Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-08-23

Il
among those who went down with the
steamer. He said people we're in the
water on every side OF him and he
thinks very few of them were saved.
The Oceanic's boats did rapid and effect
i've work picking up the people. Captain
Wallace was rescued and went at once to
the steamship company's Office.
THE PURsER's STORY.
G. S. Arthur, the purser of the Oceanic,
was writing in his cabin when he was
aroused by sharp blasts on the whistle,
and sprang on the deck just as the COLI
sion took place. He says the scenes
upon the deck Of the Chester we're per-
fectly heartrending. The greatest confu-
sion prevailed and undoubtedly many
lives were lost from this cause. The
boats Of the Oceanic were in the water
within a couple of minutes, while the
life-buoys were thrown overheard to
those already struggling i'll the water.
Scarcely five minutes elapsed from the
time Of the collision until the Chester
turned over like box and sank. The
boilers exploded when the water reached
the fires.
A PASSENGERS EXPERIENCE.
S. P. Davis, cabin passenger on the
City OF Chester, whose brother and five
year-old niece, Josie Bruen, were
drowned, says in their death he wit
messed something so horrible that he
could never forget it if he lived thous-
and years. "When l reached the upper
deck" he said, with my sister, saw
my brother and little Josie struggling
forward on the bows. shouted to him
to get into one of the small boats with
myself and sister. Whether or not he
heard me l do not know. A few seconds
later saw that little Josie had her arms
claeped tightly around his neck and he
could not free himself from her embrace.
The next instant 1 saw my brother and
niece drawn under the waves in a mass
of wreckage."
PILOT MEYERS STATEMENT.
Pilot Captain Louis Meyer, who was
on the bridge when the collision occur
states: ri boarded the Oceanic just
outside the beads at 8 O'Clock. There
was dense fog at the time and it was
still rolling in, when we passed Bonita
Point. We were just off Time Point
when we sighted the Chester. We
heard her whistling and l responded
with two whistles which meant that
wanted to pass her on the star
about quarter of a mile apart
and the pilot Of the Chester
answered with whistle. After blowing
two whistles saw the Chester coming
for us and We were getting into close
quarters and we reversed our engines.
In two minutes she showed us her port
IL .s<,1xt II, II kl@k
must collide if she didn't sheer off to the |
port; instead of this she sheered off at an
angle and though We tried to turn so as
TO escape her, we hadn't time and the
first thing we knew the vessels collided. |
That is all there is to the affair. 1t was
an accident pure and simple and would |
not have happened had it not been for
he fog.
WHO WAS TO BLAME?
Ex-Governor Perkins, one of the agents
If the Pacific Coast Steamship Company,
says he can lay blame on no particular
person, but he thinks the officers of the
Chester were in the right. The accident
was the result of a combination of unfor-
seen circumstances. From the best in
formation obtainable tonight from the
steamship officials and outsiders, it is
thought all the passengers and crew have
been accounted for with the exception OF
the thirteen whose names have been
given.
THE STEERAGE PASSENGERS.
Following is list of the steerage pas.
sengers on the Chester, nearly all of
whom are reported to have gone down
with the vessel Eugene Fair, George
Atkinson, F. Sanguist, P. Brense, J. I.
Thompson, John F. Hickman, w. K.
Brown, E. Warneke, J. E. Riley, F. w.
Cook, r. B. Mosby, B. M. Clun, H.
Smith and wife. Miss Noe, j. F. Jordan,
VI. Lomo, w. H. Knowlton, H. M. Bill
ngs, M. M. Haswell, J. H. Garner, J.
Johnson.
DESCRIPTION OF THE VESSEL.
The City of Chester was a staunch
ron steamer, which had been in the
Coast trade for many years. She was
quilt at Chester, Penn, in 1875, and was
he property of the Oregon Railway and
Company, and formerly ran
20 Portland, Ore. Her length was POP
.eet; beam, 80 feet; depth. 16 feet
inches. Her net tonnage was 785, and
ner gross tonnage was 1,106 tons. She
was valued at $3.50, 900, and was insured
IN San Francisco and Eastern companies
ior about half that sum.
BETTER CONNECTIONS.
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