The San Francisco call., 1901-12-01
christensen Ready to
Reverse Engine r
at Signal. -
Dense Fog Makes Him
Fear Possible
Collision.
Not a Moment Lost at
First Evidence of
Danger.


verse. Chief Jones had
stepped outside and we
were running under a slow
bell. had my hand on the lever from
the time we left the ferry slip. and for
the first time in my experience the bar
was not taken out Of the slot. i was
standing with one hand on the lever and
one on the bar to reverse the engine at
the first call when, not to my surprisA IL
came. 1t was the heaviest weather have
ever seen on the bay, and I knew that
at any moment there would be a call
to reverse the engine It came shorter
and sharper than I expected, and before
the Sausalito crashed into US forward Of
the pilot house.
'She cut US down to the waters edge,
and a few minutes later the firemen came
up and told me that the water was rush.
Ing into the engine room. I told them to
bank the fires and come up. BY banking
the fires I thought that 1t would take
quite while for the water to get to them,
and II the collision was very serious that
we would be able to keep enough steam
on her TO make land somewhere. Chief
Jones in the meantime was doing all he
could TO help some Of the people. and
Wnlle getting out one Of the boats was
thrown against one Of the stanchions and
had his scalp badly torn. He was also
rolled into the scuppers and his right arm
and right leg were badly lacerated There
Is absolutely no cause that can be given
Tor the accident outside Of the fact that
no vessel could find her way in the fog
q
passengers. When many saw how hero
ically these two men were working therA
was wild scramble to get hold OF thk
ropes thrown by them, but neither man
would assist the men who were trying to
crowd the women and children aside.
stand back! Don't get excitedp'
Keep quiet! each cried alternately. but
the Wild crush continued. During this
time Miss Virginia Beam was swept out
or the lower cabin into the water. She
says she was floating around for half an
hour before she was rescued, yet all the
time witnessed the gallant work of the
two young men.
i do not know how got into the wa
ter, said Miss Beam last night 'sI was
near the kitchen when the boats struck
and was soon swept into the water. saw
Brizzolara and Mulhern throwing the
ropes TO save the frightened passengers.
But as / am a good swimmer I felt no
fear and easily kept afoat
when Mrs Waller found that her IT.
tie boy was gone she tried TO jump over
board. Brtzzolara seized her with one
hand, wound rope around her and him
self, and the other end around a
4
restrained Mrs. Waller. Just about this
time Brizzolara saw me In the water and
threw the rope to me. grabbed Il ana
he pulled me aboard.
No sooner had got on the boat than
Brfzzolara tainted Something IN his
chest seemed to snap and he fell In a
heap on the floor. The doctor who at
tended him said something In his 49,
had given way, but he could not IN
what. He was carefully nursed and was
sent to his brothers house.
The crews OF both boats acted splen-
didly and deserve great credit"
Miss Beam, owing to her long INNER
sion, was Immediately placed on a bed
and put under the influence of sleep pro-
ducing medicines, as it was feared thaS
the shock to her nerves would be very Sc
Iere- She was not allowed to be seen ana
the attending physician says that 1t win
be some days before she recovers.
1t was on the Saturday night following
thanksgiving day, three years ago. that
the father and sisters of BrizzoIara were
passengers on the steamer T. C. Walker
The boiler of the latter exploded. Brtzzo-
lara senior was killed and his daughters
were seriously injured. The accident Of
yesterday had peculiar Significance TO
Angelo Brizzolara, the day being regard
ed as the anniversary of his fathers
death.