The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-09-04

Ferrous reefs or rocks In that part %
tha sea where the sheridan IL aground.
aud the opinion ~ most OF the local
shipping men In that Peabody IL not
wholly to blame for the catastrophe.
While he had brought the vessel closer
In than In considered safe. at the same
time his charts show plenty OF water
nj that point.
Captain Peabody explains his position
ns follows; lie had taken his bearings
off the BARRIERS Point light when about
four miles of shore and was about TO
lay his course to bring him outside the
Honolulu harbor and within the an
chorage grounds here when the vessel
suddenly struck
Naturally this will all be threshed
out at the court martial which will be
held to inquire into the cause of the dis
aster and fix the responsibility.
SOME CIGARS CONFISCATED.
All day yesterday the Sheridan pas
sengers were busy at the Inter-Island
wharf identifying their baggage and
having 1t examined. The baggage is
mixed up, that from the cabins being
piled in and among the boxes from the
making It long matter to straighten
out.
From one of the boxes a quantity Of
Manila cigars were taken by a customs
inspector. much to the owners disgust
AS rule the inspectors are showing
the stranded passengers every consider
alton possible, although they have to
make as strict search for dutiabe
goods in the baggage as at any other
, time.
LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS CASE.
VIM. Hatton Aalona, lighthouse keep
er at BARRIERS Point for nearly twenty
years, is somewhat concerned over the
wrecking of the Sheridan on the reef
near his place.
He is somewhat relieved to under
stand from Captain Peabody and other
officers of the transport that they ad-
NIT his light was burning.
| THAT light never go out one time
since became light keeper here nearly
twenty years ago. said Mr.. Aalona
yesterday. II watch that light very
carefully and when I put one lamp in
at night I light two more and keep
them in the tower If one light be-
cones dim behind the lens I put an
other in it's place without delay.
II feel very sorry about the trans
port, but the light was there all right.
+, about the rockets? look out about
ono o'clock Friday morning and see
vessel coming along. l see 1t all right,
but 1 pay no especial attention to 1t.
1 see many vessels in twenty years
same way. During that night / see the
steamer close in and l look to my light
and see 1t is all right and then I go
back into the house again.
by and by / come out once more
to look at light and then 1 see the
steamer close in and not moving and
see rocket. 1 know then there is
trouble. I'm pretty old and can not
start canoe out. / have none of my
, own and the only one about here Is
the fishermen's canoe. 1 think first
run down to them to launch the canoe
and then 1 think better wake up wire
less telegraph boy.
, II go to his office and wake him ur
. and tell him steamer is on the rocks
. He try to connect with Honolulu b!
his telegraph and could get no one fol
q long time 1 think, perhaps. hat
better go up to the plantation to tele-
phone to town, but finally the wireless
boy get somebody in Honolulu, and tel
them about the steamer
mo, sir, my lighthouse has a sooe
record for lamp never go out.
"I have a habit from long experience
, of waking up every two or three hours
to look at the light myself. For many
years I do that and 1 did the same
thing on Thursday night and Friday
morning"
VIM Hatton Aalona is about " years
old. He is one of number OF young
fellows over half century ago wht
became acquainted with the late George
O. Cannon. one of the head counsellors
of the Mormon church Of Utah, ano
became a convert to the Mormon re-
ligion. AS young man he went among
the different islands as q missionary