New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-13
THE PACIFIC CABLE.
Effort to Lay Shore End at San
Francisco. bit Tide PfeUents.

San Francisco Dec 12-An unsuccessful attempt
made to-day to lay the shore end OF the Pa
ciic cable. As a result the big steamer Silver
town. with the cable in her hold. is still floating
idly on the waters of San Francisco Bay. and
aboard of her there is disappointment that ad
verse conditions made failure of to-days attempt
lay first span of cable toward the new Amer
lean possessions.
A strong unfavorabIe tide was the chief cause of
the failure the step of the great undertake
ing. and minor casualties marked the efforts of the
workmen at the shore end of the victims be-
ing no less a parsonage than Clarence H Mackay.
president of the Commercial Gable company. but
he not seriously hurt. The day was perfect
as weather conditions. and the occasion had
been made the for semi-holiday. fully 5000
persons gathering at the beach, one half of them
school children, t. witness the beginning of the
cable laying.
The SiIvertown got under way from her anchorage
in the bay. soon after daylight this morning. and
was at anchor off the beach hours later The
surf breaking heavily off shore, but the seas
were rapidly noderating 1t decided TO delay
hauling the cable ashore until the water should be-
come somewhat smoother
Clarence H Mackay and his fellow officers Of
the Pacific Commercial Gable Company had two
large tents erected the sands of the beach close
to where the shore connection was to be made
and there they entertained their friends as they
arrived.
1t was nearly Il o'clock before the live saving
crew from the south side and the Bakers Beach
appeared the with their surf boats
ready to lend any assistance that might be needed
IN communicating between the steamer and the
shore. The crews of these boats and the crews
OF the two boats launched from the steamer car
RED large rope from the Silverton to point out
side the breakers and waited there while another
boat from the saving station came out through
the surf to carry end of the rope to the land
The boat drawn by horses. came into the surf
and the crew climbed into their places There was
a cheer from the crowd the men met the break
ers, and that cheer frightened the horses Inc
team broke away from the driver. and with the
boat carriage dragging after il, plunged into the
crowd of people who had gathered on the beach
Several children knocked down in the
scramble to get out of the way of the maddened
horses but the animals were caught before serious
injury had been done.
After several attempts, the nfe-saving crew sue
ceeded in getting ashore a hawser, to which was
attached the cable. A wait of four and a one-half
hours for low water was had before an attempt
was made to draw the cable ashore The hawser
sagged so that 1t impossible to draw 1t ashore
through the strong tide. Just before the attempt
was abandoned for the day. several men took mold
of the hawser for a final pull. The hawser flew up
and struck Clarence Mackay. who was nit on the
chin and knocked off his feet. George w McSear.
of this cty was struck the back of the head and
rendered Unconscious for a short time Frank
HotaIing of New-York, struck in the face sus-
tanning severe cut
Darkness coming on. the Siverton returned to
her anchorage in the bay Another trial Will be
made Monday.