Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-08-16
COLLISION CASE.
Packet Line Collision Case Be.
fore Inspectors.

fore Inspectors.
The Officers of the Rural Lines Recite
their Troubles Before Government
Officers Testimony of the Officers.
PTTsBURG, Aug. h. The hearing
on the alleged collision of the steam
ers Elizabeth and the l. G. Wood
ward was opened Thursday morning
bv the local United States steam
boat inspectors, Gapts. George Il.
Atkinson and Isaac b. Williams.
The Elizabeth is owned by the
new independent Morgantown pack
ct line and the Woodward is the
property of the old line. Capt. r. A.
Abrams, of the Woodward, changed
Capt. Frank Canoe and Pilots Sam
uel Hendrickson and Irwin Boyd, OF
the Elizabeth, with violating certain
rules OF the marine code, charging
that the pilot ON watch on the Eliz-
abeth on the morning of August 3,
showed his boat ashore near Maids
vile.
According to the testimony Of
Capt. Adams aud Pilots Frank Will
liams and r. L. Domain, of the
Woodward, both boats were lying at
Morgantown on the morning of the
above date, the Woodward lying in
alongside of the whartboat will
head down stream, while the Eliza
beth was in below the Woodward
with her nose to the bank. The
Elizabeth started out first and the
Woodward Immediately followed
The boats raced for quite q distance
and then the boats got into each
others swirl
Pilot Williams stated that the
pilot on the Elizabeth signalled to
take the right side, the Elizabeth's
pilot having dropped back and that
he. Williams, eontrarled him, by
blowing for the Elizabeth to take
the left, which the Elizabeth did.
In answer to question, he said that
his boat was in the lead at the time
and thought he had the right of
way The object was to get to Lock
No. 9 first the boat getting through
there first, Pilot Williams explained
generally got the business on the
down trip.
When near Vaudeville the two
boats came together and the Elizabeth
showed the Woodward into the bank,
the Elizabeth also striking the bank.
Neither boat was damaged, but the
Woodward's officers stated that there
was excitement on their boat and
that it was subject to dangers.
Capt. j w. Lucas, a government
engineer, who was on the Woodward,
also testified, but admitted that he
knew little about the matter. His
testimony was admitted.
Capt Frank Canoe, of the Elizabeth
said that the regular leaving time Of
the Elizabeth at Morgantown is s a.
M, but on this morning he left at T.
so ten minutes ahead of time SO as to
avoid any trouble. When his boat
backed cut the Woodward followed
and The boats came together, the
Wood ward breaking sanction on
the Elizabeth.
The boats raced along for quite
distance, the Elizabeth attempting to
pass, but On account of the suction
could not 90 so. The Elizabeth whis-
tied to pass, but could not do so, and
according to Capt. Canoe, Pilot Boyd
showed the boat ashore, Capt. Canoe
stating it was the only way to get by
the boat, as the Woodward crowded
him. His steamer reached the lock
first.
Pilot Williams stated that he
thought that the Elizabeth was the
faster of the two boats. He thought
that she could probably make a min
ute to a minute and half better time
from Morgantown to Lock No. 8, a
distance of nine miles. The other
witnesses of the Elizabeth's crew had
not been heard when this report clos
ed
1t is said that when one boat gets
in another's swirl, 40 matter how
much faster one might be than the
other, the faster boat cannot pass.
This is made in explanation Of the
meaning OF the word, for when boats
race, it is said to be an old trick on
the part of bOatmen TO get in the
swirl, to prevent one from beating
the other. The case is attracting
considerable attention throughout the
Monongahela valley.