Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-08-30
ANolr.-.. OCEAN CALAMITY


The steamer city of Chester COIlIdes VIII
the Oceanic in "a Fog on the Pnclnc OO~o-
-Thirty-four Persons Drowned.
SAX Francisco, Aug. 23.-The most@eI
rible marine disaster that ever occurred
on the Pacific coast happened IN the Day
of San Francisco a short distance from
Golden Gate about ten o'clock yesterday
morning.
The steamer City of Chester left her DOCK
here at $3.50 and started on her regular
trip to Eureka on the northern coast OF
California. An unusually large number
of passengers stood on her decks anu
waved adieus to friends who had gsthereo
on the wharf. The Chester steamed
SLOWLY. down the bay and when within
two miles of the. heads encountered thick
fog so peculiar in that locality.
Captain Wallace began blowing his
steamers whistle to warn all vessels ofshdS
approach, and the Chester proceeded caur
tiously on her course till off the port point,
when the hoarse sound of another whistle
foated across the water. Captain wallace
answered the signal and gave proper
warning to the stranger to pass on the
port side. This was evidently not. under
stood, for in. a moment those on board saw
the huge prov of the. Occidental and
Oriental steamer Oceanic emerge from the
fog. The Oceanic had just arrived from
Hong Kong and Yokohama and was NOV
ing up the bay to her dock.
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 pre-
pare for the shock. A panic .ensued at
once, particularly among the women and
children of whom there were large
number.
The Oceanic struck the Chester on the
port side at the gangway and the shock
was so terrific that the screw cut into the
Chester's upper works and then crushed
down the bulworks tearing great timbers
and iron plates and breaking into state
rooms and cabins.
The widest confusion prevailed among
the passengers-who crowded together
! concentrating with fear. others praying
| for help. The bow of the Oceanic crushed
| into the middle section of the Chester,
| cutting her almost into halves and causing
! her to reel under the terrible blow. When
| the vessels were locked a number of the
Chester passengers were passed up over
the Oceanic's bow and rescued in this
way, but as soon as the large steamer could
| clear herself she Immediately swung
| around and began to lower her boats.
At the moment of the shock most of the
! officers and crew of the Chester seemed to
! lose possession of their senses and several
| passengers stated afterward that some OF
! the crew took the first opportunity to climb
aboard the Oceanic and left the passengers
| to cut away the boats. Some of these
j were lowered as soon as possible and q
number of passengers taken off in them
| Others provided themselves with life pre-
servers and jumped overheard. The
| greater portion, however, were compelled
to remain on the steamer.
! The vessel began to settle Immediately
after the collision. Torrents of water
rushed into her hold and in five minutes
after the collision the Chester disappeared
| and sunk in fifty fathoms of water.
Those of the passengers and crew who
came to the surface were picked up by the
! Oceanic's boats, but the greater number
| were drawn down by the rushing water
! and never appeared again.
The greatest loss of life is believed to
have occurred among the Storage passen-
gers, of whom there were twenty three
| abord. Only two of these were accounted
| for late yesterday afternoon and it Is be-
| lieved the others were lost. They were in
! the hold or lower decks of the steamer at
| the time and there was no opportunity to
warn them of danger render them any
| assistance afterward.
| The cabin passengers mum bered seventy
! and of these ten are lost. Three of the
! crew were also lost. The names of the
| cabin passengers lost are as follows: q.
w. Anderson, Oakland, Cal; Mrs. S. E.
Prater, San Diego, Cal; Mrs. G. H. Haney,
Eureka. CAL; j. A. Hampton and wife,
! Virginia New; G. T. Davis, Springfield,
! CAL; Miss Davis, j. Green, Napa, Cal;
| Mrs Mech, Mrs. Porter. The following
members of the crew were lost: E. r.
Chambers, steward; r. Fulton, Adam
| Richmond.