The Wreck of the SS Umatilla
Local inspectors clear a ship captain of wrongdoing, citing deceptive coastal currents and a blinding snowstorm.
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.
Following is the full text of the findings in the Umatilla case made by the local inspectors yesterday. After a careful review of all the evidence in the case, we can arrive at but one conclusion, namely, that the steamship Umatilla was thrown out of her course by a strong current setting to the north and eastward. With these local causes, together with the fact that there was a blinding snow storm prevailing at the time, we consider it a case where the most skillful navigator might have made the same mistake. In view of the above facts, we do find that Captain Frank Worth is exonerated from material blame for the loss of the steamer Umatilla on the morning of February 17, 1884. We would fail in our duty to bravery and daring did we fail to congratulate chief officer John A. O'Brien for the manner in which he brought her to port, thereby saving valuable property.
“It is well known by experienced navigators that it is of frequent occurrence in the winter months that there is a strong set to the current northward.”
Marine safety remains a critical issue for the Pacific Northwest, though the navigation challenges have shifted from uncharted currents and blinding snow to modern traffic management. The exoneration of Captain Worth emphasizes the historical reliance on maritime trade for Seattle's economic survival.
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