The San Francisco call., 1909-11-01
BIG STEAMSHIP
RUNS AGROUND
ONBLACK POINT
Liner President, With Many
Passengers on Board,
Strikes Bank
Tugs Go to Big Vessels AS
sistance, but Aid Is Not
Needed
Stranded Craft Succeeds in
Backing OFF After One
Hours Work

a FTER a buffeting by a severe
"A sou'wester which held it Eve
Ahours late, the steamship Presi-
dent Of the Pacific Coast steamship
company's line added another thrill to
an eventful voyage by ramming its
nose into a mud fat off Black Point. in
san Francisco bay, at 7:25 o'clock last
evening.
After remaining stuck fast until $40
o'clock the big ship was able to pull
itself of by its own engines and
proceed TO its slip at the Broadway
wharf.
JUST before she was foated several
tugs went to its assistance. but the aid
was declined by Captain Thomas, who
was confident he could get of the shoal
as soon as. the tide began to come in
On the President when it struck
were 3sl passengers. who were all
below preparing to disembark. Few
81 these realized that the ship was
aground and all excitement subsided
when. Captain Thomas assured inquirers
that the President rested easily and
there was no danger
After trying with its own engines to
pun of the shoaI preparations were
made 10 land the passengers by lighter
at 8feiggs wharf. This proved unneces-
sary. as the ship began TO respond to
her propeIers. After S5 minutes time,
in xhich the engines were reversed and
churnsd the mud channel was cut.
through which the ship was drawn
backward into deen water.
At the time Of the accident the ship
was proceeding under one bell. the
engines being stopped just before she
struck
Big Vessel Strikes
At Black point workmen have been
filing in q wharf. and the tide rip is
supposed TO have washed much of the
material toward the channel.
According TO Captain Thomas. who
was on the bridge with the pilot. he
had passed over the same ground many
times before without mishap. and had
no fear Of grounding his ship. Hardly
had the engines been stopped when the
big coaster began to rise forward and
then stuck fast
ia speaking Of the accident last
night Captain Thomas said:
From the time we passed Cape Flat
terey until Point Arena was reached
We were in the teeth of a severe SOU
wester that made progress slow. The
President rode the storm easily. We
had taken aboard a pilot and were
proceeding up the bay slowly. AS is
customary. we turned inshore TO take
aboard our usual compliment of bag
gage handlers. Having passed this
point many times without mishap I
had no idea that the ship would ground.
At the point where it showed her
nose into the mud / was under the
impression that the man at the wheel
vas shesring onshore too far instead
et approaching TOO close to Black
point.
'From the way it grounded 1 was
satisfied that we were not on a rock.
and ss ,hAre was no swell or other
oanges decided to lay there until the
tide hAped Us OF. The only cause l
can attrbute to the mishap is the ex-
treme ldsy water. and a strong current
that swung the ship in too close to the
mud fats
Ship Nok Damaged
The shin was not damaged in the
least. and al extended examination of
her plates VA not be necessary before
proceeding on her voyage southwark
Monday"
The Presideh is one of the finest
ships Of the Rcihc Coast steamship
company and ia one of the fastest
coastwise steanArs plying between
Seattle. San FraAcisco. Los Angeles
and San Diego.
The point where DE President struck
is where the City q Chester was lost
many years ago. and just beyond this
point the Rio de JaAeiro struck Mile
rock and was wreck% in 1901 Be-
sides the danger from rocks terrific
tide rip is a constant metace, especially
at low tide.
OF the passengers aboard last night
2ls were first class and los second
class. All but about 100 q these were
destined to san Francisco and the re-
mainder are bound to points in the
south.