The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-08-23
A HORRIBLE SCENE.
A Terrible Collision in San
Francisco Bay.
CITY OF CHESTER GOES DOWN.
The Latest Accounts of the Thrilling
Experience of Yesterday
Morning.
CITY OF CHESTER GOES DOWN.
A Steamer unk.

SAN FRANCISCO, August 22.-One OF
the most terrible marine disasters that
ever occurred on the Pacific Coast hap
pened in 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
and started on her regular trip TO the
northern coast of California. An IN
usually large number of passengers
stood on the decks and waived adieu to
friends who had gathered in the docks.
The City of Chester" steamed slowly
down the bay, and when within two
miles of the heads encountered q
thick fog, SO peculiar IN that
locality. Captain Wallace, of the City
of Chester began blowing his steam
whistle to warn all vessels of his ap-
proach. The Chester" proceeded
cautiously on her course till Oft Fort
Point, when tho hoarss sound of
another whistle foated across the water.
Captain Wallace answered the sigra al
and the 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 Occidental and Oriental
steamer "Oceanlc" emerge from
the fog. The "Oceanic" had just arrived
from Hong Kong and Yokohama and
was moving up the bay to her cock. The
huge steamer was so close to the "Ches-
ter" that there was no possibility Tor
q 10 m asrono Tho nahin no sean-
gers were nearly all on deck and the
captain. seeing the danger. called to
tt en- to prepare for the shock. A panic
ensued st once, particularly among the
women and children, of whom there
was large number. The Oceanic
struck the Chester" on the port
side at the sangway and the
SHOCK WAS TERRIFIC,
and the PROV cut into the "Chester's"
upper works and then crushed down to
the bulwarks, starting the great tim
bars and iron lates and breaking into
the state rooms and cabins. The wild
est confusion prevailed among the pas
sengers. The passengers crowded
together, some shrieking with fear and
others praying for help. The bow of
the Oceanic" crushed 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. number of
tn e "Chester S" passengers were passed
up over tie ''Oceanic's" bow and res
cued in this way, but as soon as9thel
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 Chester" seemed to lose posses
sion of their senses, and several passen-
gers stated af forwards that some of the
crew took the first opportunity 10
passengers 10 cut away the boats,
and one of these vas lowered
as soon as possible, ard number of
passengers taken off III it. Then others
provided themselves with life-prese-v-
ers and jumped overheard. The greater
porti. II, however, were compelled to
remain On the steamer, which began
TO settle Immediately alter the coils
ion. Torrents of water rushed into the
hold, end in five minutes after the COL
lsion
THE CHESTER DISAPPEARED,
and sank in fifty fathoms of water.
Those of the passengers and crew who
came to the surface were picked |
up by sthe "Oceanic's' boat, |
hut the greater number were
drawn under by the rushing water :
and never appeared again. As soon as
1t was known around the bay that
collision had occurred, a number of
tugs and boats of all descriptions went
to the assistance ard rendered what
service they could in picking up the
living or dead floating among the
wreckage.
THE GREATEST LOSS OF LIFE
is believed to have occurred among
the Storage passengers, among whom
there were twenty-three aboard, and
only two are accounted for at late hour
this afternoon, and it is believed the
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 the
danger or render them any assistance
afterwards. The cabin passengers
numbered seventy, and of these ten are
lost. Three of the crew arc also lost.
The names OF the cabin passengers
lost are as follows: 9. W. Anderson
Oakland; Mrs. S. e. Prather, San
Diego; Mrs. G. II. Pavey, Eureka, Cali
fornia: j. A. Hsmpton and wife, Vir-
ginia, Nevada; G. L. Davis, Springville.
California, and Miss Davis, his niece,
and ]. Greer, of Nspa, California; Mrs.
Mech and Mrs. Porter. The following
members of the Oceanic" party are
lost: E. r. Chambers, Steward, r. Full
ton and Adam Richmond. None of the
survivors were landed until after l
o'clock, and at late hour this after
noon there was still much doubt as to
the number lost.
THE CAPTAINS STORY.
Captain Wallace. master of the "Ches-
ter" was among those who had a mar
row escape. He said: "Iwas standing
on the bridge and the Chester" was
feeling her way through the fog, blow
ing her whistle regularly. When the |
Oceanic" whistles were heard, we an
swered her and supposed we would get
clear all right. I had the idea she |
\