The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-12-18
GABLE is NOT LAID
ALLURE AT SAN FRANCISCO WAS
CAUSED BY TOO STRONG
q TIDE.
;ROWDS WATCH THE WORK
1REAT DISAPPOINTMENT AT FAIL
81 URE TO START THE PACIFIC
CABLE.
,JTENDED BY MINOR ACCIDENTS
slARENcE MAckAY HURT AND
SEVERAL CHILDREN ARE
INJURED.
GRowDs WATCH THE WORK
BLENDED BY MINOR ACCIDENTS

San Francisco, Dec. 15.--An unsuc-
oessful attempt was made yesterday
81 lay the shore end Il the Pacific
able. AS result the big steamer
6llvertown, with the cable in her hold,
a floating idly in San Francisco bay.
Aboard the Silvertown there is keen
disappointment that adverse condi.
lions made a failIre of yesterdays at
Tempt to lay the first span OF cable
toward the new American possessions.
a strong unfavorable tile was the
chief cause of the failure of the frst
step in the great undertaking. Minor
Incidents were encountered by the
workmen on shore. Clarence II. Mac
kay, president of the Commercial
cable company, was slightly hurt.
Yesterday was perfect in the matter
OF weather conditions and the occasion
had been maze the cause for semi
holiday. Fully $4,000 people gathered
at the beach. one-half of them school
children, to witness the beginning Of
The Gable Laying.
Tho Silvertown got under way from
her anchorage in the bay soon after
daylight and she was at anchor off the
beach soon after 3 o'clock. 1t was
nearly II o'clock before the life-saving
crew from the south side and the
Bakers Beach station appeared on the
scene with their surf boats ready to
lend any assistance that might be
needed of them in communicating be-
tween the steamer aud the shore. The
crews Of these little boats, along with
the crews of two boats launched from
the steamer, carried large rope from
the SilyeTtown to Q point just outside
the line OF breakers and there they lay
while one of the crew of one Of the
life savers boats signalled for the
boat of the Golden Gate Park life saw
ing crew TO come one through the surf
and take the end of the rope to the
land. The boat, drawn by the horses
Of the station, galloped down bravely
into the surf and the men of the crew
climbed into their places. A favorable
wave rolled well up on ne sh ing
sand and the boat was shot from its
carriage into the water.
Horses Take Fright.
There was a cheer from She crowd
Is the men met the breakers, and that
same cheer scared tie horses. The
team broke away from the driver and
It. with the boat carriage dragging
after 1t, plunged iuto the crowd of men
aud children that had gathered on the
beach. Several of the children were
knocked over and injured in the
scramble to get out of the way of the
maddened horses.
After several attempts the life saw
ing crew succeeded in getting ashore
O hawser to which was attached the
cable, A wait of four and one-half
hours was made for even water be-
fore attempting to draw the cable
ashore. The hawser bellied down so
that II was impossible to draw it
ashore through the strong tide. Just
before the attempt was abandoned for
the day number of men took hold Of
the hawser for a final pull. The haws-
er few up and struck Clarence Mac
kay, who was hit on the chin and
carried off his feet. Several other men
were injured. Darkness coming on,
the Silvertown returned to her anch-
orage in the bay. Another trial WILDE
made Monday,