The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-01

urb across the bay in Marin county At
Sausalitc a train connects for Ross Valley
and San Rafael. where many San Francisco
business men make their summer and win
ter homes. The San Rafael left San Fran
cisco at 6:15 p. m. There had been dense
fog on the bay all day long and towards
evening it seemed to thicken. Captain Nc
Kenzie, Of the San Rafael. sent his ship
along under a slow bell. He some
where near Alcatraz island when the Sau-
salito, coming from Sausalito TO San Fran
cisco, crashed into her. There were but few
passengers on the Sausalito, but they were
badly scared and for a few moments 1t
looked as if both ships were going down.
When 1t was seen that the Sausalito was
not badly injured she stood by the San
Rafael, and officers. crew and passengers
engaged in the rescue of the unfortunate
passengers of the sinking vessel. Both
ships were side-wheelers and ordinarily
carried hundreds of passengers. Fortu-
nately this was the winter season and the
last trip, so there were not as many pas
sengers as usual.
CAUSED EXCITEMENT.
Marin county from Sausalito to San
Rafael distance of several miles. is lined
the summer the ferryboat traffic is very
heavy, but in the winter 1t lightens. and
there are comparatively few people who
travel on the boats during the winter sea-
son. The news of the disaster did not reach
the city until nearly o'clock and the
news spread with great rapidity. There
was intense excitement at the opera house,
where an immense crowd was listening TO
house and rushed TO the newspaper Of
fees to obtain information about friends
and relatives who might have been on
board one of the vessels.
Never has the fog been thicker in San
Francisco and on the bay than tonight
1t was a day and night of anxiety. In
the early hours the fog came up ''as thick
as mush" and tonight 1t was almost i'm.
possible to see a boats length. The steam
schooner Arctic ran down the French bark
Edmond Rostand in the early morning
hours while the Encinal and Albatross
came together in the fog. Many vessel
had a narrow escape and the fog signals
were blowing in all directions. Most of
the ferry steamers escaped, but one or two
OF them got into trouble. The TtburOn had
10 make a second attempt at her first land
ing. The EncinaI was nearly half an
hour reaching her slip, and the
Piedmont had a similar experience.
The Oakland and the San Rafael
came very near colhding when they reached
this city at o'clock in the evening. Each
boat missed her slip, one going too high
and the other too low. The kimball
Steamship Company's steamer Arctic has
arrived from Nome and will probably dock
in the morning. on her way down the
coast she stopped at Astoria and after leav-
ing the Columbia river was caught in the
southeaster and had a very rough expert
ence, making port in the fog. Captain
Erickson decided that il was better TO come
TO anchor. The Arctic was accordingly
hove TO and the anchor dropped. When
she swung with the tide. however, she was
right under the quarter OF the French bark
Edmond ROstand. The latter was racked
and the Arctic suffered considerably about
her upper works and rigging, but aside
from that she is as sound as a dollar. The
Rostand may have TO be sent to dock for
oveThauling
LAST TO LEAVE HIS SHIP.
Captain Mckenzie. OF the San Rafael.
was the last one 10 leave the ship. AS she
was going down he seized rope flung
10 him from the Sausalito. and was pulled
on baord. He thinks that most of his pas
sengers were saved. as many OF them
jumped TO the Sausalito and others went on
the gang plank run between the two ships
to safety
James Moore. of Ross Valley. an en-
ploye of the Nevada Bank, was passenger
on the San Rafael To a reporter he said:
There was the usual Saturday night crowd
on the San Rafael when she left at 615
for Sausalito. There was a dense fog and
the ship along under slow bell. We were