Wichita eagle., 1888-08-23
The Steamer Oceanic Runs Down tht
City of Chester, Sinking
Her at Once.
The Unfortunate Vessel Cut Entirely in
Two-The Officers Leave the PasSen-
gers to Their Fate.
Forty Persons Supposed to Have Been
Lost in the Awful COllisiOn-State-
ments Of the Two Captains,

the bay of San Francisco short distance
from Golden Gate, about 10 o'clock this
morning. The steamer City of Chester
left her dock here at $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 and waved adieu to friends who
had gathered on the wharf. The Chester
steamed slowly down the bay and when
within two miles of the heads encountered
a thick fog so peculiar in that locality.
Captain Wallace, of the City of Chester,
| began blowing his steamers whistle to
warn all vessels of his approach. The
| Chester proceeded cautiously on her course
until off 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 understood, for in moment those on
board saw huge Prov Of the occidental
and oriental steamer, Oceanic emerge
from the fog. The Oceanic had just ar
| rived from Hong Kong and 4okohoma
and was moving up the bay to her dock.
| the hugh steamer was 50 close to the
| Chester that there was no possibility for
| the latter to escape. The cabin pas
sengers were nearly all on deck. and the
captain seeing the danger called to them
to prepare for the shock. panic ensued
at once, particularly among the women
| and children, of whom there was large
| number. the Oceanic struck the Chester on
| the port side at the gangway and the shock
! was SO terrific that the Chester'S upper
works and bulwarks were crushed, tear
! ing great tlmbers and iron plates and
| breaking into tie state rooms and cabins.
| The widest confusion prevailed among
| the passengers, who crowded together,
| some shrieking for fear and others praying
fo1 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 Il
humber of the Chester's passengers We're
passed up over the Oceanlc's bow and res
cued 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 Ches-
| ter seemed to lose possession OF their
senses and several passengers stated
afterwards took the first opportunity to
climb aboard the Oceanic and left the pas
SengerS to cut away the boats, and one OF
these was lowered as soon as possible and
a number of passengers We're taken OFT IN
them. Others provided themselves with
life preservers and jumped overheard,
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 col
lsion the Chester disappeared and sank in
fifty fathoms of water. Those of the pas
sengers and crew who came to the surface
were picked up DO the Oceanic's boats and
a greater number were drawn down by the
rush of water and never appeared again.
AS soon as it was known that collision
had occurred number of tugs and boats Of
all descriptions went to the assistance and
rendered what service they could in pick
ing up the living or dead who were float
ing among the wreckaCe. The greatest
loss of life is believed to have occurred
among the Storage passengers, among
whom there were twenty-three aboard.
Only two of these were accounted for, late
this afternoon and it is believed others
were lost. They were in the hold or lower
decks of the steamer at the time of the
collision and there was no opportunity to
warn them of danger or render them any
assistance afterwards. The cabin passen
gers numbered seventy and of these ten
are lost, Three of the crew are also lost.
CAPTAIN WALLACE,
master of the Chester. was among those
who had a narrow escape from death.
He said: Il was standing on the bridge
and the Chester was feeling her way out
through the fog, blowing her whistles
regularly. When the Oceanics whistle
was heard we answered her, and | sup
posed we had got clear Of her. l had an
idea she was on our port side somewhere
and answered her accordingly. j took
proper steps to avoid her and
suppose She thought she was clear
of us. Suddenly her great black hull
came upon Us ont Of the fog. There was
no human possibility of getting out of her
way and the passengers were got ready for
The crash on the Chester was horrible
The Ocenic struck US on our port side near
the gang plank. After she struck | hardly
know what happened. The wreck was
scattered about i'll every way. | had
hard struggle to get through the
manageable. 1t was a difficult
matter for the Oceanic to pick the people
up, but her officers did splendid work. 1t
was not four minutes after the collision
that the steamer went down. She filed
SO rapidly it was impossible TO get the
passengers On the Oceanic and when she
started to go down she went with rush. !
was among those on her. They had TO
go down like the rest of US. / was lucky
in getting hold of bit of |
wreckage. I went under next. l
knew l was on the surface. / do
not think many of these, people were
saved. was picked ND. do not see how |
the disaster could have been averted, the |
vessels came together in such a thick fog. |
Il WAS barely possible to do.
CAPTAIN METCALF,
Of the Oceanic. made statement: I'VE |
were entering port this morning with the I
weather foggy / was on deck myself. as /
is customary on entering port. We were /
about midchannel course when / saw "A
steamer about two points starboard whose /
whistle we had heard some time previous. /
She was going at a high rate OF speed 1
while we We're proceeding slowly. | i'm /
mediately gave orders not TO leave star
bord helm and gave several blasts Of the 1
whistle, which was responded TO, but /
through some mistake l ported instead OF ]
starboarding and the collision occurred. (
The Oceanic was going SLOW at the time. /
The steamer which we then recognized As
the City of Chester, had in some manner
turned broacside and we struck her port
side abaft the fore rigging. The passenger
on board At once made q rnsh and many
climbed on board we, in meantime, throw
inG life bu0ys and lowering boats. By this
means lie recovered about fifty or sixty
persons.
The Chester was the property OF the
Oregon Railway and Navigation com paay.
and formerly run 70 Portland. she was
valued At 5 80. eco and was insured IN san
Francisco and eastern companies for about
half that sum Sire had about 20 tons OF
assorted cargo In her hold worth $3.50.
From the best information from steam
ship officials tonight. it Is thought that all
the passengers and crew have neen account
ed for except the thireeen wncse names