The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-13
TO FIX Responsibility.
STEAMSHIP OREGON LEFT BAG
GAGE or PASSENGERS At NOME.
sixteen Damage Suits to he Filed
Against the White Star Steam
ship Company-Both-S Sides Give
Versions of the Controversy.

The courts of King county will be
called upon to decide whether some
power beyond human control or the
White Star Steamship Company was re-
sponsible for the act of the steamship
Oregon in leaving the baggage of many
passengers at Nome on her last trip to
Seattle
The steamship company and the own
ers of the baggage have not been able to
harmonize their differences. The result
is that ten claims have been placed In
the hands OF Attorneys Davis & Gilmore,
three in the hands of Palmer & Brown.
and three more In the hands of Tucker
& Hyland. The attorneys representing
the different claimants have held a
meeting and decided to bring separate
suits In the superior court AT this time
1t cannot be stated with any degree of
accuracy what the total amount of the
claims will be. Some of the passengers
claim to be IN needy circumstances, as
practically everything they had was left
at Nome
1T is true" said William A. Gilmore,
that we have decided to bring separate
suits In the superior court against the
White Star Steamship Company for dam
ages arising from the delay and deten-
tion OF baggage. We presented checks
and claims for the passengers, but have
been refused a settlement. There Is moth
ing left for Us but 70 sue. The company
claims that the sudden departure of the
oregon from Nome was due solely to the
act of Providence In the breaking of
anchor chains by the storm; that it was
necessary to put TO sea To save the shjp
and the passengers on board.
The passengers contend that the real
reason why the Oregon left so suddenly
was IA shortage OF coal In her bunkers
instead or putting to the leeward OF
Sledge island she steamed directly for
Dutch harbor. There she coaled for her
trip to Seattle. While some of the pas
sengers could afford to lose their bag
gage, In one or two Instances great hard
ship has been caused
Richard Sake Jones, attorney and claim
agent OF the White Star Steamship Com
pany. said
The oregon was driven to sea by a
storm. Her anchor lines were broken
and anchors lost, so that she did not dare
return to the open roadstead at Nome
ARRANGEMENTS were made to bring the
baggage down the Centennial, but the
storm was so great that the Centennial
could not even unload her freight and
brought II back to Seattle. Ii was sim.
ply impossible to bring out the baggage
THIS year as the Centennial was the last
boat
THE Simpson Logging Company has
nothing to do with the Oregon. The
steamer Is owned by the White Star com.
pany The company has offered to buy
the baggage of many OF the claimants
but the parties will not sell The legal
limit OF liability. II any, would be only
about s4.75 per passenger under the con-
tract or passage But the leaving Of tho
baggage was the act of God aud this
steamship company is not liable at All
Mr. Simpson Of the company expresses
his utmost sympathy with the passengers
ana - Willing 10 do all that Is right In
the matter, but being threatened Will
damage suits is obliged TO stand on The
legal rights OF the company. 80 FAR as
those who threaten are concerned"
Among those who have instructed their
attorneys Go bring suit are the following
Mir. and Mrs. James Barth Of Tacoma
Frank iiough, OF salt Lake CITY. Miss
Jennie ORrien, OF Seattle r. ~ Nnfat
OF San Francisco, A. -. and f. IL era
ham. OF seattle. and Mr.. and Mrs Nelsnn