Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-04-15
ANSWER FILED
CONTINUED from page ID


portland office. with then addition OF
~ postor weather at the time. ds
follows: NJ,
EAST northeast light. cloudy; New
York northeast, light, showing 90
About q o'clock that same night :,
telegram from New York was receiveu
via the Western Union Telegraph So.'
AZ its Boston office, from the same
souroe as the previous telegram, OF
which the following is a copy;
showing, wind northwest.
In.,ba afternoon of said November
oeth it's general manager conferred
with. Can't. Dennison of the steamer
Paw State. then lying at the company 5
wharf in Portland. who stated that he
had decided to remain in port and get
the p. NJ. weather report before de-
Gliding about sailing. and the genera
manager being about to take the
o'clock train for Boston to attend the
funeral of Capt. Charles Deering, for
merly master of one of the company
steamers. called up by long distance
telephone, the office of the company
in Boston for the purpose of comforting
with Capt. Blanchard, master of the
ing of that steamer. that evening
When connection was established. he
learned that Capt. Blanchard was not
then on the wharf, but that Mr..
Charles F. Williams. the local agent OF
the company in Boston, was at the
other end of the telephone.
Mr. Liscomb stated to Mr.. WiliamS
that Capt DennisOn. the master or the
conmpany's steamer Bay State, had
concluded not TO sail at o CLOCK. nut
TO remain in port until he got the
o'clock weather report. and then de-
termine as to sailing.
Mr.. Liscomb requested Mr.. Williams
TO state that fact to Capt. Blanchard,
and to suggest to him the ACCESSIBILITY
of mis- remaining in port until he got
the Q o'clock weather report. and then
determine about sailing, and also sug-
gested that Capt. Blanchard call up
by telephone Capt. Dennison. at 6
O'Clock the same afternoon. and con-
fer with him.
Mr.. Williams replied that he under
stood the message and would COM
municate ii to Capt. Blanchard when
he came to the wharf
About 6 o'clock the same afternoon.
Mr. Williams. in pursuance of the in
structions received from Mr.. Liscomb.
called up the Portland office by tele-
phone at which time Capt. Blanchard
was standing near by.
Capt. DenniSOn answered the tele-
phone. and gave Mr. Williams the
Portland weather. and Capt. Blanchard
requested Mr.. Williams to state to
Capt. Dennison that he thought il
would be all right for the steamer Port
land to go out in view of the weather
indications which then existed.
Capt. Dennison replied that he had
decided to remain in port until he got
the weather report at o'clock.
Just after this conversation occurred.
n telegram was received by Mr.. Will
liamS from the Western Union weather
reporter in New York, which was
opened and read by him, and handed
to Capt. Blanchard, 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: We are going to
have the wind north west"
About 6.45 the same afternoon, Capt.
Dennson. master of the Bay State,
called up the Boston Office by tele-
phone to confer further with Capt.
Blanchard about sailing. and then
Capt. Dennison stated to Capt. Blanch-
ard that he should remain in port until
. o'clock. Capt. Blanchard replied that
the weather was just the same as it
had been all day. and he thought it
would be all right to sail on time.
To interrogatory five it says:
Action was taken as stated in the
preceding answer.
To interrogatory six it says:
Prior to the loss of the steamer
Portland, the regularly designated
starting hour at Portland and Boston
had been o'clock. In bad or threat
ening weather the time of starting was
not fixed, but this matter was left to
the good Judgment of the captains in
command.
TO lnterrogatory seven it says:
The course pursued November 26
1898, as hereinbefore set forth, was in
accordance with the custom of the
company.
To interrogatory eight it says:
The libellant did not have at the time
Of the loss of said steamer Portland
any managing agent in Boston. 1t
local agent in Boston had no authorit,
over the masters of its steamers. t
change or dictate the time of sailing.
To interrogatory nine it says:
John F. Liscomb was the managin
agent of the company in Portland a
the time of the loss of the steame
Portland There was no rule of tn
lbellant company fixing his authorit
as to the time of the sailing of it
steamers, nor did he dictate the same
hut was accustomed to advise with tn
masters of it's steamers in case Q
stormy or doubtful weather.
1t had been the custom of the com
pany to employ experienced and trust
worthy masters and pilotson its steam
ers, and to furnish them with all tn
information in its possession rcspectin
the weather. and to leave to their judg
ment the decision of the question whe
it was wise or prudent to sail.
To interrogatory ten it says
The same has been fully answered i
the preceding answer.
To interrogatory eleven it says:
The libellant is informed and believe
that Mr.. Williams from l until els T
NJ. was at the company's office o.