The San Francisco call., 1908-12-08
1000 PERSONS
Held ON FERRY
STUCK IN MUD
Yerba Buena Strikes SElOaI in
Fog and Remains Aground
for Two Hours
Anger of Passengers Aroused
When Skipper Declines Tugs
PrOffered Aid

PrOffered Aid
Two thousand passengers on the
ferry boat Yerba Buena were held
prisoners for Two hours last night
while the vessel lay stranded on the
mud fats north Of the Alameds. mole
The Yerba Buena is one Of the boats
OF the Key Route line. but 1t had been
leased to the Southern Pacific for serv-
ice between this city and the Alameda
pier. It left san Francisco at 5:45
O'Clock. but was soon enveloped in
dense fog and foundered helplessly un-
tn it struck the shoals on the other
side nearly half mile out of its
course.
Offer Of Tow Declined
At least one towboat captain offered
the services Of his vessel to move the
Yerba Buena, but Captain BIaker. in
command. declined the pronered tow
line. much TO the indignation Of the
hundreds Of delayed passengers. who.
lost no opportunity to express their
disapproval.
The Yerba Buena was finally hoated
by constant working Of its engines
with the rising tide. But a second
blockade Of Is minutes occurred when
the ferry boat was entering the Ala
media mole slip. and the bow again
stuck in the mud
Passengers Delayed
The big load of passengers was
landed at the mole two hours after
leaving san Francisco. Then they were
held there q half hour for trains. The
mishap occurred on the Yerba Buena's
5.s5 o'clock trip from san Francisco
In the thick Of the fog the boat ran
of its course. striking far north of the
Alameda mole slip. and instead of
reaching its destination wound up in
the mud The boat. being heavily
loaded having not only its regular pas
sengers on one of the heavy trips of the
day. but many more who usually take
the oakland mole trip at $40 o'clock.
which was cut out plowed into the
mud and stuck there. The jar and sud
den stopping of engines caused a dis
turbance on board. This quieted down
only 70 be succeeded by constantly
rising wrath as the boat failed to bulge
and outside help was refused No dam
age was done TO the Yerba Buena-
Collision Brings Inquiry
OAKLAND. Dec. An investiga-
tion was conducted today by officials
Of the Southern Pacific company and
residents Of Alameda county into the
accident Of Sunday evening. when the
ferry steamer Berkeley crashed into
the Oakland mole. wrecking the boat
so badly that one woman, Kate Crow
ley Of Berkeley. was killed and several
others seriously injured. The commit
tee eNonerated the officers and crew Of
the vessel from responsibility tor the
accident finding that all precautions
were taken. but that the weather was
thicker than it had been in years.
As consequence of the continued
foggy weather, and as three ferry boats
the Berkeley and the Oakland and
Newark. which collided between the
mole and Goat island-were being re-
paired the Southern Pacific maintained
90 minute service yesterday. II the
fog lifts tomorrow morning the 20
minute service viii be resumed.
The finding Of the semiofficial COM
mittee states that no blame can be
attached TO the officers or the crew of
the steamer Berkeley; that the steam
er and the equipment Of this company
on both the steamer and the wharf
We're in first class condition.: that all
danger signals We're in use and all
precautions possible taken; that all
men were in their proper positions
and on the alert for accidents: that
the weather conditions. that is. the
heavy fog, are alone responsible for the
accident As testified before this board.
by men who have been around the bay
for great many years. the fog at
the time Of the accident was the heav-
Jest one in a great many years
MEMBERS OF COMMTTTEE
The committee consisted Of J. H.
Young, general superintendent: W A
McGovern. superintendent; A. W. Walk
er. assistant superintendent; William
Mckenzie, superintendent of river and
ferry steamers; J. c. Camp, assistant
superintendent Of river and ferry
steamers; r. c. Monk. chief niachinist
Of steamers. J. J.. Champion. resident
engineer; ". II. Russell. master me-
chanic; H. Englebright, master car re-
paireri F. NJ. Cutting. signal super
visor, representing the Southern Pa
ciic company, and Hugh Craig, presi-
dent board Of trustees. Piedmont; Fred
Sandelin. druggist; A. J. Nor, grocer:
p W Sharpe. jeweler. and George w.
Cummings. merchant Of Oakland.
The resumption Of the 20 minute
service viii be made possible by the
completion Of repairs on the Oakland.
which was in the collision with the
Newark Work is being rushed on this
steamer. and il received the finishing
strokes at midnight. The Berkeley
which struck the piles at the Oakland
mole and was smashed on one side. win
be repaired for service tomorrow. It
viii take I'VE days. according to Di-
vision superintendent McGovern. to re-
pair the Newark
HEAVY FOG CONTINUES
The fog on the bay today was so
thick that any ferry time faster than
q boat every 40 minutes would have
been extremely hazardous, and the
Southern Pacific officials made no ef
fort to make better time. They main
tanned the foggy weather schedule with
the steamers Piedmont. Bay City. En-
cinal and the Fernwood the last leased