The San Francisco call., 1897-06-14
She Slipped on a Rock and
Suffered a Dislccaticn
of the Thigh.
The YACHTS STEERING-GEAR
BROKE.
A Ships Carpenter Banned for Negl.
,nce-Assistanc From the
Cutter Hartley.

Look out. there! She's going to
strikep
Sharp and clear rang out these words of
warning, and hardly we're they uttered
when the sloop-yacht Nellie, with party
of pleasure excursionists to the mum ber OF
eighteen, went headlong on the rugged
crags of Alcatraz Island, about fifty feet
from the Dollhouse.
The accident occurred at about 1890
P NJ Yesterday and the result is that now
young lady OF the name of Sem, resi-
dent of San Jose, lies at the army hospital
on the island in critical condition, hav-
ing suffered dislocs tion of the right hip
and several severe bruises of the body and
limbs. The rest of the party escaped with
only a drenching, and it is due entirely to
the forethought and experience of Captain
David Dean, the owner of the sloop, that
the whole number did not have 10 battle
for their lives with the waves.
1t was at about half-past IL o'clock yes
terday that the yacht left Tiburon with
the pleasure seekers on board. The ex-
cursion was given by Miss Amelia Hay
den, Postmistress at that place, and Mrs.
F. E Harmon of this City. The party
consisted of their friends here and in Bel
vedere and Tiburon, and the intention
was 10 sail around the bay and finally to
land at Quarry Cove on Angel Island and
take lunch.
According to the accounts of those on
board the little vessel was rounding the
south side of AlcatraZ and several lacks
mad been made when the steering gear
broke. She refused to obey her helm, but
Captain Dean with great presence of m ind
managed to get her headed for the shore
n. l.
where she lay rolling in the surf, tearing
her hull badly on the sharp projections.
The gentlemen of the party al once took
to the water, which at this point Is only
knee deep and carried all the ladies TO
land. All were brought off safely with the
exception of Miss Sem.
AS she stepped upon the shore her foot
slipped on the smooth, mossy stones and
she fell heavily, with the result stated III
the foregoing. One of the gentlemen OF
the party at once ran for assistance, and
the unfortunate lady was carried on an
army stTetcher to the hospital, where
medical assistance was rendered her by
Post Surgeon II. E. McVay. He gave 1t
as his opinion that though her injuries
could hardly be classed as serious,
she should not be removed to Tlburon
where she is a guest, for a day or two.
When the yacht went ashore NJ. J.
Fitzgerald, marine reporter for the Mer-
CnanlS EACnanRe, SlOOu on melggS
wharf. The telescope was at once brought
into play and the predicament of the ex-
cursionists discovered. Fitzgerald notl-
fed the officers of the revenue cutter
Hartley of the trouble and Pilot Henrick-
son at once went to their assistance.
The following were brought TO Meiggs
wharf by the Hartley none the worse tor
their experience: Mat Jorgensen, who
keeps a store at Tiburon; Miss BurdeIl,
Miss Pauus, Miss Bond, Miss Hastings,
Miss Z. Hopper, Miss Sadie Bartram, Mr..
and Mrs +. L. Harmon, S. A. Armstrong
and A. S. Crawford. Armstrong is a
stenographer for a local electrical COM
pany, Crawford is an employe ot the
Chronicle and Miss Bartram is an en-
ploye OF Swain's bakery.
The following were afterward brought
off in launch 10 Tiburon, Belvedere and
TINS City: + p. Butter Harry Campbell.
Miss Josie OConnel Miss Nellie Ferry.
James Smith and Mrs. Annie Wright.
Miss OConneli's father is groceryman
at Tiburon, and Campbell is collector t
the ThiTd-street wharf.
Dean is an experienced navigator and it
is safe to say that the accident was due to
no fault of his. 1t was slack water at the
time of the casualty and the various cur
rents, which are always so treacherous
around Alcatraz, were at their worst.
A ships carpenter named J. o. Rungie
was steering when the gear broke. A tack
had just been made, and it is asserted by
various members of the party that the
sails refused to fill as soon as they should
have done on account OF the steering.
The yacht was towed off the rocks late
in the evening by Henry Peterson's gaso-
line launch. Her hull was found To be
badly battered and torn, where she had
rolled on the sharp rocks, and it will cos t
a considerable sum to place her again in
proper condition.