Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-16
SEQUEL TO INVESTIGATION
Made by Supervising Inspector CAST
Yesterday,
wHEi. THE CRAFT WAS RAISED
Collided With Steel Line Between Tug
and Car Float-Not Struck
by Vessel.

NORFOLK. Va, June 15.-Col. John w.
CAST. the supervising inspector of steam
vessels of this district with his two
sistants, Messrs. Bray and Tapeley, arrived
at the scene of the finding of the Minneso-
ta's launch just the shattered craft was
being raised from its resting place at the
bottom of Hampton roads by the huge
naval derrick.
Col. cast Immediately boarded the derrick
and with the members OF the naval board of
inquiry which was already on the scene,
made inspection of the launch. After
careful examination it was found that the
launch, while bound from the exposition
grounds to the baetleship Connecticut, at
anchor of Old Point, had ran into a steel
hawser, such are used in towing the
gigantic car floats used by the railroads.
1t was found that the brass PROV of the
launch showed signs of having struck the
hawser, which then passed under the keel
of the tiny craft. When the cable struck
that part of the keel near the propeller 1t
came In contact with the condenser pipes,
which were torn away, and the shock threw
the launch over on its starboard side. which
was crushed in, and the tiny craft was
hurled to the bottom of Hampton roads and
became the tomb of its eleven occupants.
Part of Hull Crushed.
Part of the hull of the launch was crushed
In by the impact with the cable, but the
steamboat inspectors and the members of
the naval board of inquiry expressed the
unanimous opinion that the Inflated vessel
was not struck by barge or a tug, but had
collided with the cable between the tug and
car float. The supervising inspector has
issued a summons for the members Of the
crew of the big New York, Philadelphia
and Norfolk tug Crisield and barge which
the rug had in TOW 10 testify at an investi-
CATION which will be held by the steamboat
inspector in this city at-a date yet to be
fixed --r.-.. 80 -.-s -y-
1t was learned that the inspectors believe
that 1t was probably the Crsields hawser
that the launch collided with, and to settle
this point the evidence Of the two crews will
be taken.
AS heavy squall was in progress about
the time the launch was lost, it is the opin-
ion Of the authorities here that the occu-
pants of the launch may have seen the
tugs lights and not paid any attention to
the towing lights which she carried and
had not looked for the tow.
The Theory Is Proven.
To prove this theory it is shown that the
launch attempted to cross directly astern
Of the tow boat.
Whether or not the victims OF the disas-
ter exchanged signals with the tug will not
be known until the evidence of the Cris-
fields crew is heard.
Whether or not the launch carried the
necessary lights as prescribed by the navi-
cation laws is also question that may he
answered by those who saw the tiny YES
Sci sail away on its last voyage from the
exposition pier on the eventful night.
The naval board of inspectors after the
investigation yesterday morning agreed
that the launch was lost by coliiding with a
steel cable. stated above, and all of the
facts In the case were wired to Washington
by Supervising Inspector CAST this after
noon
George Ugler. the supervising inspector
general of the steamboat service late yes
terday afternoon received tn following tel
egram from John w. CAST supervising in
spector of steamboats, of Norfolk:
Chartered steamer and witnessed raising
of launch: arrived just as launch was raised
on deck. Met naval board of inquiry and
all of the unanimous opinion that
launch was caught on steel cable between
towing steamer and barge. Nill investigate
further as soon name of steamer can
he asCertained.
Secretary OF the Navy Metcalf last night
received a report saying that the board
which is investigating the drowning of mid
shipmen and sa Tors in Hampton roads on
Monday night will find that the launch in
which they were returning to their ships
was cut In two by wire cable tow line.
The communication to Secretary Metcalf
foretells what the report of the board OF
inquiry will be. but he declined to discuss
It, He said that he would wait for the ar
rival of the formal report before making
anything public concerning it.