, 1888-08-23
A WATERY GRAVE.
Terrible Disaster in San Fran
cisco Bay
Collision Between the Steamers
Oceanic and Chester.
The Number of Lives Lost
Very Large.

VIC mOst lcITlDle marine disasters ma
ever occurred on the Pacific coast hap
pened in the Bay of San Francisco, 8
short distance from Golden Gate, about
10 o'clock this morning. The steamer
City of Chester left her dock here at 9: 81
and started on her regular trip to Eureka,
on the northern coast of California. Al
unusually large number OF passenger.
stood on the decks and waved adieus t.
friends who had gathered on the wharf
The Chester steamed slowly down the bay
and when within two miles of the head.
encountered a thick fog, so peculiar il
that locality: Capt. Wallace of the City
of Chester began blowing his steamer,
whistle to warn all vessels of his approach
The Chester proceeded cautiously OIL
her course till off Port Point, when thu
hoarse sound of another whistle hoatec
across the water. Capt. Wallace answered
the signal and gave the proper warning to
the stranger to pass on the port side
This was evidently not understood, for il
a moment those o board saw the huge
prov of the Occidental & Oriental steamer
Oceanic emerged from the fog.
The Oceanic had Just arrived froH
Hong Kong and Yokohama, and was
moving up the bay to her DICK. The
steamer was so close to the Chester thai
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 q
shock.
A panic ensued at once, particularly
among the women and children, of whom
there was a large number.
The Oceanic struck the Chester on the
port side at the gangway and the shock
was terrific, and her PROV cut into the
Chesters upper decks works and Their
crushed down to the bulwarks, tearing
the great timbers and iron plates and
breaking into staterooms and cabins.
The widest confusion prevailed among
the passengers. They crowded together,
some shrleklng with fear and others pray
ing for help. The bow of the Oceanic
crashed 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 num-
Der 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 swung around and
Immediately 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 of the passengers stated after,
wards that some of the crew took the first
opportunity to climb aboard the Oceanic
and left the passengers TO cut away the
boats, and one of these was lowered as
soon as possible and a number of passen.
gerss taken off in them.
Others provided themselves with life
preserVers and jumped overheard. The
greater portion, however, were compelled
to remain on the steamer, which 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 sank IN fifty
fathoms of water.
Those Of the passengers and crew who
came to the surface were picked up by the
Oceanlc's boats and a greater number
were drawn under by the rushing water
and never appeared again.
As soon as it was known around the
bay that a collision had occurred a num-
Der of tugs and boats of all descriptions
went to their assistance and rendered what
service they could in picking up the living
or dead who were floating among the
wreckage.
The greatest loss of life is believed to
have occurred among the steerags passen-
gers, among the twenty-three aboard only
two of these We're accounted for late this
evening and it is believed that the others
were lost. They were in the hold or lower
decks of steerage at the time of the COLI
sion and there was no opportunity to
warn them of the danger or render them
assistance afterwards.
The cabin passengers numbered seventy
and OF these ten are lost. The names of
the cabin passengers ere as follows: G.
w. Anderson, Oakland, Cal; Mrs. s. j..
Prater, San Diego; Mrs. @. H.. Pavey,
Eureka, Cal; j. A. Hampton and wife,
Virginia, New. ., L. Davis, Springville,
Cal. and Miss Davis, his niece; j.. Greer,
Napa, Cal. Mrs. Mech and Mrs. Porter.
The following members Of the Oceanic
Fnlton and Adam Ricbmond Nous ~
Inc SURVIVORS, were landed until alter |