The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-03


| sank shortly after the collision, but not
until every soul on board had been saved.
The Peters was finally beached at Sau-
salito.
She left this city shortly after o'clock
under command Of Captain Thomas II.
Holdsworth, on her regular trip to Stock
ton. She had hardly been out more than
ten minutes and was abreast of Angel
Island when the collision occurred The
night was dark, the moon not being up,
but there was no fog to obscure the vision
of the men at the wheels of the steamers.
The stories of the men on the steamers
as to how the collision occurred are of
conflicting character. There was a mis-
understanding of signals. and when col
lision seemed inevitable the captains of
both vessels signaled for full speed
astern.
The Peters struck the Czarina full on
the port bow. The collier was coming
down the bay in ballast ; and was
bow of the Peters went crashing through
the steel plates of the collier.
The force of the collision was 50 great
the Peters was snapped of and how re-
poses in the hold OF the Czarina- The
anchors, chains and hawsers remained
and dragged along after the collier as she
slowly made her way to the city.
The Peters commenced to sink at once,
and in few minutes her brave nremen
posts and the fires went out. In the
meantime the sailors were clearing away
the lifeboats, into which the women pas
spasm of alarm the preparations to leave
the sinking ship were made IN an orderly
manner.
The Captain Weber hove in sight just
after the steamers separated and drew
alongside in answer to the signals of dis
tress. It did not take long to transfer
from the upper deck of the Peters to the
Weber. After all had been transferred
the women passengers, who had in the
meantime been landed on Angel Island,
were placed on board the Weber and con-
tinued their interrupted journey to Stock
ton.
The crew worked manful1y in an at
tempt to beach the Peters. She was run
on the bottom at Angel Island. but float
ed off on the strong tide. Finally the at
tempt to place her there was abandoned.
The Sea Queen made fast to her stern
post and towed her over to the Sausalito
mud flats, where she now rests in ten feet
of water. The crew remained in the life
boats and patrolled the vicinity of the
wreck all night
When Captain Seaman of the Cza.rina
found that his boat was not taking wa
ter he turned his attention to the Peters
and its passengers. Before he could rem
der any assistance the Weber and the
Monticello were on the spot and he then
started for the city.
Owing to the mass of gear from the
Peters that remained on the bow Of his
ship he found her difficult to manage, but
finally placed her in her usual berth at
Howard-street wharf.
about ten years under Captain Holds
worth: She is stern wheeler and US
ually has large passenger list and mis-
California Navigation and Improvement
Company.
The Czarina is used as a collier and is
owned by j. D. Spreckels & Bros. Co. Aft
er she was purchased by this firm she was
entirely remodeled. She has been in the
coast trade since she was purchased last.
She was coming from Port Costa in water
ballast when the Peters struck her.
The fact that no lives We're lost Is at
tributed to two things. First, the Gar
and secondly, the Peters being wooden
vessel sank gradually, thus allowing
time for bP and crew to gp
have proved a disaster that would have
gone down in maritime history as the
most dreadful that ever happened within
the Golden Gate.
The story told by Captain George Sea-
man of the Czarina Is as. follows:
where we had delivered a load Of grain grain
When off Quarry Point, east of Angel
Island, we saw the Peters coming In the
meaning, we will cross your bows he |
answered with single blast signifying, |
all right, and we went ahead. When the |
two whistles signifying, look out for me- |
l VIII cross your bows saw that an |
accident was inevitable and at once sig |
nailed the engineer to back up full speed. |
As nearly as can recollect the Peters |
came on full speed She struck us in our |
port DOW, making hole big enough to |
drive team through.
. We began making water fast and |
thought for time l would have to beach |
my vessel, but as we had nothing aboard /
but a ballast of water ] started out to
make my dock. The accident crippled us
SO badly we could not steer and / finally !
called the tug Alert to our assistance."J
rd-
street wharf with the whole of the bow
OF the Peters still sticking in her own
are all there, too, and these dragging un-
der the keel crippled her steering gear
and rendered the boat unmanage able.
water and the vessel Is lying low, but
there Is no danger of her sinking.
rapa qamsage has not yet been estimated
own boat was so badly damaged he had
one Of thu ahe PETERS
frightened he did not know, the name Of
the vessel on which he had been working.
My partner told me to yump.' he said
and / jumped"
Captain Seaman believes that If the ot1i-
sense or Judgment the accident might
easily. have been avoided.
so far as known. the only man injured
who lives at 1901 l. avenue, in this city.
He was caught in the wreckage and badly
The steward took charge Of
,ello, which brought him to this city. He
vas taken to the Harbor Receiving Hos
oital, but his nerves were so badly shaken
lie was unable to talk and the doctors
we're obliged to administer an. opiate to
,ut him to sleep. 1t is feared that he has
severe internal injuries.
Steward A. w. Dennison of the j. d.
Peters returned to tie city on the Month
,ello with Electrician Rich, who was in
ured. His story Of the wreck follows:
I'VE left the city on our regular trip
% Stockton at 10 minutes past o'clock.
We. were just off Angel Island and the
sabin was crowded with. passengers who
we're at dinner. The first intimation I
lad of danger was the signals from the
boats. The first signal l heard was from
he Peters. The captain blew two blasts
IN the whistle signifying that he was d.
'ecting his course to port and would