Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1888-08-24
COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER
FATAL COLLISION.
Tho Hteomcr City OF Chester Goes
Down in 300 Feet OF Water.

From the San Francisco Post Of the
22nd instant We condense the following
in reference to the collision between
the steamships Oceanic and City of
Chester which occurred on Wednesday
morning;
The steamer City Of Chester, Of the
Pacific Coast Steamship Company,
which let this port Mt an early hour
this morning with large list of passen-
gers, bound for Humboldt Bay, now
lies at the bottom of the channel off
Fort Point. The accident was the re-
suit Of a collision between the Chester
and the China liner Ocea nic, bound in.
The Chester left her berth at the
Broadway pier mt the usual time and
ga;ly steamed down the channel around
the seaw Ill aud past Back point. where
she stuck her nuse into bank of fog
% the kind that sailors call "mush,"
owing to its remarkable thickness. As
LuC StCblCI uCu'iSu OuI lOI lhC ShhhhCl
off hlcatraz the fog bank grew more
dense, and Cnptain Wallace of the Ches-
ter b"gan blowing the steamers whistle
regularly to warn AL vessels of his ap-
proach. The Chester crept cautiously
along. and all went we'll until she ar
rived off Fort Point, when suddenly the
honrse sound of the return warming of
another vessel came to the ears of those
on the Chester. Captain Wallace blew
his whistle t. notify the stranger to
pass on his port side, and confidently
continued on his course. It seems that
the master Of the Oceanic did not un-
derstand or heed the signal, for his great
ship swept swiftly along on the food
tide and bore down upon the Chester,
which WAS yet hidden in the TO! and
steadily blowing her whistle. To the
CONSERVATION of the captain of the
Chester, the sharp blnck prov and up
Ter works of the big steamer doomed up
ont of the fog, bearing down upon the
fated Chester Mt full speed. The
Oceanic was so rear that there was no
possibility of getting out of the way
though the Chester was headed to star
honrd in the hopes of escaping. The
passengers were nearly all OH the
steamers deck, and Captain Wallace
called to them to prepare for the shock,
which came in few seconds. A panic
ensued, particularly among the females,
who began wild screaming and clinging
to their companions for protection.
Within spnce Of time shorter than is
required to reiate it, the Oceanic had
appeared ont of the fog, rushed down
u ION the Chester upon the port site.
striking mt the gnngw nys, ut nu angle of
about thirty degrees.
AZ the two vessels came together
there were loud cries Of alarm from the
passengers md crews, and then the
black lion PROV Of the Ocennic cut into
the Chesier's upper works with the
greatest ease, and sloaly crushed on
down t. the bulwnrks on the main
deck, smashing aud severing the great
timbers md iron plates Of the Chester,
crushing through into the state rooms
aud inner cabins without any apparent
checking of her momentum. The
scene on tie two vessels at this mo-
lnent wns terrible. The passengers on
the doomed steamer were crowding fore
and aft, Rome shrieking with fear, some
cursing, and others praying to the Al
mighty for help. The officers OF the
Chester seemed t. have lost their
30 1905, and pundemoniun for few mo-
ments rcigncd supreme. The Chester
roelel under the terrific blow; the pns.
sengers on her deck were roughly
thrown down by the shock, and then,
after giving the Chester her death
wound, the Oceanic swung to one side
aud passed astern OF her victim.
The collision occurred at 8 so, and IN
less than Ave minutes the Chester had