Elphicke v. Pittsburgh Steamship Co.

Citations

• 123 F. 405
• 1903 U.S. App. LEXIS 4010

Syllabus

<p>1 Collision—Steamships Meeting—Violation or Rules.</p> <p>The Elphicke, a large lake steamer, heavily laden, when passing down the St. Clair river exchanged signals to pass port to port with the Poe, then about a mile below, coming up with tows. Shortly after, the Elphicke passed a bend in the river, which required a change to starboard of about six points, but she failed to port her helm soon enough or sufficiently, and her momentum and the current carried her too far to the eastward, and into .the course of the Poe, and a collision resulted. The Poe, although initiating the signal, did not change her course, as required by rule 17 of the rules for navigating the Great Lakes, but kept her course until the collision, even after she saw that the Elphicke was out of her proper position, although she had time and ample room to have gone to starboard sufficiently to have prevented the collision. Helé, that both vessels were in fault.</p>