The San Francisco call., 1899-01-23

and boat had been lowered from the
Oakland. Mathews and Finn went to
the assistance of Orr, and Gustafson
started after Wattles, who was floating
away. Come back" yelled the sail
ors in the boat. Come back and get
aboard, but Gustafson only yelled
back, I know what I'm about. Save
the other fellows" With powerful
strokes he made his way to the drown
ing man, and had just put out his hand
to grab him when he went down for the
last time. Gustafson swan around for
few minutes, but, seeing no sign of
Wattles coming up again, he swan
back and was taken aboard the Nc
Arthur's launch.
Orr and Finn were already in the
launch, while Mathews had been taken
aboard the Oakland. Orr was in very
precarious condition, and Finn was
more dead than alive, so the launch was
headed at full speed for Mission street
wharf. On reaching there Gustafson
ran to the Harbor Receiving Hospital,
and told the driver of the ambulance
of the accident. Drs. F'itzgibbon and
Sweeney were in bed, but at once got
up, and DR.. Fitzgibbon started out in
his bare feet, but was stopped. When
Orr was brought in the doctors were
sure he was dead, but nevertheless they /
went to work on his body and every
thing known to medical science was /
done to resuscitate him, but without /
avail. The right side of the dead mans I
head was bruised and his hair and +
clothes were all greasy, evidently from
the gasoline that had washed back I.
from the engine room into the cabin.
Finn was undressed and put to bed. /
He was then given a stimulant and
about II a. m. was able to dress him
self and go home.
Contradictory stories are told about
the collision. The people who were on
the William D state positively that the
Oakland ran them down. The CAPTAIN
and mate Of the ferry boat say the Will
liam D ran into them.
Il was called to the telephone last
Saturday and asked if 1 could spare a
launch for Sunday morning" said
Henry Peterson yesterday. The mes
sage came from Captain Seabury's
house in Berkeley, and 1 agreed to
have the William D ready for them at I
I:3O o'clock Sunday morning. At the I
hour named four men put in an appear
ance and said they wanted to go to
Plnole to search for two young fellows
who had gone duck hunting and had
not returned. Just then one of them (
was called TO the telephone, and he I
came back saying the boys skiff had /
been found, but that there was no trace /
OF the hunters. After a conference /
they decided to go first of all TO Berke- /
ley, see the men who had picked up
the skif and find out the best place to
look for the bodies. To assist them in /
their search they took along one of my
whitehall boats. They left here at /
a m, and the last time 1 saw the I
launch she was steering a course for !
the north end of Goat Island"
All know is that escaped by the /
skin of my teeth said Captain Chres /
Gustafson. There was light haze on 1
the water but 1 could see Goat Island
distinctly and l steered a direct course i
for the north end Of the island As to /
how the accident happened 1 haven't /
the faintest idea. One thing 1 can /
swear to- had clear course and |
there were no whistles blown. The /
first thing l knew was that something
had turned the William D on her side /
and the water was rushing into the /
engine-room. l was nearly smothered /
for moment, and then I remember /
grabbing the window frame and the I
next instant I was on the surface of /
the water. l saw the paddle-wheeI of /
the Oakland coming down, and, making
a dive, 1 got under it. Then 1 saw Mr. |
Wattles making very poor struggle
for his life, and, thinking he was hurt |
went to his assistance. Poor fellow. |
he went down for the last time as l was
putting out my hand to help him. l
then swan back and got into the Nc
Arthur's launch, after which we raced |
for the wharf with the injured men"
TT was little hazy when we left our
slip on the s a. m. run" said CAPTAIN
William Clairville. Il could see Goat
Island, however, but did not see the
launch until she was down on us. I
cannot for the life Of me understand |
how she came to run into US or how
any one of the people aboard ESCAPED. |
The first time / saw the little boat was
when I looked down out of the pilot t
house and saw her under our star
board bow. ] turned to the mate. who
was with me in the pilothouse, and said |
She is getting very close Too -
close said he; we'd better go astern.
With that he blew the danger signal |
and rang up full speed astern in the
engine room. AS soon as they got the
danger signal on the launch she seemed
to swing right into us, and struck the |
Oakland just forward of the paddle |
box. Luckily our paddles began to go |
astern and the wash from them threw
the boat away from the Oakland, or