The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1888-08-24
THE SUNKEN STEAMER.
a Graphic Account of the Disastet
Statements Of Officers of Both Vessels.

mere at 9:0U ana started on Qer regu-
lar trip to Eureka. She steamed
slowly down and when within two
miles of the heads encountered a
fog bank, so common in that locality.
Captain Wallace began blowing his
steam whistle to warn all vessels of
his approach, and the Chester pro-
ceeded cautiously on her course un-
til off Ft. Point, when the hoarse
sound of another whistle sounded
across the waters. Capt. Wallace an
swered the signal and gave the proper
warning to the stranger to pass on
the port side. This was evidently
not understood, for in a moment
those on board the Chester saw the
huge PROV of the Oceanic emerge
from the fog bank and bear down
upon them. The Oceanic had Just
arrived from Hong Kong and Yoko-
hama and was moving up the bay to
her dock, and the huge steamer was
so close to the Chester that there
was no possibility for the latter to
escape.
The cabin passengers were nearly
all on deck, and the captain, seeing
the danger called to them to prepare
for the shock. A panic ensued at
once, particularly among the women
and children, of whom there was
large number.
The Oceanic struck the Chester on
the port side, at the gangway, and
the shock was terrific. Her PROV cut
into the CheSter'S upper works and
then crushed on down to the bull
warks, tearing the great timbers and
iron deck plates and breaking into
the state rooms and cabins.
The widest confusion prevailed
among those ON the Inflated vessel.
The passengers crowded together,
some screaming and others praying
for help. The bow of the Oceanic
crushed into the middle section of
Chester, cutting her almost in halves
and causing her to reel under the ter
rifle blow. While the vessels were
locked together a number of the
Chester'S passengers were passed up
over the Ocednic's bow and were res
cued in this way, but as soon as the
large steamer could clear herself
she swung around and Immediately
began to lower her boats.
At the moment of the shock most
of the officers and crew of the CheS-
ter seemed to lose possession of their
senses, and several passengers stated
afterwards that some of the crew took
the first opportunity to get on board
the Oceanic, and left the passengers
to cut away the boats. One of these
was lowered as soon as possible, and
number of passengers were taken off
III it. Others provided themselves
with life preservers and jumped over
board. The greater portion, how
ever, were compelled to remain on
the steamer, which began to settle
Immediately after the collision. Tor
rents of water rushed into her hold,
and in five or ten minutes after the
collision the Chester disappeared and
sank if fifty fathoms of water.
Those of the passengers and crew
who came to the surface were picked
up by the OceGnic'S boats. The
greater number were drawn down by
the rushing water, and never appeared
again.
STATEMENTS OF SURVIVORS.
Captain Thomas Wallace, of the
Chester, makes the following state
ment: I'VE were making our way
out against a strong food tide when
l heard a whistle ahead and from the
direction from which the sound
came l thought we were all right
The next instant I saw the dark bulk
of the Oceanic above me, as she
crushed into our port side off the
forehatch. The fog was so thick we
could see nothing, and the disaster
happened quicker by good deal
than can tell it."
THE water must be forty fathoms
deep at that point, and We went down
rapidly. The confusion of course was
great, but the men did the best they
could to get out the boats. The pas
sengers, as quickly as possible, were
transferred to the Oceanic. I was
thrown into the water and had to
scramble out from the wreckage. 1t
was reported that when we started
for shore that fifteen or sixteen had
been drowned. One poor fellow was
crushed to death between the two
vessels. The Oceanic was a long time
in getting her boats into the water. I
understand that her Chinese crew of
ninety were afraid to man them, fear
ing that when our steamer sank they
would be drawn down aud engulfed.'
Among those who were on board
when she sunk were: Captain
Thomas Wallace, first mate G. Nc
Callum, second mate J. Lundene,
third mate s. N. Sundgreen, purser
G. G. Depeny. chief engineer F. Cook
son, first assistant engineer, w.
Bowen, second assistant engineer, r.
Comstock. There was also crew of
thirty seven, buta good many of them
jumped ON board the Oceanic di-
rectly as she struck the city Of Ches-
ter. q.
The Chester was valued at $15O,OOO.
She was insured in various compa-
MES for $4,000. She was an iron
vessel of ,785 tons burden.
|. s. A. Davis, of Eureka, one of the
CheSter'S passengers. gives the follow
ing particulars: when the Oceanic
was sighted she was half a mile
ahead and approaching bow on.
Neither vessel stopped until just as
they we're about to strike, when the
CheSter's engines ceased working and
they collided. AS they did, the
smaller vessel swung around and the
Oceanic crashed through her port
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