Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-08-23

We pulled away from the Chester before
she sank and were then picked up by the
Oceanic's boats. The boat was in was the
only boat lowered from the Chester"
PILOT MEYERS STORY.
Captain Meyer, pilot, was in charge of
the Oceanic at the time of the collision,
Captain Metcalf, master of the steamer, was
on the bridge with him. Captain Meyer,
when seen aboard the steamer by Bulletin
reporter, made the following statement:
/ boarded the Oceanic at 7:30 o'clock
this morning when about six miles outside
the bar. The weather was very foggy. We
ran slowly into the bar, and then changed
our course TO the Heads going slow most of
the time. We ran at not more than half
speed between the bsr and the Heads We
passed four-masted ship lying at anchor
in about ten fathoms. We could see then
about one-fourth OF mile. Between Fort
Point and Lime Point the fog lifted and
we saw both the fort and Lime Point, being
nearest at that time to Lime Point. We
were whistling, and then heard a steamer
respond on our starboard bow. We whistled
again with two blows, and heard the
steamer blow twice, that meaning to 90 to
starboard for both of us. When we heard
the second whistles we saw the steamer
coming toward US, and / had the engines
stopped still. We were making q little
headway, and l ordered the engines TO 90
back at full speed. The Chester shot across
our bow and then we struck We had been
backing water fully two minutes before the
collision. l am sure of this, for / verified
it from the engineers orders. We struck
the Chester on the port bow, and then | or
dered the engines, which were pulling US
hard astern, to be reversed and put US right
in on the Chester, for | wanted to let the
people get on our bows. We then ordered
boats lowered, and did all we could to save
lives"
AT THE TICKET OFFICE.
At the Office of the ticket agent, ia
Montgomery street, no information what
ever could be CLEANED. The clerks pro-
fessed an utter ignorance of all matters re-
lating to the disaster. In fact, up to II
o'clock they had not even received word of
the disaster.
At the main office, 10 Market street no
information could be obtained. The crew
and Captain Wallace had been shipped
only recently, and consequently they had
not the names of those composing the
crew.
LIST OF PASSENGERS.
Following is the list of cabin passengers
d: d. Ferguson and wife, NJ. Coady and
wife, G. T. Mills A. f. North, Mrs. t.
d.
SAINT, Mrs. Wright Miss d. Dearan, Miss K.
Dearan, J. Wright ]. Mannheim, Miss Man
helm, S. P. Davis, G. T. Davis. F. Brennan,
Mrs. G. Brenan, Miss j. Brenan, j. c.
Hampton and wife, Mrs A Curtis, nurse
and two children, s. WE'LL, Clitus Barbour,
T. D Seymour, G. w. Perkins and wife, ],
S. Munsell, wife and daughter, f. G. Wolf.
Mrs. c. II. Haney, J. Green, John c. Bar
kus, c. Z. Lemery, J. A. Fitzgerald, G. o.
Trask, J. Starett. S. NJ. Matthews, ]. ].
Loggie, Mrs. Green, ]. NJ. Anderson, Miss
NJ. King, c. P. Tite, Mrs. Mech, J. Stader-
man, d. Morgan and wife, Mrs. S. f.
Crater and two daughters, Mrs. S. NJ.
Triggs, A. G. Reed, Mrs. Clark, j. NJ. Cor
ley, B. A. KcKay. w. Marble. P. Nerv, T.
Peterson, ]. Garibaldi and wife. A. Nor
ruff, Mrs. Porter, Miss s. Greer, N. Kae-
Usher
The following are registered as steerage !:
Eugene Farr, George Atkinson, f. Lin
quist, B. Bronson, ]. Thompson, John H.
Hickman, w. X. Brown, C. Waranike, ].
E. Riley, T. w. Cook, r. B. Mosby, b. NJ.
Chin, II. Smith and wife, Miss Noe J. f.
Jordan, NJ. Tomo, w. H. Knownton, H.
NJ. Billings NJ. N. Haswell, ]. Garner, ].
Johnson. One Italian, name unknown.
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
Aboard the Oceanic there was naturally
a scene of great confusion. The boats that
were lowered kept bringing half-drowued
people aboard, and these received the care
and attention of all officers and passengers.
Steward Broughton, the steamers surgeon,
the purser and all the lady passengers did
all in their power for the sufferers. The
ladies gave freely of their dry clothing to
the soaking rescued ones. Many were
wrapped in blankets, and the main saloon
looked like q hospital There were sad
scenes there. Children without parents, a
wife with "a husband missing, mother
with her child gone, were there walking
about and refusing all efforts at consolation
or cheer. One little girl, Emily, had been
saved, but both parents were among the
missing. Captain Bryan, Superintendent
of the 0. and o. Company, Captain Will
lans, Of the Pacific Mail, John R. Jarboe
and others went early TO the scene Mr.
Jarboe had a daughter on the Oceanic.
The Custom house launch Hartley was at
Meiggs' wharf waiting for the Oceanic to
come in. From Point Lobos the news
came to them that the steamer had been in
collision and the launch went to the scene
as fast as the thick weather inside would
permit. It was but a short time after 10
clock when the launch was in the midst
of floating debris. Quarantine Officer Nc
Allister with Doctors Callundum and Brad
bury followed in the quarantine tug soon
after the Customs launch. The physicians
did efficient work aboard in reviving the
half-drowned. DR.. McAllister worked for
over au hour in trying to save the life of
Mrs. Hampton, but it was in vain. The
tugs Etna and Hercules was not long in
reaching the scene. The Hercules towed
one of the Chester boats ashore and picked
up quantity of floating wreckage.
EXPLOSION OF THE CHEsTER's BOILER.
AS the Oceanic crushed through the hull
of the City of Chester, one of the most
alarming thoughts in the minds of the
passengers of both steamers was'that the
boiler of the wrecked steamer would ex-
plode and that great loss of life would be
occasioned on both vessels. The boiler did
explode, but luckily this did not occur until
the vessel had settled very low in the water.
as she was taking her final plunge, and
then it was too late for the explosion to do
much damage. 1t is feared, however, that
some of the missing were injured by it,
and that they were, therefore unable to
keep themselves afioat until the boats came
to their assistance.
THE CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.
Captain Bryan, from his inquiries, is con-
fident the disaster resulted in the Chester
not going to starboard as the signal whistles
required. The two whistles from the
Oceanic were responded to from the Ches-
ter, according to several statements, and
the consequent understanding was that
both vessels should pass to starboard The
Chester people say the Oceanic was head
ing SO that to go starbosrd was almost i'm
possible.
TWO CHILDREN SAVED.
Charles Spratt, called Liverpool y is one
of the heroes of the disaster. He was the
second mate of the San Vicente when she
was burned recently and had shipped as
sailor on the Chester. He was in one of
the Oceanic boats and saw q baby strug-
Cling in the water. Over he went and
saved her. Second Officer Delson of the
Oceanic helped pull him out with his bur-
den. He again jumped over for three
others before returning to the steamer, and
was instrumental in getting all to safety.
A boat floating bottom up, with China
man holding little girl and sitting astride
the keel, was seen from the Oceanic. Res
cuers were sent out and saved both. The
Chinaman was one of the Oceanic's psssen-
gers. Deputy Surveyor Fogarty, says he
was ''prior resident" All who saw the
act praise the rescuer for his bravery.
Cantain Wallace of the Chester came