The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1903-08-07
ENGINEERS NOT TO BLAME
f. f. ROsignOll and Fred Priest
of the "MetamOra" Have
Been EXOnerated.

Been EXOnerated.
At the investigation by the local
inspectors into the causes of the sink
ing of the Ocklawaha river steamer
Metamora on the 10th of last March,
f. E. Rosignall and Fred Friest Of
this city, first and second engineers
respectively of the Inflated boat,
were held guilty of negligence. The
former was deprived of his license
for one year, while that of the latter
was revoked for all time.
Rosignoll and Priest felt that an
injustice had been done them and
through their attorney, Judge E. f.
Haskell, appealed to the supervising
inspector.
The case on appeal came up for
hearing before the supervising in
spector at Jack sonvill two We eks ago
and the following decision, reversing
the findings of the local inspectors,
has just been handed down and was
received yesterday by Judge Haskell:
Steamboat-Inspection Service.
Office of Supervising Inspector Third
District,
Port of Norfolk, Va, Aug. l, 1903
f. f. Haskell, Esq,
Attorney in Appeal of f. Priest
and F. f. Rosignoll,
Palatka, Fla.
Sir:-After a very careful review,
with your consent, of the evidence
taken by the local inspectors upon
the investigation of the sinking OF
| the steamer "Metamora," which Oc-
cured March 10, 1903; after also,
! further review of the testimony TAX
en- before me upon appeal by you, as
| their attorney, held in Jacksonville,
| Wednesday, July %, | find that ]
must reverse the decision of the local
! inspectors as to finding Frederick
| Priest, engineer Oh watch at the
time, in fault, and to blame, for the
sinking of the vessel. The testimo-
ny shows clearly, to my mind, that
he did all that any engineer could do
at that time. Mr.. Priest is, however,
guilty of violation of the steamboat
laws, in that he acted as assistant
engineer of vessel of greater ton
mage than that allowed by his license.
In view of the fact that there are
mitigating circumstances In connec-
ton with this Offense, Mr.. Priest
having, d few days before, beeu eX-
anined by the local inspectors for
increased tonnage, and feeling, rs
sworn by him, that he had passed
that examination, | deem that he
has been sufficiently punished for
that violation by the loss of his Ii
cense from the time of the sinking of
the Metamora to the present time,
and | hereby order restoration oil
his license.
As to the finding of the local in
spectors against f. f. Rosignoll, |
fail to see how a man. who, at the
time of the sinking of the steamer
was off duty and in his berth, barely
escaping with his life, can be found
at fault. While / eXonerate Chief
Engineer Rosignoll from any blame
as to the sinking of the steamer, dc
find him guilty Of violation of his
oath of office, in which he swore to
faithfully carry out the laws of the
United States government, pertain
ing to the inspection and navigation
of steam vessels. He being chief en-.
gineer of the Metamora, it was his
duty, when Frederick Priest came
aboard to act as assistant engineer
to thoroughly ascertain whether he
had the proper license to act in the
capacity in which he was engaged
by the owner of the vessel. His Ii
for about three months, | deem
that sufficient punishment for thai
: Otfense.
The charge that he opened the
, siphOn after the vessel was being
raised, has, in my opinion, no bear
ing upon the case. The testimony
shows the valve stems were brigh
, and the finger mark upon the wheels
, There We're so many men around the
; vessel at that time, that it would bt
hard to tell who was the man whC
handled them; and, furthermore, il
t Justification of my relief of Mr.
ROsignoll, if he was such man al
claimed by the parties giving testi'
mony against him, why should the
owner of the boat place further re
lance upon his ability and plac,
him in charge of raising the vessel
, therefore order that Mr.. Rosig
= noll's license be restored.
! AS to the sinking of the steame
Metamora, l am of the opinion it il
one of those mysteries which posi-
: bly,, will never be explained, tn
navigation of the Ocklawaha Rive
. being very peculiar, and difficult.
The above decision is made unde
authority conferred on me, as Super
: vising Inspector of Steam-Vessels
by Section 4452, Revised Statutes o
the United States.
Respectfully,
5 JOHN w. OAST
? U. ). Supervising Inspector, Thirt
District