New-York tribune., 1910-02-15
ASK FOR MORE PAY
CREW DISGRUNTLED.
Some of Kentucky's Sailors
Call Her Unsea1corthu.

Inc ere" OF the steamboat Kentucky,
which went to the bottom off Cape Hat
teras ABOUT Two weeks ago. appeared at
the off1ce OF the United States Shipping
Commissioner yesterday for their paw Some
of the men took 1t, but group of twelve,
which later decreased to eight. held out
for more money than the law allows.
The men were disgruntled They had
some harsh things to say of the condition
of the sunken vessel, as she was before
leaving port and after she had cleared
from the Scotland Lightship. Although they
went out again on her after she had made
secondary repairs at Newport News. the
men did not speak favorably of her as a
seaWorthy vessel
Walter Edwards, husky boatswain.
with much Drawn and determination, was
the leader of the "kickers" He was told
at the Office of the Shipping Commissioner
that he and the others would get their pay
a. the law Offices of Wheeler. Curtis &
Hcight, counsel for the Alaska Coast Com
pany, owners OF the Kentucky. Other mem
bers of the crew held out for full months
pay, which they contended was due to
them, and refused to sign for their money
unless the extra pay was forthcoming.
The law firm issued a statement later
in the day which told of the purchase of
the kentucky and the carefulo examina
tions made of her before she was bought
and refuted the crews charge that she
was unseaWorthy.
According to the statement, P. L. Plas-
kett superi1tending engineer of The Alaska
Coast Company. and C. ?. NJ. Jack. ma
rine engineer of this city. examined the
Kentucky at Saybrook Point. in the Connec-
ticut RiYer, and pronounced her to be In
rod
fully again when she was put in drydock
In New London and recommended that she
be purchased.
When she was opened up in drydock in
Hoboken the lawyers said she was pro-
nounced by experts to be absolutely sea-
worthy. They said also that after she put
into Newport News for repairs her hull was
in good condition and that she was passed
by the United States inspectors and py
John II. Marsden. the surveyor for Lloyds'
In refutation of the statement of the
crew that when they were sent below 10
trim coal they saw sheets of water coming
in between the seams the lawyers said the
water had worked in between the wooden
skins of the vessel and had pitched about
when the Kentucky rolled in the sea. 1t
was explained that she had several port
holes fore and aft when she went into dry
dock, and that a new Sulp or i've
inches thick had been put in from stem to
stern on both sides. replacing the planking
containing the portfolios The portfolios
the inner skin, which was two and a half
inches thick, were not replaced by new
planking and it is assumed that the water
which worked in between the skins poured
in through the inner portfolios when the
vessel lurched and alarmed the crew.
The law firm, however, in its statement
gave no reason for the sinking of the Ken
tucky The statement merely told of the
seaworthines of the vessel. the examina-
tions, repairs and the names of the men
who considered her ht to make the long
run around to the Pacific.
According to the report made to the law
yers by Captain Moore, the only leak came
from around the sleeves of the injection
pipe, and he forced to go into Newport
News to have the sleeves repaired.
AS proof of the confidence the owners
had in the stability of the Kentucky, the
lawyers said, the Alaska. Coast Company
had assumed a bout $4,000 of the risk and
started the vessel on her way to the Pacific
with that amount of her actual cost u11in-
sured
The mean draft OF the Kentucky. they
said, was twelve feet and she drew that
amount when she left New York for the
Pacific.