Morning journal and courier., 1888-08-23

The City of Chester Sunk In Five Min
utes IN San Francisco Bay-Thirty-
Three Lives Lost-It Happened at 10
ann. But In a Thick Fog.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 22.-The coast
steamer City of Chester was ran down and
sunk about 10 a. m. by the Occidental and
Oriental steamer Oceanic, So lives being lost.
The accident occurred in the bay OF San
Francisco at short distance from the Gold
en- Gate. The City of Chester had started on
her regular trip to Eureka on the northern
coast of California, carrying an unusually
large number of passengers. When within
two miles of the heads she encountered
thick fog Captain Wallace began to blow
his steamers whistle to warn all vessels of
his approach. The Chester proceeded eau
tiously till og Port Paint, when the hosrse
sound of another whistle hoated 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 understood for in moment those on
board saw the huge PROV of the Oceanic
arrived from Hong Kong and Yokohama and
was moving up the bay to her dock. She
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 City of 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 down to the
bulwarks, tearing the great timbers and iron
plates and breaking into the staterooms and
cabin. The passengers crowded together,
some shrieking with fear and others praying
for help.
The City of Chester was cut almost into
halves and reeled under the terrible blow.
When the vessels were locked o number of
the City of Chester's passengers were passed
up over the Oceanic's bow and rescued in
! this way. AS soon as the large steamer
could clear herself she swung around and
began to lower her boats. At the moment
of the shock most of the officers and crew
of the City of Chester seemed to lose posses
sion of their senses, and several passengers
stated afterwards that some of the crew took
l the first opportunity to climb aboard the
| Oceanic, leaving the passengers to cut away
| the boats One of these was lowered as soon
as possible and number of passengers
| taken off. Others provided themselves
| with life preservers and jumped overheard.
| The greater part, however, were compelled
I TO remain On the steamer, which began to
1 settle Immediately. Torrents of water rushed
| into her hold and in fifteen minutes after the
collision the City of Chester had disappeared
1 in fifty fathoms of water.
Those of the passengers and crew who
came TO the surface were picked up by the
| Oceanio's boats, but the greater number were
drowned. A number of tugs and boats OF
all descriptions went to the scene and FEN
dered what service they could in picking up
! the living and dead floating among the
| wreckage. The greatest loss of life Is be-
lieved to have occurred among the steerage
passengers. They were on the lower deck Of
| the steamer, and there was no opportunity
to warn them of danger or render them as.
sistance. Of the 20 cabin passengers 10 are
lost with three of the crew. The names Of
the cabin passengers are:
| G. w Anderson of Oakland, Mrs s. E. Prater o.
| San Diego, Mrs G. H Haney of Eureka, ]. A
| Hampton and wife of Virginia, Nevada. G. T. Davi
and niece of Napa, California, Mrs. Mech, Mrs
Porter.
None of the survivors were landed unit
after O'Clock and at a late hour this after
noon there was still much doubt as to thu
| number of persons lost.