117 F. 906 | W.D.N.Y. | 1902
The libel in this cause of collision was filed on September 23, 1901, by the .Huron Barge Company, owner of the Sagamore, against the steamship Northern Queen,- owned by the Northern Steamship Company, a corporation organized under the
The collision took place at the head of St. Mary’s river, off Point Iroquois, about a half mile northwest of Gros Cap gas buoy, directly in the course of sailing vessels, but at a point where the river is four miles wide, and opening into Whitefish Bay, which extends northerly into Lake Superior. The sailing course is well known to navigators as about one-quarter to one-half mile in width, with a mile and a half navigable water on each side. Under ordinary circumstances, therefore, it is neither dangerous nor in any degree hazardous to attempt an anchorage at the side of the fairway. There are no established anchorage grounds in Whitefish Bay or in the neighborhood of St. Mary’s river. The expert testimony offered by respondent does not satisfy the court that an anchorage ground is established by prevailing custom of navigators on the lakes. No established usage is shown, although it quite satisfactorily appears that a majority of the expert witnesses are strongly of the opinion that it would have been far safer for the Pathfinder and Sagamore to have anchored off the course. A number of the experts testify that they would have done so, other experts for libelant deemed the action of Capt. Mallory wise and prudent. Ascending vessels do not ordinarily anchor in- foggy weather outside and to the northward of Gros Cap gas buoy. At this point the bay widens into what may be regarded as an arm of the lake, and risks of collision are relatively minimized. South of the Gros Cap gas buoy, in St. Mary’s river, where, for
The whaleback steamer Pathfinder, with the whaleback barge Sagamore in tow, both heavily laden with iron ore, left the port of Duluth, Minn., bound for Take Erie, at midnight on July 26, 1901; weather clear. Soon after, it became very foggy. The fog was dense until after the collision. The distance from Duluth to St. Mary’s river is about 365 miles, and the trip down was in straight sailing courses. They passed Whitefish Point on July 28th at about half past 4 o’clock in the afternoon. The point could not be seen, because of the density of the fog. The fog whistle on Whitefish Point, however, easily recognized and distinctly heard far off and near, enabled the master of the Pathfinder to distinguish the locality, his proximity to the point, and to the usual pathway of vessels from the point southerly through Whitefish Bay. It was difficult for him to determine merely by the sound of the fog whistle on the point his exact distance and bearing therefrom. Nevertheless, after hearing it he shaped the course of his vessel in the direction of Point Iroquois, about 25 miles distant, reaching there in the early evening. He passed very close to a steamboat between Parisian Island and Point Iroquois. The fog continuing dense, he drew his consort to his starboard side, and lashed her to the Pathfinder forward, aft and amidships. Thus made fast, the Pathfinder dropped her anchor about one-half mile northwest of the Gros Cap gas buoy, which brought her diagonally across the fairway. The Sagamore did not drop her anchor. Just before anchoring, a number of other bells and whistles of vessels lying at anchor or drifting were heard. Eog signals were sounded ahead and to starboard. Capt. Mallory, of the Pathfinder, testifies that, in his judgment, it was unsafe to proceed farther, and therefore he let go his anchor. It was in the ordinary course of vessels up and down bound. No attempt was made to anchor either to the eastward or westward. The wind—a light breeze—was on her starboard. Because of the density of the fog, other vessels at anchor, or their lights, were not visible. During the night and early morning, between the hours of 2 and 7, the steamers Harlem, Senator, and Miami, upbound, passed very near. The masters of these vessels testify that passing was affected within a distance of 73, 150, and 300 feet, respectively; that aport or hard aport movement by each vessel was necessary to clear the vessels at anchor. They heard no bell on the Sagamore, whose lights suddenly and unexpectedly loomed up out of the fog. This is disputed by Howard, mate of the Pathfinder on watch, who testifies that no vessel passed early that morning nearer than 1,000 feet, and that the , Sagamore’s bell was regularly sounded.
The undoubted weight of the evidence establishes that the Saga-more, while at anchor prior to the collision, seasonably complied with rule 14, subd. “e,” 28 Stat. 648, which requires any vessel at anchor near a channel or fairway to, at intervals of not more than two minutes, ring her bell rapidly for three to five seconds. Her bell,— the prescribed signal,—when sounded, was clear and distinct. The Pathfinder did not ring her bell or give any signal. Her master testi
It was held in The Chattahoochee, 173 U. S. 548, 19 Sup. Ct. 491, 43 L. Ed. 801, that “moderate speed” consists in such a rate as will enable a steamer to stop in time to avoid collision after an approaching vessel comes in sight, provided such approaching vessel is herself going at the moderate speed required by law. The Sagamore being at anchor, the principle enunciated in this case would require the Northern Queen to proceed at such a moderate rate of speed as would have prevented the collision by proper management, after the Saga-more came in view, unless circumstances existed which made it dangerous for her to proceed at moderate speed. The Pennsylvania, 19 Wall. 125, 22 L. Ed. 148; The Colorado, 91 U. S. 692, 23 L. Ed. 379; The Batavier, 40 Eng. Law & Eq. 19; The Nacoochee, 137 U. S. 330, 11 Sup. Ct. 122, 34 L. Ed. 687. This rule is well settled, and, where properly applied, has been reaffirmed and followed. Undoubtedly the rule ought not to be rigidly enforced where the circumstances tend to
The respondent, by its cross-libel and its petition in the limited liability proceeding, also charges negligence against the Pathfinder and the Sagamore. Such charges of fault are (1) negligently anchoring in the fairway or by the ranges, when there was ample safe anchorage on either side; (2) insufficient and incompetent watch; (3) failure to give statutory fog signals. Some of these charges have already been noticed. It is contended that before anchoring the Pathfinder, knowing that at least she was approximately in the fairway, should have made for anchorage to east or westward of her course. This could have been safely accomplished by taking soundings. She would not then have been a menace to moving steamers. This alleged negligent omission is claimed by counsel for the respondent as the proximate cause for the collision. Capt. Mallory’s judgment, inducing him to anchor at the point in question, has already been alluded to. He was a navigator of 17 years’ experience. The proximity of other vessels, significantly-indicated by their signals, was a controlling circumstance inducing him to anchor immediately, though in his course. Howard, mate of the Pathfinder, also deemed .it unsafe to go farther. The question, therefore, presented, is whether the Pathfinder and Sagamore shall be held in fault for anchoring in the fairway in a dense fog in Whitefish Bay at the head of St. Mary’s river. Under the existing circumstances, by so doing did they ignore a rule of precaution which is ordinarily required in the course of navigation ? I have already said that the proofs do not establish a cus
“Those rules are the law of laws In cases of collision. They admit of no option or choice. No navigator is at liberty to set up bis discretion against them. If these rules were subject to the caprice or election of masters and pilots, they would be not only useless, but worse than useless. These rules are imperative. They yield to necessity, indeed, but only to actual and obvious necessity.”
I am clearly of the opinion that there is no fault attributable to the Pathfinder for anchoring in the sailing course at this point. In coming to this conclusion I have given weight to the width of the channel, the surrounding atmospheric conditions, and the number of vessels in the immediate neighborhood. Nor do I think that the circumstances called for a more vigilant anchor watch than was maintained upon the sunken Sagamore. The conditions rendered such a watch unnecessary. She gave the statutory signals. When those finally failed, she sounded an alarm. What more could be required? The cases to
Since the argument the attention of the court'lias been called to U. S. v. St. Louis & M. V. Transp. Co., 184 U. S. 247, 22 Sup. Ct. 350, 46 L. Ed. 520. Counsel for the Northern Queen claims the decision in that case supports the theory that the anchorage of the Sagamore and Pathfinder was improper, and therefore they must be condemned. In the case cited the collision was in the Mississippi river, at the port of New Orleans. The anchorage ground chosen—to adopt the language of the court—“rendered the navigation of the river by towboats with tows pursuing their usual and customary course hazardous and extremely dangerous.” It cannot be held that the Sagamore’s position accomplished any such result. The anchored vessels were also placed, in the St. Louis Case, without the orders of the harbor master of New Orleans, who had supervision of the river at the point in question. The navigation in the case at bar was rendered hazardous, not by the position of an anchored vessel, but by the heavy fog. This con
Proctors for respondent claim that the act of congress of March 3, 1899, § 15 (30 Stat. 1152), applies in the present case. The section in question is as follows:
“That it shall not be lawful to tie up or anchor vessels or other craft In navigable channels in such a manner as to prevent or obstruct the passage of other vessels or craft.”
This can have no application to the case at bar. Here the anchoring, though in the usual pathway of steamers, was not such an obstruction of the navigable channel as was contemplated by the act referred to. Congress has the undoubted power “to regulate commerce,” which comprehends the control, to the extent necessary, of all navigable rivers. 21 Am. & Eng. Enc. Law, 432. A liberal interpretation of the act implies that navigation shall not be hindered or interfered with by obstruction, either by anchoring or otherwise, in such a manner as to prevent its safe accomplishment. Hughes, Adm. 263. A “channel” is defined by the Century Dictionary to be “the deeper part of a river, or of an estuary, bay, etc., where the current flows, or which is most convenient for the track of ships.” Assuming, then, that the sailing course was a channel, the waters at the point of collision were very deep and wide. They certainly afforded abundant room for safe passing. The anchorage of the Pathfinder and Saga-more did not impede or prevent the passage of other vessels using such caution as the circumstances required. No difficulty at all would have been experienced, had the fog not obscured the Northern Queen’s path; nor, indeed, would the disaster have happened if she had not proceeded at an immoderate rate of speed. For the foregoing reasons, I do not think that the charges against the Pathfinder and Saga-more can be sustained.
The disaster occurred in waters dividing the state of Michigan and the province of Ontario, Canada. It was close to the division line. It is not disclosed whether Joiner, master, and Ives, steward, of the Sagamore, were drowned in American or foreign waters. The statutes of the state of Michigan and the province of Ontario were read in evidence by stipulation of proctors. By these statutes it appears that a right of action survives to the widow or next of kin of the decedent. Therefore the claims filed to recover damages for their deaths are maintainable in admiralty (The Harrisburg, 119 U. S. 199, 7 Sup. Ct. 140, 30 L. Ed. 358), and in this proceeding for limitation of liability.
I find that the collision occurred solely by reason of the fault of those in charge of the navigation of the Northern Queen. The owners of the Queen are entitled to a limitation of liability. The libelant, Huron Barge Company, and the other claimants are entitled to recover damages as they may be fixed in that proceeding. There must necessarily be a reference to a commissioner to compute them. Such a decree may be entered accordingly.
1. See Collision, vol. 10, Cent. Dig. § 170.