The San Francisco call., 1901-12-06

| the investigation ]. B. Stetson, Harry n.
Stetson, his son and attorney; Milton An
dros, the maritime lawyer, and a num-
Der of bay sailors.
Mckenzie told his story first The old
captain IS hard Of hearing and soft of
! voice. The questions were shouted into
his ears and he ratified off the answers
IKE youngster full of energy and en-
thusias1n. He heard all the fog whistles
| and signals without repetition, he said,
DuC sometimes the questions had to be
| repeated. His testimony was corrobo-
rated in the main by his mate, Johnson.
one thing that developed in the exam
lh3tlon was that no regular course was
followed, either in going to or coming
from Sausalito. The east end of Alcatraz
Island was the point which both boats
used for the determination of the inner
or the outer course.
Whichever one made it first chose its
own gong and whistled the opposite to
the other johnson made positive state
ment that the Sausalito was not in its
customary course. He said that "if the
SausalltO had continued in the way she
was steaming when the collision occurred
she would have hit the Powell-street
wharf"
Captains File Reports.
Following is the report of Captain
Irlbble, filed with the Inspectors:
1 left Sausalito in command of the Sausalito
at $40 Saturday evening November 30 1901
The weather was foggy but considered it safe
TO proceed We passed AIcatraz on the east
erly SIDE and shaped my course for Lombard
street wharf. The fog, after passing Alcatraz,
became very thick and we proceeded at a rate
barely fast enough to keep our steerage way
I heard the San Rafael on my port bow 1
heard her sound two whistles. 1 Immediately
was on my port. L rang for full speed astern
We struck the San Rafael on her starboard
side. just forward of the wheel
The two boats We're lashed together and pas-
sengers helped from the San Rafael to the
Sausalito. Immediately after we struck some
passengers jumped from the san Rafael into
the water. Our boats were lowered and. picked
up those who were not lifted to the deck
After We thought we had picked up every one
an hour
can in way blame Captain Mckenzie or
taken to guard against an accident and nv
only explanation is that in a fog of the char
acter Of the one on the bay on Saturday night
signals are sometimes misleading as to distance
w T TRIBBLE.
Captain McKenzie's report reads:
have to inform you that we left San Fran
cisco at 6:25 .. m, with the steamer San
Rafael. We backed out and had to make a
round turn There were number of steam
ers blowing whistles near our slip. We had to
stop for one small steamer to pass while maxi
ing the turn. When abreast of Broadway
wharf we met the steamer Tiburon. We then
shaped our course for Lombard-street to catch
the DELL We passed Lombard street bell at 6 80
p m and shaped our course for Alcatraz ISL
and, running only at sufficient speed to keep
steerage way all the time. After we got be-
yond Lombard-street wharf there was a very
heavy fog and a strong ebb running We had
been running for three four minutes on this
course when we heard the Sausalito's whistle
on our starboard bow. 1 sounded two whistles
to go to port and put my helm hard a-star-
board.
Blows Three Blasts.
Almost Immediately 1 heard the Sausalito's s
whistle very near and almost ahead. 1 then
rang one bell 10 stop the engine blew three
blasts Of the whistle to let them know I had
stopped, and Immediately rang two bells to
BACK, so as to stop the headway of the boat The
hrst thing that was the Sausalito boat
coming on our starboard bow toward the San
Rafael just forward of the wheelhouse in the
ing the water to rush in. Charles johnson,
who is mate, was at the wheel in the pilot
house with me. 1 told him to go down into the
hold of the steamer and report what damage
mad been done. He reported that a large hole
mad been made in the hull. I gave orders to
lower the forward boats The crew did So.
then sang out to Captain Tribble of the Sau-
salito to come ahead with his boat and to throw
US line so the boats could be lashed to-
setner he did so and ordered all the passen-
gers TO get aboard the Sausalito. They did so
as last as they could. then went down on to
the lower deck, where found the cook looking
LOT MS money | ordered him above and told
nln 10 get on the other boat. I looked into
the restaurant, but saw no one Then / went
apoNe 70 the ladies' saloon deck and ordered
tnem all out, and when they had all left and 7
lelt sure no one was on the boat / went nv
the Wneelhouse on the hurricane deck and
Jumped to the other boat just before the San
Rafael went down W
Everything possible was done by myself and
ere" 10 save the lives Of the passengers, and