The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-02
CRASHED INTO
A FERRY SLIP
The Steamer Encinal's En-.
gines Caught on a
Dead Center.
Would Not Reverse When Called
Upon and the Accident
Followed.
Two of the Firemen Burnt About the
Head and the Slip and Boat
Badly Damaged.

The passengers on The 5:15 NJ. trip to
Oakland of the steamer Encinal received
a great shaking up yesterday. The en-
gines struck work at critical moment
and the boat went into the Oakland slip
with an awful crash. The passengers
were thrown off their feet, two men in the
treroom were severely burned and the
steamer and slip were considerably dam
aged.
The Encinal left here with very big
crowd of passengers; in fact, there was
Just standing room. All went well until
The steamer was approaching the Oakland
slip, where the signal "stop her" was
rung up. the order was obeyed. but the
engine stopped on dead center, and
when the order TO go astern was given
the machinery would not answer.
The steamer went steadily ahead, tear.
ing away a couple of piles that were in the
way, bre aklng great rips off others, dam
aging ner own guard rails and finally
crashing into the space between the two
clusters of pies that support the apron.
The impact was so great that the connect
ing rod that held the clusters together
was snapped like d pipe-stem, and the
vessel ran under the apron until she
could get no further.
Passengers who were standing were
thrown in a heap on the deck. Those
who eTe forward got on their legs again
as quickly as possible and ran aft in
hurry. Some Of the women tainted,
others screamed. and for a lew minutes
pandemonlu IN reigned. Then the en-
gineer got the engines under control. the
Encinal was made fast and the passengers
got ashore in hurry.
When the ferry steamer got back to this
side al bout 8 P. NJ. a. Heaiy and John
Crowley were taken to the Waterfront
Receiving Hospital. Healy was suffering
from burnt ear and cheek, while Crow
ley's scalp and neck were burnt When
the shock came they were thrown against
the boiler, but were not seriously hurt,
although the wounds were very painful.
Dr.. Deas dressed the wounds, and the
men went back TO Oakland on the
steamer.
The steam schooner Lakme went TO sea
shorthanded Yesterday. just before sail
ing the members OF the Sailors Union
persuaded three OF the men 10 strike for
union wages. The police then put in an
appearance and the steamer got to sea
without any urther trouble.
:: Captain DrsColI of the Mail company's
tug Millen Grffi picked up fourteen
foot skiff outside the heads yes terdav. Ii
Is pain ed brown on the outside and had a
pa r OF oars and large brown sal, in it
A ew days ago coupe OF bows stole
skiH from a fisherman named Antoine.
They may have tied II under the wharvss
somewhere In careless manner and II
may have worked loose and drifted out to
sea.
Charles Lndell, mate of the steamer
Alcazar, was taken to ST.. Luke's
Hospital Yesterday in a dying condition.
The AIcaZar was loading railroad ties at
Point Arena last Monday and they werelbe-
ing put aboard by means of wire cables. 1t
was very foggy morning and when Lin
GEL came on deck he al not see the sling
with forty ties IN 1t. The next moment
it struck and crushed him to the deck
He was at once sent to San Francisco and
on his arrival was taken t. the Branch
Receiving Hospital. A cursory examina-
ton showed that private hospital was
the place for the sufferer, so he was sent
10 ST. Lukes.
T.. 6. Back assumed The duties of Col
lector al section 1 of the seawall, George
L. Allen the duties OF Wharfnger at
Channei-stree; wharf and W. Ratten berry
he duties of Inspector on Broadway
wharf under the Harbor Commissioners
yesterday.
George w. Brown, late agent of the Pa
ciic Mail Company at Panama has been
appointed mFster OF the steamer San
Juan Chief Officer Try of :he Sar Bias
Wall take the same com panys tender Isa-
bel TO Central America.
The battle-ship Oregon will leave for
Porl Orchard to-day, where she will GO on
the drydock for an overhauling. >:
Coal is in demanh and IN consequence
the GOLFERS are kept busy. The Homer
arrived from Coos Bay at Z A. NJ yester-
day, disc arged 600 tons of coal and sailed
again for another load at LIP. NJ. The
captain and crew are not getting many
hours ashore these days. M III
a steady northwest wind has been
- ,Nr-1 t.
and in consequence quite fleet OF coast
ers got in. Daring Tuesday and yesiar-
day thirty-four steamers and sailing yes
sells arrived, among them being the last of
the Grays Harbor fleet.