Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-02-18
PASSENGERS
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were brought for treatment, announc-
ed their belief that the accident was
not as serious as at first reported.
Police Lieutenant Martin A. Fo-
gerty said he thought that none had
been drowned. He said the attendant
excitement was responsible for the re-
ports that as high as 30 persons had
perished.
There IS confusion as to the number
of persons taken from the bay after
scores were said seen swept from the
deck of the "Peralta." The number
rescued varied from l3 to 10. The
ferryboat "Hayard," it is said, rescued
seven persons and six of these were
said to have been put ABOARD the
"Peralta."
Whether the six taken aboard the
"Peralta" were rescued by "Peralta'
life boats or an additional lot Of six
passengers were saved by small boats
of the United States navy could not
be ascertained tonight.
Captain George Landenberger, U. S.
NJ, commandant of the naval train
ing station on Goat island, described
the accident aboard the "Peralta" as
follows:
"The ferryboat was down by its head,
buried into a swell and it shipped a
sea. We sent out rescue party In
the captains gig, along with two other
boats, which picked up five or six per-
sons from the water and at their re
quest put them aboard the "Peralta. "
1.-The swell may have been caused by
another vessell," Captain Landen-
berger said. "One of the smaller ferry
boats that run during crowded hours
had put cut from the Key route pier
and was passing, The accident oc-
Cured between the islanda and the
pier
1.-The navy has no knowledge OF any
one having been drowned"
On the other hand several of those
who were in the water and a number
of witnesses believed that several per-
sons were drowned.
Panic 1ollowed the inrush of water
Passengers rushed madiy Tor the life
preserver racks and several Of them
after adjusting the belts, smashe I
windows at the size OF the ferry and
leaped into the water.
At the time the ferry Hayward"
of the same line had left the Oakland
pier and was approaching the "Pe-
rata" when she struck the wave.
The Hayward" was Immediately
stopped and her boats lowered -"
"Peralta" also lowered boots and Cap
tain Landenberger, commandant of
Goat island, who witnessed the accl-
dent from his home, immed'"to'-- dis
patched his own gig and two motor
launches to the scene.
Navy men from Goat island were
quick to respond and at least five
survivors were said to have been pick
ed up by navy boats, Some of the
survivors were taken back to the
"Peralta"
Two of those swept overheard and
who were rescued were:
Manuel Pacheco 80. Oakland, shop
foreman in San Francisco 49, to
the Oakland receiving; hoe'-,'l-' --'ffer-
ing from chill and, exposure.
J. r. Nichols, 28. trick driver, Of
Berkeley taken to Oakland receiving
hospital suffering from chill and ex-
posure. tes
The accident happened as the "Pe-
ralta" was passing ,Yerba Buena ISL
and. The "Peralta" left San Fran
cisco at 500 p. m, and was due at
the Key. Route pier. Oakland, which
extends far into the bay, at Sis.
From that point trains carry COM
muters to the East-Bay district homes.
After the accident the ferryboaG
Hayward" owned by the Key Route
company, drew close to the scene,
sensing disaster, and lowered life
boats and threw life preserverS to
the men and women floating and
attempting to swim to safety.
This effort resulted in the picking
up of six passengers, leaving the total
estimated missing or drowned a pos-
Sible 81.
Scenes of wild disorder followed the
disaster. Women knelt on the decks
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