British Whig (Kingston, ON), 13 Sep 1898

p.2

The Captain Speaks.

Picton, Sept. 12th - To the Editor:

In your issue of September 10th your statement of the collision of the steamers Alexandria and Columbian does not contain the facts. The steamer Alexandria was struck by steamer Columbian while making the Gananoque wharf. The Alexandria did not afterwards refuse to take the Columbian's lines, nor did she refuse to allow people to cross her decks. The Alexandria was not backing up at the time of the accident, but was going ahead. The reason the Alexandria suffered most was that the steamer Columbian struck her bow on. The rest of the statement is untrue and unjust to the steamer Alexandria and her officers.

E.B. Smith, captain of the steamer Alexandria.

The Whig gave the statement of the officers of the Columbian on Saturday and cheerfully makes room today for Capt. Smith's account of the affair. An investigation should be held to determine the cause of the collision.

MARINE INTELLIGENCE.

The sloop Rover cleared for Washburn this morning to load wood for this port.

The Empress of India will take the place of the Alexandria from Trenton to Montreal.

The tug Edmund and barge Columbia are at the Grove Inn dock with hard wood from Bedford Mills.

The steamer St. Andrew arrived at the M.T. company's elevator today with 27,500 bushels of wheat.

The R. & O. navigation company will continue a daily line between Toronto and Montreal until the 19th inst.

The sloop Maggie L. from bay ports discharged 2,500 bushels of oats at the Richardsons' elevator this morning.

The schooners Fabiola and Fleetwing, Oswego, coal laden, were expected to arrive today at James Swift & Co.'s wharf.

The tug Active arrived this morning with four light barges from Montreal, and cleared again with four barges, grain laden.

The schooner Katie Eccles unloaded 8,000 bushels of wheat at the M.T. company's elevator yesterday and cleared for bay ports.

The schooner Katie Eccles is in Davis' dry dock having all her seams under the water line caulked, new planking added and other repairs made.

The steamers Spartan, Montreal to Toronto, Corsican, Toronto to Montreal, and Hamilton, Hamilton to Montreal, called at Swift & Co.'s wharf today.

The steamer Tecumseh and barges, Toldo to Collins Bay, timber, and steamer St. Andrews, Duluth to Kingston, wheat, are in the canal en route eastward.

The schooner W.J. Emery, captain Andrew Beard, outward bound for Toronto from Rochester with coal, went ashore in the terrific sea on Sunday off Devil's Nose, 21 miles west of Charlotte, but was got off by lightering.

p.4 Broke His Leg - while dredge and scows used in deepening harboring were being tied up, a worker jumping from one of the scows to tug slipped.

p.6 Work Will Proceed - The government dredge at present employed in cleaning out the channel in the lower harbor will remain in commission here until the incoming cold weather will render further work impossible. Even then the undertaking will not have been entirely completed, and it is not known whether or not the dredge can be secured for next season.

Will Make Late Trips - On Sunday last the steamer North King made her last trip of the season among the Thousand Islands. She will continue daily trips between Charlotte and Cobourg until Oct. 29th. Each Sunday she will run down to this port, returning again at five o'clock as heretofore. The steamer has enjoyed a prosperous season so far.

General Paragraphs - During the remainder of the season Capt. MGiffin will take charge of the steamer Ocean in place of Capt. Trowell, whose leg was broken by the parting of a cable.

The steamer Spartan, from Montreal, was six hours late in reaching port this afternoon, owing to fog prevailing on the lower end of the river.

Capt. Ira Folger will sail as mate of the steamer New Island Wanderer on the Cape Vincent route for the remainder of the season.