IN THE MATTER OF THE INVESTIGATION OF THE LOSS BY GROUNDING OF THE STEAMSHIP “ALEUTIAN”, 5708 GROSS TONS, IN MID CHANNEL OFF THE SOUTH END OF AMOOK ISLAND, ALASKA, MAY 26, 1929 at 5:29 a.m.

From National Archives records of the Steamship Inspection Service

June 3, 1929 (EL)

CAPT. JOHN G. NORD, mater, 1920 Queen Anne Avenue, Seattle, Wash., being first duly sworn, testified as follows:

INSPECTOR AMES:

Q What license do you hold?
A Master of ocean steamers, unlimited and pilot for Puget Sound and adjacent inland waters, Southeastern and Southwestern Alaska; Columbia River, Astoria to sea and San Francisco Bay to sea.

Q How long have you been a licensed officer of steam or motor vessels?
A About 32 years.

Q How long have you been master?
A About 30 years.

Q How long have you been either master or pilot in Alaska waters?
A About 32 years.

Q How long have you been master on the ALEUTIAN?
A About 2 years.

Q Where was the vessel bound from and to?
A From the Trout cannery on Zachar Bay to the floating cannery, called “Esther,” the location of which was about 2 miles north of the southerly tip of Amook Island, on the east side of that island.

Q Do you remember the draft of the vessel, Captain?
A Approximately 16 ft. forward and about 21 ft. aft.

Q How much cargo did the vessel have at that time, in tons?
A About 115 tons in freight besides 3 car-load lots of copper ore.

Q Was the freight for the “Esther” cannery?
A Part of it.

Q What was the state of the weather when you left Zachar Bay?
A A little wind, little cloudy, misty.

Q Was it daylight when you left the bay?
A Yes, sir.

Q Could you see land on both sides?
A Yes, sir.

Q From Zachar Bay down to the location of the accident, how was the visibility?
A Clear.

Q So that you could see the land at all time after leaving Zachar Bay on both sides of the vessel?
A Yes, sir.

Q Was the navigation of the vessel under your direction and control from the time the vessel left Zachar Bay until the time of the accident?
A Yes, sir.

Q Who was on the bridge with you before and at the time of the accident?
A Capt. Miller (the pilot) and Mr. Baidin (the third officer).

Q Were all three of you on watch from the time the vessel left Zachar Bay until the time of the accident?
A Yes, sir.

Q In proceeding down between Amook and Kodiak Islands, did the vessel make a mid-channel course?
A Yes, sir.

Q Up until the time of the accident?
A Yes, sir.

Q As the vessel approached the southerly tip of Amook Island, could you see Alf Island?
A Yes, sir.

Q Reference to the chart shows that the last course steered was set 1-3/4 miles northwest of the southerly tip of Amook Island. What was the time of the striking?
A 5:29 a.m. May 26th, 1929.

Q Were any of the logbooks saved?
A No, sir.

Q How fast was the vessel going?
A About 14 knots.

Q At the time the last course was set, how did Alf Island bear?
A About 3/8 of a point on the starboard bow.

Q Do you remember how the southerly tip of Amook Island bore at that time?
A No, sir.

Q Reference to the chart shows that a rock is located about 1/ 4 of a mile S by W by S magnetic from the southerly tip of Amook Island. Had you located that rock on the chart, Captain?
A Yes, sir. I knew the rock was there.

Q What was the state of the tide at the time of the accident?
A About half ebb.

Q At any time before the accident did you sight this rock?
A No, sir.

Q At what stage of tide is that visible, from what you found out?
A It is awash at extreme low tide.

Q At the time of the accident would the rock be fully submerged?
A Yes, sir.

Note: The location of the accident, as laid out on the chart by witness, was about W S W of the southerly tip of Amook Island and distance about 9/10 of a mile.

Q At the time of the accident, how did Alf Island bear?
A I don’t remember.

Q Still on the starboard bow?
A Yes, sir.

Q Before the accident, was the any conversation between the pilot, the bridge officer and yourself in regard to the position of the vessel?
A No, sir.

Q Were they of the same opinion as you were that the vessel was in mid-channel?
A Yes, sir.

Q Did you have an efficient man at the wheel?
A Yes, sir.

Q Were the courses steered as you gave them?
A Yes, sir.

Q Do you remember the course steered?
A E by S 7/8 south.

Q Was there any deviation on that course?
A No, sir.

Q As the various courses were set from Zachar Bay, did the third mater see that the quartermaster steered them correctly?
A No, but the pilot did.

Q Since the accident, has anything developed that would show the exact location of the wreck?
A No, sir.

Q Since the accident, do you know if any soundings have been taken in an attempt to locate the wreck?
A I myself went there to locate it, and the chief officer.

Q Did you find any indication of where the wreck was?
A Only by the oil, but not by soundings.

Q Did the oil indicate the position as you laid it out on the chart, approximately?
A Yes. Of course, it was scattered over a considerable area.

Q Then how do you account for this accident?
A Well, it must have been an uncharted rock.

Q Do you know if this vicinity has been wire dragged previously?
A No, sir.

Q Will you tell in your own way what happened after the striking?
A I stopped the engines and then put her full ahead to beach her.She was sinking so fast that they told me from the engine room that they could do nothing on account of the water coming into the engine room, and I sung out to the chief officer to get everybody on deck and get the lifeboats out as quickly as possible, and the passengers and crew were called and taken in the boats. The vessel was sinking, bow first with a heavy port list. Everybody got in the boats with the exception of the chief engineer and Capt. Miller. They jumped overboard and were picked up.

Q Was anybody injured?
A The mail clerk got one of his fingers injured and a lady got her leg skinned and the Second Assistant sprained his ankle but is all right now.

Q Were there any serious injuries to anyone.
A No, sir.

Q As far as you know, have these people recovered entirely form their injuries?
A Yes, sir.

Q Was everybody rescued?
A Yes, except one man.

Q Do you know the reason for his loss?
A No, I don’t know, only what the steward told me. He told me that there was a deck hand went back in the glory hold.

Q Presumably to get something?
A Yes, I suppose so.

Q Did he reappear?
A No, sir?

Q The ship went down while he was below?
A Yes, sir.

Q In reference to getting out the lifeboats, was there any delay?
A No, sir.

Q Did all the gear work efficiently?
A Yes, sir.

Q Was the steering gear in good working order?
A Yes, sir.

Q Was the vessel in good handling trim?
A Yes, steered all right.

Q Were your orders carried out?
A Yes, sir.

Q Have you any fault to find with anyone under your command?
A No, sir.

Q What was the name of the man who was lost?
A Manuel Dorras?

Q What was his position?
A Janitor.

Q Is there anything further you would like to sya about the matter?
A No, sir.

WITNESS DISMISSED.