Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-10-13
ALAMEDA WENT ON SHORE DURING
Short Period When Black Fog OF
SAN FRANCISCO BAY SHUT DOWN

San Francisco, Oct. ALMOST at
The stroke Of noon yesterday the Ocea.
mic Steamship Company's liner Ala.
media, which left the dock at the foot
of Pacific street at IL o'clock bound
for Honolulu, ran, in dense fog, up.
on the rocks at Fort Point, where she
now lies Graded as snugly as IL in the
crib of a dry dock, and so near the
breakwater that even a child could
throw the proverbial biscuit ashore.
There were sixty-seven first saloon
passengers aboard, a number of sec.
ond.class passengers, and fifteen or
twenty In the steerage. the most OF
the latter being japanese. They were
oil got safely ashore without panic and
without injury, safe to one man, who
was struck by q hawser and painfully
hurt.
On board there was the biggest cargo
of general merchandise the Alameda
has ever stored in her capacious hold
There was one consignment of opium
valued at $4,000. There was large
amount Of treasure.
There we're about so sacks of mail
for Hawaii.
Captain Thomas Dowdell was In com.
mand. and Captain c. B. johnson was
the pilot. They declare that the fog
whistle at Fort Point and that at Lime
Point did not sound warning signals
until after the Alameda had run
aground.
STATEMENTS CONFLICT.
On this point there is a serious con.
tradiction of testimony, Captain Peter
Nelson, in charge of the station at Lime
Point, declaring that he did his duty
and blew the signal blasts as soon as
the fog was sighted at Mile Rock.
which. he says, was at 11:45. Now,
at just about 11:40 o'clock the Ala.
media struck, in the midst Of dense fog,
according to all the stories of those or
board. There is here either a confiic-
ton In record of time or in statements
OF fact.
The Alameda left her dock at tho
foot of Pacific street at II o'clock.
Pilot Newton Jordan was to have TAX.
en- the liner to sea. He was anxious.
however, to 10 upon his vacation, so
Pilot c. b. johnson volunteered to take
his place. When off Meiggs wharf
the Alameda was stopped to take on
board a small hand grip belonging, 4,
Is said, to a clergyman missionary
among the passengers. II had been
| haI
ing along in the wake Of the liner
and this launch caught up with thu
Alameda, hailed the ship and sent tn,
eatchel aboard.
From that moment the shadow o
: seaman's superstition, like a forerun
ing the ship seward, settled on thu
Alameda, affecting its crew with un
easy and anxious fears. Pilot John
son shared In these forebodings. TIT
presence Of q clergyman aboard In It
self, as any son Of brine and tar will
tell you, is a misfortune. Ill omende'
also Is II to bring a ship to a stand
still once she has left her mooring
and has not as yet made the sea. |
Is almost as bad as to sail on Friday.
PRESAGE BAD LUCK.
mo good will come Of this" man,
OF the sailors muttered.
bad business; this is bad luck,
said Pilot Johnson.
At that time the sky was clear
There was no thought Of the comm
fog The day was cheerfully brigh
and bland. The sea was smooth an
the most confirmed of land.lubber
among the passengers had not as ye
given a thought of seasickness. Al
] vas cheerful, save for the superstition
mutterings Of the sailors. At thi
season Of the year, on the Pacific Coast
= the fog will come down with the sue
denness of curtain at the theatre
which drops on a peaceful scene an
makes the background for a scene Q
tragedy In the space Of breath. An
In this manner descended the fog @
yesterday. 1t came down suddenly;
spread a pail OF shadow thick as Pitt
burg smoke on the face of sky an
sea. The Golden Gate was shut a
with blanket, and the Alameda surt
ed forward into 1t.
The passengers got out their coat
and wraps. Pilot Johnson and Capital
Dowdell were on the bridge, perrin
anXiously ahead. First Officer Ande
son was forward with extra lookout
They declare that just as soon as the
ran into the fog they strained thei
ears for the sound OF the whistle {
Lime Point.
NO WHISTLE SOUNDED.
No whistle sounded, they say. A
was silent. All was a thick murk ,
gray that was almost black. Fog
high in the ranks of the seaman
many enemies. II is insidious, treac
erous; It deceives the ear and blint
the eye. Sounds that are made I