dis
lance telephone the office of the company
in Boston, for the purpose Of comforting
with Capt. Blancnard, master of the
steamer Portland. relative to the sailing
Of that steamer that evening. When con-
nection was established, he learned that
Capt. blanchard was not then on the
wharf, but that Mr.. Charles +. Williams,
the local agent Of the company In Boston,
was at the other end of the telephone.
MIR. LISCOMB STATED TO MIR.
WILLIAMS
that Capt. Dsnrisop, the master Of the
company's steamer Bay State. had con-
Guided not to sail at o'clock, but to re-
main in port until he got the O'Clock
weather report, and then determine as
to sailing.
Mr.. Liscomb requested Mr.. Williams to
st ,te that fact TO Capt blanchard. and
to suggest to him the advisability of bis
remaining in port until he got the
o'clock weather report, and then deter.
mine about sailing, and also suggested
that Capt. Blanchard call up by tele-
phone Capt Dennison at O'Clock ths
same afternoon and confer with him.
Mir. Willisms replied that he understood
the massage and would communicate II
to Capt Blanchard when he came TO the
wharf.
About o'clock the same afternoon.
MIR. Williams. III pursuance of the in
structions received from MIR. Liscomb,
called up the Portland office by tele-
phone, at which time Capt. blanchard
was standing near him.
Capt. Dennison answered the telephone.
and gave Mr. Williams the Portland
weather, and Capt. Blanchard requested
Mr. Williams to state to Capt. Dennison
that he thought it would be all right for
the steamer Portland to go out on time
in view of the weather Indications which
then existed.
Capt Dennison replied that he had de-
cided to remain In port until he got the
weather report at O'Clock.
just after this con 1ersat1on occurred,
a telegram was received by MIR Williams
from the Western Union weather reporter
In New York, which WAS opened and
read by him, and handed to Capt. Blanch-
ard, copy of which has already been
given.
After reading the telegram, Capt.
Blanchard left the office to go aboard OF
the steamer, and as he went out he
said to Mr.. Williams: Eve are going to
have the wind northwest.
=. About q. 40 the same afternoon, Capt.
Dennison, master of the Boy State,
called up the Boston office by telephone.
to confer further with Capt blanchard
about sailing, and then Capt. Dennison
stated to Capt. blanchard that he should
remain in port until O'Clock. Capt.
Blanchard replied that the weather WAS
lust the same as it had been all day, and
he thought 1t would te all right to sail
on time.
To interrogatory 5, it says that action
was taken as stated in the preceding
answer.
To interrogatoIy it says:
q Prior to the loss of the steamer Port
land, the regularly designated starting
hour at Portland and Boston had been
O'Clock, In bad or threatening wealth
sr the time of starting was not fixed,
but this matter was left to the good judg-
ment Of the captains in command.
10 interrogatory it says:
The course pursued November 20, 1898,
as hereintofore set forth, was in accord
ancs with the custom of the company.
10 interrogatory 1t says:
The libellant did not have at the time
of the loss of said steamer Portland any
managing agent in Boston. Its local
agent in Boston had no authority over
the masters of its steamers. TO change or
dictate the time of sailing.
10 interrogatory nine IL says:
John +. Liscomb was the managing
agent of the company In Portland, at the
time of the loss of the steamer Portland.
There was no rule of the libellant COM
pany fixing his authority as TO the time
of the sailing of It's steamers, nor did he
dictate the same, but was accustomed to
advise with the masters of It's steamers In
case of stor my or doubtful weather.
1t had been the custom of the company
TO employ experienced and
TRUSTWORTHY MASTERS AND
PILOTS
on its steamers, and to furnish them with
all the information in its possession re-
specting the weather, and to leave to their
Judgment the decision of the question
when it was wise or prudent to sail.
tar ha hp