Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-13
POOR START LAYING CABLE
First Effort to Land Shore End Fails on
Account Of Rough Water.
BIG CROWD ON HAND TO WITNESS EVENT
Frightened Horses and Escaping
Hawser Mar Proceedings with
Minor Fatalities Before work
IL Postponed Till Monday.

SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. IAN unsuc-
cessful attempt was made today to lay the
shore end Of the Pacific cable.
A strong, unfavorable tide was the chief
cause, OF the failure, though minor casual
ties marked the efforts Of the workmen at
the shore end, one OF the victims being
Clarence II. Mackay.
Perfect weather conditions prevailed and
fully 5000 people gathered at the beach.
Silvertown got under way soon after day
light and was at anchor of the beach soon
after 8. The surf was breaking heavily of
shore and II was consequently decided to
delay hauling the cable ashore until the
water became somewhat smoother.
Clarence H, Mackay and his fellow officers
Of the Pacific Commercial Gable company
had two large tents erected on the sands
close to where the shore connection was to
be made, and there they entertained their
friends as they arrived. 7
1t was nearly IL o'clock before the life
saving crews from the South Side and the
Bakers Beach stations appeared with their
surfboats, ready to lend any assistance that
might be needed in communicating between
the steamer and the shore. TIL boats, with
two boats launched from the steamer, car
ried a large rope from silvertown to a
point Just outside the breakers and there
lay while awaiting the boat of the Golden
Gate Park life-savins crew to take the end
Of the rope to land. ~
This boat, drawn by the horses of the
station, g~a1loped down bravely into the surf
and the men climbed into their places. A
favorable wave rolled we'll up on the shelly
ing sand and the boat was shot from its
carriage into the water.
There was a cheer from the crowd as the
men met the breakers which scared the
horses. They broke away from the driver
and with the boat carriage dragging after
plunged into the crowd.
Several of the children were knocked over
and ono little girl about 7 years old, who
said her name was Hutchings. had her right
leg bruised. She was carried into the tent
where the refreshments were being served
to the special guests, and there a physician
attended to her injuries.
The horses we're caught by Joseph Wright
who, though he was rolled over several
times and barely escaped being trampled on
chung to the brides and succeeded in bring
ing them to a stop Just as they reached Mr..
Mackay's tent.
After several attempts the life-saving
crew succeeded in getting ashore a hawser
to which was attached the cable. Then they
waited four and a half hours for even water
before attempting to draw the cable ashore.
The hawser bellied down so that 1t was
impossible to do, anything against the
strong tide. Finally a number OF men took
hold Of the hawser for a final pull. 1t flew
up and struck Clarence Mackay on the chin
and carried him of his feet. George. w. Nc
Near was hit on the head and rendered un-
conscious. Frank .Hotaling OF New York
was struck In the face, sustaining quite a
cut, and George Frazer, a, photographer,
was also hit in the face and his camera
, Darkness was now coming, on, and Silver
town returned to its anchorage in the hope
Of better success on Monday.