Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-11
LOSS OF FERRY STEAMER
IS SUBJECT OF INQUIRY
Cause of Disaster Probed by Board,
But the Report Has Not Yet
Been Made Public

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
LUDINGTON. Mich. September 10
The cause of the sinking OF Pere Mar
quette car ferry No. is yesterday morn
ing. in which at least twenty-eight
lives are known to have been lost
probably will not be known until the
report of the board which investigated
the disaster last night is made public.
The inquiry was conducted in private
aboard Pere Marquette ferry. No. IL
by officials OF the Pere Marquette line.
Its findings will reach the public through
the company. In an effort to place the
responsibility for the disaster, sworn
statements regarding their experiences
were taken from all OF the survivors OF
ferry No. Is and from members of the
crew OF ferry No. IL. which was first
TO reach it's sister ship in response to
the wireless calls for assistance.
Peril Known to Officers.
Even the report of the board may not
solve the mystery.
1t is believed the only persons aboard
the vessel who knew OF the peril and the
causes leading up TO the sinking of the
ship were the officers. all of whom died
at their posts.
II Is stated by survivors that Capt.
Kitty, the first mate ana chief engineer
knew of the peril to their vessel even
before they left Ludington for Mil
waukee. All three expressed Fremont
tons OF impending danger.
The theory that the after compartment
was flooded by water coming through a
broken headlight is exploded by the testi-
mony of experts. who say the vessel
pumps could have taken care Of twice
the amount of water brought in in this
manner.
Although there were no limitations that
the officers feared trouble, the pumps. ac-
hours before the sinking.
Cause Of Loss of Life
1t was declared most, II. not all, Of the
loss of life was due TO the fact that the
officers oyerestimated the time the ferry
could remain aioat There were enough
hfeboats and RATS aboard 10 have car
ried double. the number of persons who
were on the vessel
That the wreck was not due to a storm.
10 overlooking or TO q breakdown i'm the
vessels machinery and that the real cause
will never be fully determined, is the
conclusion OF General Supt w. i. Trump
Of the Pere Marquette railroad
The survivors say. Capt. kiity stuck
brayely 10 his post 10 the end, trying
10 save others. regardless of his own
safety. 49,
Story Told by Coal Passer.
Thomas Shields. coal passer rescued
when Pere Marquette car ferry No. Is
went down in. Lake Michigan Friday. with
a loss OF twenty eight, gave an account
Of the wreck -tonlSht. He lies at a local
hospital in a serious condition, This is
bis story in this own words: 4
You see, I'm just coal passe. and
! was on watch. at 1850 o'clock.
noticed that there was water coming
in from one of the glass ports. but l
didn't think about II, as sometimes
water does come in. Then i saw the
mate. Joe Brezenski, and one of the
wheelsinen GENE and try'to fix the glass
and the IRON or brass that holds the
port In.
Then Capt. Kitty comes and they push
clothes and rags into the hole and the
captain orders the pumps TO be put on.
There was heavy sea pounding. so
tells one of the nremen that water was
rushing in.
Then about 40. Capt Kitty tells Us
we've got TO shove the cars on SO as 10
tighten the ship. We got twenty mine of.
Then the captain told Us TO get the
portside nfeDoats of. as that was the
lee side and the sea wasn't so heavy.
There were three boats and We moored
them so they cleared the side. Some OF
the deckhands got in and kept the life
boats from banging alongside. We loos-
ened all the life raTts 50 they would noat
OH when the boat sank.
Flag at Half Mast.
I'VE had the flag at half mast at day
light, so that No. II certainly knew we
were In trouble. No. IL was getting close
TO us. and / was right alongside OF Capt.
Kitty when he yelled 10 the IL that Is
wouldn't last long. But No. IL didn't
come alongside. No. she swung around
our stern and came within loo feet of US
on the wind side l heard Capt Walter
Brown. second mate, yell to the II and
say:
:" For Gods sake. what are you do
Ing? Why don't you get a hustle on youg
Then the IL swung back and came
over on the lee side OF US. but just stayed
away. III they had had any nerve at all
they would have saved every mothers
son of US. / can swear 10 IL that IL could
have got us all OF if they had come
alongside when they first came up. But
instead OF that they hung off 10 wind
ward"
Corrobora, Statement.
Stanley Chubb. a porter. said:
NO. Il came up on the port or lee
side, back of the IL. She then came
ahead, but instead OF swinging to tho
lee side. all were thunderstruck TO see
her swing to the windward. / stood
right alongside OF Mate Brown when he
yelled through his hands 10 the IL:
= For Gods sake. come alongside
where are YOU goingg
yet they yelled back. What's the
natter
Anybody could see that we were sink
ing, and IL No. II had pulled alongside
when she first came Up all could hav,
been saved.
The Pere Marquette officials say tha'
Capt. Kitty did not indicate to No. l.
that he feared his ship was in gray,
danger.
New Orleans Racing Given Up.
NEW ORLEANS. September 10.-Th
plan to hold winter race meeting a
New Orleans was todya abandoned b.
the business interests who had formed al
for hat