The San Francisco call., 1899-04-24
The City of Kingston and the GIenogle
Crash Together Off Browns
Point.

TACOMA, April 23-The steam
ships Glenogle and City of Kings
ton came into collision with a
L tremendous crash at 4:30 o'clock
this morning off Browns Point.
The Kingston was struck just back
of her boilers and cut almost
squareIy in two. In ten minutes her
hull had sunk and her upper works had
divided into two parts and were drift
ing about. They were subsequently
towed ashore by the Glenogle and tugs.
Nobody was killed, though the escape
of the Kingston's passengers and crew
was nothing less than miraculous.
The Kingston was entering port from
Victoria and the Glenogle leaving for
Victoria, en- route to Hongkong.
Browns Point is at the north end of
Tacoma harbor, six miles from the
ocean docks. Both steamships were
endeavoring to pass as near the point
as possible. The officers on each were
surprised to see the other steamship so
near in shore. The two vessels whistled
at about the same time, each signaling
to pass.
The Kingston attempted to pass the
Glenogle on the port side, and then,
realizing the certainty of a collision if
the Kingston attempted to get across
the Glenogle's bows, her engines were
reversed.
It was too late to avert the disaster
and the two vessels came together
with a crash. The Glenogle cut the
Kingston in two and the two parts
The purser and night watchman went
through the Kingston's deck, awaken
ing the sleeping passengers and the
crew.
The firemen poured up out of the fire
room and the engineers escaped quick
ly from the engine-room to the decks,
crOwding and jostling against each
other in their excitement. Many of
the crew escaped in only their night
clothes, while those sleeping more
lightly or nearer the deck were able to
seize some clothing. Men and women
struggled with each other for places in
the rigging, realizing that the steamer
was sinking.
The officers of the Kingston got out
the lifeboats and the Glenogles crew
had one of its lifeboats into the water
before the big liner had been stopped.
The sound of the crash and the
shrieking of whistles of the two boats
aroused the crews on the ships in the
harbor. Captain Powles of the ship
James Kerr ordered out a boat and
men to the wreck with First Mate
Hole. The second mate was sent on a
bicycle for a tug, and the tug Victor
put off to the scene.
AS the Kingston's passengers We're
being taken off, one of the masts top
pied over and fell across the deck
house, where a number of persons had
congregated, and the frail structure
gave way beneath the weight. Several
of its inmates were slightly injured. A
cabin boy floated off on a piece of
wreckage and was picked up by the
boats.
Passengers on the Glenogle were
much alarmed and rushed scantily clad
to the deck, ready for plunge into the
sea- Many of them were unnerved, and
the ships stewards piled lively busi-
ness with spirits and wraps. The
shock to the Glenogle was severe and
awoke every one instantly, nearly
throwing them from their berths The
Chinese crew was excited, and, al
though kept under strict discipline, the
Mongolians chartered and squealed as
though they were mad. The discipline
was almost perfect aboard, and had
the vessel been in danger every one
would have been cared for by the
boats, which were manned also.
A. f. Won Ettlinger of Portland was
one of the sleeping passengers aboard
the Kingston, His cabin was near the
point where the Glenogle struck the
Victoria liner.
AS soon as the Kingston was
struck" said Mr.. yon Ettlinger, ''the
purser and night watchman were