The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-08-23
HARBOR HORROR
The Steamer City Of
Chester Sunk.
Struck by the Oceanic in
San Francisco Bay.
Thirty-Fonr Lives Lost---Few i'm
the Sseersge Escape.
Tae steamer Goes Down In Few
Minutes. and the Passengers Below
the Decks Are HeIpiessiy Dres~ned
How the Collision Happened-A
Dense g-Heart-Rending Scenes
ON Board the Doomed Vessel.

SAN FkASc1Sco, Anz. 1l.--tJne Of th;
most terrible marine disasters that ever oe
cured on the PAeEEc coast happened in
san Francisco bay. . short distance from
the Golden GATE, about 10 o'clock this
morning
The steamer City Of Chester left the dOss
here AZ 70 a No. aud started On her regu
lar trip 70 Eureka. on the northern eoRst ol
California An unusually lsrge number oil
passengers stood Oh her decxs aad waved
their haBdkerchiefs 50 their friends who
gathered On the wharyes. The Chester
steamed slowly down. aud when within
two niles of the heads encountered q seg
bank. 80 peculiar IN that locality. Capt.
Wallace began blowing HIS steamers
whistle 10 warn al vessels Of hs approach.
The Chester pr0eeeded cautiously On her
course until on Fort foiat, WHEN the
hoarss s0nnd Of another whistle fioascd
across the waters. CaTtair Wallace an
sKered the signal and gave the proper
warning 10 the stranger 10 pass on the port
sit.e This was evidently not understood
for in moment those on board the Ghes-
ter saw the huge PROV Of the Oceanic
emerge from the fog bank aud bear down
upon them The Oceanic had Just arrived
moving up the bay 10 her dock, and the
huge steamer WIS so close to the Chester
that there WIS no possibility for the latter
10 escape The cabin passengers were
nearly all on deck, and the captain. seeing
the danger. called 70 them % prepare for q
shock
A panic ensued al once. particularly
among the women and children, of whom
there were large number. The Oceanic
struck the Chester on the port side, al the
gengway, aud the shock Was terrific. The
prov cut into the Chester's upper works
and then crushed on down TO the huigarks
tearing the great tlmbers and iron deck
plates and breaki.g into the state rooTns
aud cabins.
The widest confusion prevailed among
those On e ili-fafed vessel. The passeri-
ger crow ded together. some screaming
and others praying for help. The bow of
the Oceanic crushed into the middle sec
tiou OF the Chester, cutting her almost in
halves aud causing her 90 reel under the
ierrinc blow.
While the vessels were locked together
number of the Chcster's passengers we're
passed up over the uccauic's bow aud were
rescued IN taiz way. but as soon a the
large steamer could clear herself she
swung around and Immediately began 10
lower her boats.
A SCRAMBLE FoR LETE.
AT tlo moment Of TIE stpSk most OF tAt
Officers ani crew of the Chesler seemed 70
lose possession OF their senses, aud sew
erni psssenges stated afterwards that some
OF tue crew took the arst opportunity ~
set aboard the Oceanic aud leiE the psSsea-
ztfs 10 cut away fhg beats. 88e Of these
= a. lowered as soon a. pos BILE. aad q uuu,-
Der of passengers taken OH. Others pro
Vided themselves win hfe-pFeseTvuFs and
jumped overheard, The greater portion,
however, were e0mpelles. 20 remain on the
steamer, which began 70 settle smmedi-
Sitly after the collision,
FORESTS 81 Haser washed into her bold,
ard ia iige or Sen minutes after the COLT
sina the chester disappeared and sank IA
- IafnnGs uf 6 atcr. IhoSe OF the passeE-
gers and crew who came 10 the surface
wefe I.it kid up BY the Oceanio boats, but
tue greater nunber were dfawa down by
the Eushins water and never appeared
again
As soon as il sns known around the bay
that a collision bad occurred. n number OF
tugs and boats oi ali kinds went 30 give
assistance, aud rendgrcd what seFyice they
could in picking uP The living or dead who
Wese floating among the wreeksEe
TIE oCEkSGC To ELAsE.
SAS FRANtfsCo. Aug, 24.-Ex-Goy Per
klnS, oae Of The agents ~ the Pacific Coast
steamship Company, says he can blame No
particular person, btst he thiaks tae
1sicess ca tne thpSieF were ia the right
lne accident was the result nf a cOMbfnA
;ion Of uuiuFSeeu circumstances.