The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-17
= Responsible for Collision
With the Patterson.
ueeecroas censuaE NO ONE.
- . D~cfstOn I'm which They
p. - Government Vessel Seem
a. Have Tailed" ArOnnd In
.>a Steamer's Pathway-SOne
~es.enf SuggestiOns About
..~es snd Auchoragc-verdict

N DECISION rendered Yesterday n the
~.ea.s of the collision between the tefry-
~ Cay Of Seattle and the u. S. coast
~odesic survey steamer Patterson, n
- Bay, November 2, Carts- Bryant
x.Cheuy, local U. S. inspectors ct steam
- ~ TIE ferryboat baanaele. and tx
- kes officen. Though the inspeetos do
. ~ 20, they Substantially lind that the
rueat vessel swung around from her
- ,aehcsaee and into the ferryboat's path
- Ceing asH further. they reier to the
ufed coodiion Of the hafbos and suggest
= .h,b,e anchorage and wharf facilities
krvissd ios United States fsvenue estters
81 40 government vessels visiting Seattle.
ne decision Of the inspectors has been
awaited with interest, particularly
b. marine fneu, fince the conclusion
= N. investigation a week ago. The in
s,er,ors .,nd that the ferryboat.s engines
- lowed down and finally reversed be-
-. the Seattle struck the Patterson.
rsAerw,sc the government vessel would
hsvs been almost necessarily cut in two
s.. rank. resulting, perhaps, IN great loss
= NE. When she first sighted the Patter-
= the ferry was found TO have been run
eins Il abou. half speed.
fas fun decision Of the inspectors fol-
~:
.rhs ferry steamer City OF Seattle
ra.x x.&sf ffsz Tfrfy 4A Zs1saa
Al re0detic survey steamer Patterson
4 Elicit bay November ,, 1899. at
ahgut Z - n. m. during a dense fog.
M City Of Seattle was ON her regular
fesry run between her slip at Seattle
M ives. Seattle. She left West Sc
astIe 1T 7.in a. To. November 2. 1888.
when about half way across she ran
in.o dense fog bank. Hearing the
ysansr Flyers fog signal. the ferry
us slowed down and stopped until tho
rher passed. then started up and en-
enes worked fun speed ahead until
a. got Roadway: then the engines
ptrs slowed down and finally stopped.
and before she struck the Patterson
the engines had been reversed and were
viking back.
sThe steamer Patterson was swinging
b he- anchor little north OF the ferry
snek She was failing 10 the south at
sAe time Of the collision. and the ferry
efaek her on the port side abreast OK
~ miZyen chains.
From the evidence taken in this case
Earpears that the city of Seattle was
Ming naviga;ed with due caution A
eed lockout was kept and the fog sig
Isl was sounded az required by the
Hss and regulations. the engines
viking slow and the steamer VAS
Mn!Hg az about half speed, working
way 10 the ferry slip. When the
kteyson WAS first sighted she was
NJ near and directly ahead sof the
tny. The engines were promptly stop
~ and reversed fun speed astern. But
~ distance was too short in which TO
Eed n collision.
after due consideration OF the case
~ fail 10 md any negligence on the
mst Of the officers Of the ferry steamer
nay OF Seattle. and hereby exonerate
Dem from any blame OF the collision.
has been and r. the practice for gov
rnmsnt vessels and others TO lie at
Snehor along the water front directly
d the track Of local steamers. render
hs navigation both difficult and dan
fs-eus tn thick weather. II a good
boat landing was established south or
bar the coal hunkers for the convent
sneH Of these vessels. they would with
sw doubt willingly anchor further up
'at BAY and thus remove this danger
. navigation along our water 'front.'
Ias Patterson was damaged perhaps not
- than 81 Geo She was struck abo-e the
saisr line ahaft of amidships on she port
ass The great force made n hole from
tss'ys to fourteen feet I'm length. II drove
Os seattle's apron nose three or four feet
Nrnagh the Fatterson's side, ,iemosixhsng
several staterooms At least two Of the
sruFsnts had miraculous escapes from
death.