Year: 1875

FURTHER TESTIMONY AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE


TROUBLE BETWEEN THE STEAMERS NORTH


FIELD AND TwILIGHT-wHAr PASSENGERS


HAVE TO SAY ABOUT 1T.


Tho investigation commenced on Wednesday, before
United States Steamboat Inspectors Matthews and
Simonson to ascertain the of the recent collision
between the Staten Island ferryboat and the steamer
Twilight resumed at their offices, in Pine street.
yesterday morning.


John J. Silva, deck hand the steamer Northfeld,
tho first witness examined He said We left
Whitehall slip at halfpast nno A. NJ, August Is;
in the wheehouse of the Northned acting wheels
man. after got out Of the East River and little be-
low Governors Island the Captain happened to turn
around in tho pilot house and the Twilght saw
the Twilight coming about two and half lengths asern
of the starboard quarter she kept gaining ON us
until about forward starboard quarter she kept
closing in to us; kept sheerng the eastward after
had been in that position for minutes the Twi-
light blew whistle; the North1eld answered with
two whistles; still kept shecring eastward; the
Twilight following and gave whistle; the
North6ed slowed and put her wheel to starboard; we
then stopped the Northncld, and looking out of
window the wheel of the Twilight was put to star
board and bow and in crossing our bow she
struck and broke her port afterrai after that she
went ahead of u.s. noticed that her rudder the
port side when the Twilight blew the second whistle
the Mortified answered by one.


SoRTuFrELD WAS LEADING BOAT


just prior TO the collision and all the time tried to
keep clear but could not do there nothing in the
way to prevent the boats from keeping further apart
were so crowded by the Twilight could
have stopped and backed before going ashore;


be the result OF the TwaS having
her wheel TO starboard when the Northied drop
ping abaft her whechouse? A. 1t would throw the
Twghts stern across the bow OF the Northfeld when
the boats were abreast the Mortified had slowed down
and she not going at the speed as tho
other boat; It would take few seconds to drop nbat
her wheel after had slowed down. saw them star
board the wheel after VIC rung the gong to slow have
stated ali signals heard from both boats; at times the
two steamers were some twelve fifteen feet apart;
have been boating, of and on three or four years


James Kerrigan, of No. Monroe street, a passenger
tho Norhhed, testified that when his attention was
first drawn TO the Twilight she about lengths
astcrn, little to starboard this of Governors ISL
and witness was leaning on the rail of the
board quarter of the North1od at the time tho Twi-
light at Bedloe's Island she abreast OF the
Northeld very close her starboard side she kent
crowdng the Northneld TO Robbins Reef SO the North
field put her helm 10 sarboard and bore for Long ISL
and; witness noticed that every time the Northned
would starboard her helm the Twilight would follow
her. finally tho Captain Of the Northheld had to STOP
and in doing he put the wheel starboard; the wheel
OF the other boat also starboard went by
and touched the Northned's starboard bow with her
port after quarter; they then separated witness was
forward when they came close togothcr he so stu
ated that he could the land through the Norhfcd
and he could see her


VARYING Long ISLAND SHORE;


when he was forward he could see what they were
doing at the Twilights wheel Witness further test-
their whistles; the from tho Northeld was first;
he was on the after part of the mandeck on the
starboard quarter, and no saw the engineer of the
Twilight tripping" his engine; the boats were then
side by side


j. w. Wilbur, of No. 81 East Ninth street, also pas.
senger on the Northield, examined. He
stated that he saw the Twilight coming around the
Battery. and watched her coming up with the North
field when the boats were almost even so that the
port wheel Of the Twilight was taking the wake from
the starboard wheel OF the Norhicd the Twilight
whstlcd and was answered by the Northneld; tho
Twilight seemed 10 witness to be crowdng the
Northheld out OF her course toward Staten Island the
whistle was blown again from the Twilight and an
swcred by the Northncid; the Northhcd subsequently,
slowed down and the Twilight passed her bow striking
the Mortified and taking OF part of the handrall;
the reason the witness thought the Twilight


CROwDiNG THE SoRTHFI.LD


that he had object range land and he also
saw the wake OF the Northhed they had not reached
the first landing when the collision took place


Francis j. Kane, whitehall boatman and passenger
on steamer Northhed, testified that he had his aten.
ton first called 10 the matter by seeing the Twilight
coming down. about and a half or two lengths
astcrn, between Bodloc's and Governors islands;
were on our course, he said, Tor Quarantine Landing;
tho Twilight Kept bearing down on US until sbc got on
sarboard BEAM the distance between the boats
was not more than fifteen ten feet; noticed tho
North1cld starboard her helm on three different
casions and running or the eastward trying TO
get clear Of the Twilight; tho different occasions the
Twilight siarboarded the helm and kept crowding the
Northncld further out OF her course; when about OF
Robbins Rccf Light the Twilight blew whistle and
the Northlcld blew two whistles; shortly after the
Norihneld rang ono bell, and Immediately after
rang another 10 stop the engine, and at tho
time OF the collision tho engine of the Northhcld
was stopped altogether; took notice that the Twt-
lights ruddcr the starboard; left the Northhed
In my boat at this point and should judge the course
of the Northncld was west by south to rompknsvilc;


judged the alteration OF the course OF the Northhed
by range on land; could the rudder OF the Twi-
light the OF tho Twilight ahead Of tho North
fields stern this when


NoRrnFIELD sTOFPEDi


the Twilight was not ahead Of the Norhncd previous
TO that the Twilight had to haul half To one point TO
south get her course this after the boats got
clear OF another and the Norhed was going TO her
landing. when tho lrst whistle was blown the boats