A Maritime Collision in Port Townsend
A federal judge rules both a Norwegian bark and an American steamer are at fault for a late-night crash at the harbor entrance.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Judge Hanford of the United States court yesterday delivered an opinion in the admiralty suit brought by the master of the Norwegian bark Fristad against the steamer Premier. The bark was anchored in the Port Townsend harbor entrance when the Premier, traveling at full speed on a dark night, struck her. The Judge held that both vessels were responsible. The Fristad, though lawfully anchored, failed to provide adequate warning in a known high-traffic area, and its lantern was found to be unreliable. Conversely, the steamer was found negligent for maintaining full speed at night while its officers' attention was diverted. The damages were ordered to be divided between the parties.
“I must regard the fact that the collision occurred as proving that it is dangerous for a steamer to enter a harbor at full speed on a dark night.”
Port Townsend's harbor remains a complex transit point, though the 'ballast grounds' of 1892 have long since given way to modern shipping regulations. This case highlights how rapidly growing local industries, like the steamer lines serving Seattle, often collided with traditional maritime practices in the late 19th century.
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