Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-05-26

ready 70 run. On the i2sh day of Ocso- |
Der tins Yosemite left Sacf4anento at /
pan. With about 700 passengers on board. /
Of whom 90 we're Chinese. These we're |
always carried in the forward hold or |
storage. aud watchnan was stationed |
AZ the head Of the companion way 10 |
prevent white men from going down |
s.airs. except the clerks Of the boat when |
going around to collect fare. Many OF
these passengers we're successful miners,
bound back to the Flovery land With
scns varying from $40 70 3lO in their
possession. The hour Of two having
arrived, Capt. Poole took bis place on
the roof Of the pilot-ho0se. where tbs
veteran Fourats with his assistant Crof
ton stood at the wheel. The other vatch
handled her ia tbs bay, and consisted OF
Daniel Gay % pilot and Richard King
as assistant. At length she last man
vss aboard and the orders came. - Haul
in your plank" Take In Jour spring"
:" Let 90 your headline Back her,.
The ponderous waking beam nodded
its obeisauce and the great hall backed
slowly against the strong current. Let
90 steru-iine--2o ahead" and with tap
of the big bell down vent ell four flags
at once. and the gallant boat sped away
on her GRAND OF peace. Four hours
later, oh what sickeuinR scene her
decks presented. she steamed laziiy
down past the Haycock shoals, wallowed
over the big bar above Freeport, and
swung into the slough At Onisbo island
at a snaii's pace. As soon as she was
out Of the slough dinner was served, and
the first table had Just sat down when
Fouratt rang the SLOW bell for Rio Vista
Barrhydt shut the throttle half over
and looked al the gage. Just eIghteefi
pounds.
len minutes detention, sufficient 10
get On board what passengers and freight
were 10 be taken on, and Baurhydt had
opened his safety valve aud commenced
blowing of steam as soon "a the gang
plank was run oot. As soon ~ Darby
Creighton, the mate. sent up word, "Aii
clear, sir" the pilot rang a backing bell
l3aurhydt shut of the escaping steam
and shipped his lever to reverse her.
The great iron beam moved about two
feet downward, aud then came roar as
II all the artillery in the world had been
fired. she had burs; her starboard boil
or. The Yosemite had at that time a
large Texas" or officers cabin, over
her main saloon and under the pilot
house. The latter was torn loose, and
Pilot Fouratt, Crofton and Capt. Poole,
who were standing ON top Of the Texas,
| we're thrown down forward on to the
toothpick. Creigh, the freight clerk,
was badly hurt, but Uncle Jim Johnston,
the purgcr, escaped comparatively unin-
iured. and yet the two men stood less
than ten feet apari. Fouratt and Capt.
| Poole had no bones broken, but Crofton
! was badly crippled up. Baurhydt was a
cripple for the rest Of his existence, but
served for some years on the Capital as
chief Atkinson, the steward, was serv
ing dinner in the after hold. The shock
rendered him deaf for life.
FORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE,
The loss of a key, saved the life Of a man
whom regard rs the ablest steamboat
man, in u general way, that ever saw the
Pacific coast. / allude to Capt. w. h
Taylor. nj that time agent OF the COM
| pany at sacramento, in connection with
the late and always lamented Gen. Al
fred Redington. and now president oil
| the kisdon iron works at San francisco.
| He was on his way TO San Francisco, and
had brought along small satchel con.
tanning a box Of cigars. These he left
| ia his stateroom near tue stern OF the
boat. Not being very hungry, he was
ono of the first to ieave the dinner ia
| bic, and was in his room at the stern Of
the boat when the boiler, which WAS for
ward, exploded and carried death and
destruction everywhere. In the forward
hold nearly two hundred Cinnamon were
scalded to death. The number of killed
among the white passengers WAS seventy
two, among whom was William C0rne-
gle Stevenson, the comedian, son Of
Col. J. ID. Stevenson, of the celebrated
pioneer regiment. Many of the wounded
who recovered from their injuries are
since dead, among them Baurhydt, Dan.
| Gay, twho committed suicide) Captain
Poole and Crofton, tho whseiman, as
we'll al the purser, James .. Johnston.
THE YRIGHTFUL CATASTROPHE,
Which was a unexpected as il was hor.
rible, carried sorrow and ruin to many
a sunny home. Six Of the survivors, Ia
my certain knowledge, have since be-
come insane, but would not be positive
that the explosion caused their dsmen
tin. Capt. James Whitney. tho president
Of the company, never recovered from
the shock his feelings sustained ny this
appalling catastrophe, nor did Major
Samuel j. Hensley, who WAS the largest
stOckholder. Both these brave men and
noble hearted pioneers died within -four
months afterward. They had believed
the Yosemite safer, even with her bad
boilers, than any high pressure boat
could possibly be; and when the catas
trophe came, these high-minded and
! sensitive men never ceased to blame
themselves for what had occurred.
The Chrysopolis. Capt. Albert Foster
came alongside the wrecked boat and
took OF tho dead and dying about 81
AIN. II Ia said that Foster, who il per-
feot giant in stature. cried like child
at the aQonixing spectacle. II SO, those
tears were the best proof Of his true
heart and lofty manhood.
The bravest are the tenderest,
Tho loving are the daring"
AN INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
Was appointed by the Legislature Of
1866, and II Ii said that when Gen,
RedinQton Was told OF tho adoption of
the resolutisn and the names Of the
committee appointed, he rose up saying
Not a cent" when the COMMITTEES
arrived in San Francisco neither the
exploded boiler nor its demoralized oon-
sort could he found. The boat Law IN
for nearly eight months and then was
fitted with new boilers Of American iron.
Ia the spring OF 1867, while lying at
Broadway wharf, the purser brought
down some S2SOO TO pay OF the Grew
after lunch. He put the money in the
safe and went down stairs with his bro
Their officers 10 lunch. On coming back
the door OF the safe was found TO have
been blown of with powder and every
dollar gone. In 1863 while lying at the
dock shortly after arriving from Sacra-
mento, she can9ht tire in the porter's
room presumably from the lamps. She
was toxed around 10 the Potrero for re-.
pairs, and Capt. David Van Pelt, an I'M.
Gle OF our Van ON the Hpokane, vas or
dered 10 superintend her repairs. He
had always contsnded that her wheels
had too many arms on them, and at his
suggestion
NEW rLAS0ES WEIR CAST,
Which contained two buckets less in
the water. Il Vas then determined TO
lencthcn her forward Of the wheel, 20
lessen her drsft. as she drew five feet Of