The Perilous Mistake of Captain Thomas Wilson
A small favor leads to a large legal headache when a Port Townsend steamer is accused of illegally transporting explosives.
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.
A few days ago, a captain from Port Townsend asked Captain Thomas Wilson, of the Anderson, to carry a box which was on the wharf over to Wooddale. The captain said he would and ordered the men to put the box on board. It was an accommodation job, and no charge was made for it. When the Anderson reached Port Townsend yesterday, Collector Bashar learned that the box contained powder and it was unlawful for a steamer to carry powder unless they had a double casing in which to store it; consequently, the Anderson was guilty of a violation of the law and would be fined $1,000. Capt. Wilson gave bonds, and on arrival at Seattle, placed the matter in his attorney's hands, and an effort will be made to have the fine reduced.
“It was an accommodation job, and no charge was made for it.”
This incident highlights the strict federal oversight of the Puget Sound waterfront during the 1880s, an era when shipping was the primary artery of commerce. Even today, the legal complexities of maritime liability remain a significant facet of Seattle's port operations.
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