Page 37 of Dec 1 1901 Issue of San Francisco Call in San Francisco, California

San Francisco Call December 1, 1901 Page 37 old newspaper archives

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San Francisco call (Newspaper) - December 1, 1901, San Francisco, CaliforniaEngineer Joseph Jones of 4i�e san Rafael was slightly injured in the collision he received a lacerated wound of the Scalp from flying timbers he says that he Mas specially cautious and during the trip he never moved out of reach of his engines he also had an assistant in the engine room to help hint a when the collision came he said a i was stunned with a blow when i recovered i had presence of mind enough to open the safety valve so that there could not be an explosion i can remember nothing More until i found myself on the Sausalito a big Leer Jones was taken to the Occidental hotel his phys Ian says that his injuries Are not dangerous woman tells Story of wreck and says scene was terrible Mim Annie Lewis charges that ferry Crew lost their Heads when fatal clash came. Mis Annie Lewis wat on her May to fan Rafael. In discussing the disaster so said a a after paying a visit to my aunt in san Francisco 1 had to make a great Rush to get the 6 15 boat. W Hen i got Down there there Mas no sign of the Gate opening and i wondered what Mas the matter. 1 asked the ticket agent and he said the fog was delaying ail the boats finally at 6 20 we got away from the slip and when we were off Lombard Street wharf As it appeared to me. There came a crash. Nobody knew where we were. I got out on deck and found that the Sausalito and our boat were in collision. The san Rafael had a big Hole stove in her Side and was going Down. Everybody m Rushing for the Sausalito while All ? were trying to get the boats Over. The Crew seemed to have lost their Heads and while life buoys were thrown Over by the Dosen. The lifeboats were not put in the mater until the last minute a the deckhand seemed to be sleepy and moved around As if there Mas nothing at All the matter while in fact the ship Mas Cut to the water s Edge and As far As i could see the firemen had to Rush from the engine room to save their lives i got one of the use buoys but luckily i did t have to go overboard. After getting on Board the Sausalito everything possible was done for us. And i done to think that Many uves were lost. A while i was getting my things together and trying to save them a woman and a baby came along and the baby Mas crying and evidently wanted its Mother to attend to it. I offered to take the baby and help the Mother out. But she would t allow me to do so. The next thing i knew was that the Mother and baby were trying to scramble up a Plank that had been placed Between the Sausalito and the san Elf in and they suddenly disappeared. Whether they fell Between the two boats and were lost i Don t know but i walked All Over the upper and lower deck of the Sausalito and could find no Trace of them i saw Jim Mccue thrown against one of the posts and when he got up the blood was pouring from Hie head but just the same he started in to help people from the sinking san Rafael to the Saue amp Lito. We were right in the fair Way and both Steamer were rolling heavily. The next lurch threw Mccue and a lady he was helping against the Side of the vessel and then he had to be helped aboard the Bau Analito because his Arm was broken and he had received a number of other injuries after quite an exciting time i got aboard the Sausalito and anally got Back to san Francisco. As you can see. I am still wearing the life Belt they threw out on the deck m Hen the collision occurred. We had a very Lucky escape but i done to think Many lives were spectators watching togs leaving their docks to take of the work of Rescoe. Scenes of terror attend collision in the heavy log tor a Tima pandemonium reigned and efforts to save people in water were nearly wasted. A. Jackson Tell the following Story of the disaster. "1 had Beer up town and intended to catch the 5 43 boat. Instead of that i pot the fils. Much to my sorrow we were Between wharf and Alca Irr Island when the reverse Bell came and i Amona others went out on deck. We could t see the ship a length and wondered what was the matter. In some Dir ton we could hear Bells ringing and Tow the sound came from English ships it the Stream and then we heard two whistle and thought it was the Tiburon making for san Francisco. Then we heard two blasts from our whistle and two blasts again and the san Rafa i stopped and began to go astern. Then re began to wonder what was the matter and before we could come to our Sens a something came along and struck us arid knocked a Over till we did t know what was the matter. The next thing i knew was that our ship began to Settle. I made no hurry because i thought that the upper works would keep her afloat and that while the Bottom might drop out of her we still Mould have time enough to get aboard any boat that came to our Asu tunce. I Don t think Many people were drowned. Beau a when 1 got on deck there were four Lifeboat a out and lifebuoy floating around enough for a Man to walk on. They had made an improvised Gangway Between the ban Rafael and the Sausalito and while there Wai considerable confusion. I believe few 11 Vea were lost. A a far a the Accident la concerned it la one of those unavoidable things that la bound to come up once in a lifetime. California Haa never in my experience been a Uch a heavy fog a prevailed during this last Twenty four hours and i Hope to god i shall never Ste another like Charles Bagge. Chief officer of the 8an Rafael it Aid Quot the collision came like a Thunderbolt out of a Clear sky even if it Mas a foggy night 1 Mas on the starboard Quarter and keeping a Lookout on my own account i heard one whistle but could not see anything then i heard one a Hesse again then the next thing i heard was the old Man give two Bells then our ship began to slow up then there were two Bells More and she began to go astern then i knew there was trouble. The next minute before i could turn on my Heel there was a smash. The Sausalito had struck us Forward of the Pilot House. We heeled Over until the starboard paddle Box was clean out of the water and i thought we were going Down. There were cries from Stem to Stern of the ship and for a while pandemonium reigned Frank Hyams. Foreman of j. H. Keefe Painter said a we were about fifteen minutes out from the slip when the san Rafael dashed into us. It was about 6 30. I was sitting in the Saloon playing cards. The Bau Salito struck and broke right through the restaurant. I should judge there were about 250 people aboard. The crowd was greater than the Ordinary saturday night crowd. The crash was great. The panic that followed was awful to hear. I saved a Friend by the name of Leonard a lawyer of the firm of Leonard amp Hawkins. I pulled him out of the Charles e. Wendt Foreman of Sampson amp Flyger. Sal makers tells the following Story a when the crash came i was in the Saloon and i rushed to the upper deck. I walked from the san Rafael to the Sau Calito. I saw Captain Tribble. I said to him Why done to you lower the boats. At this time the Sausalito s boats were not lowered. He replied everything was All right. I know that a Man by the name of Fay of Corte Madera was on Board Jack Forbes of Mill Valley and Frank Mcbride of san Andrew Westwater. Draughtsman said a i know that the whistles were blowing from the time we left the slip and we were going ahead at a slow but steady rate. Suddenly from my position on the upper deck i heard a whistle on the starboard Bow. Shortly after less than a minute the Sausalito crashed into us a Short distance above the paddle Box. She backed away soon after. It was fully ten minutes and probably fifteen minutes before the san Rafael Sank. When the Sausalito backed away the water began to Rush into the Gap. I got into one of the Small boats with ten or twelve others. We were swamped and All of us. 1 am pretty sure came up and Clung to the gunwale. There were some women in this boat. A miss Bridgman of Sausalito was one of them. It seemed to me As if we were clinging to that boat for a full half hour All were rescued. In the party were will Shore of san Francisco and a or. Moore of Corte says the Sausalito backed away after hitting san Rafael j. V Warrack believes that at least eighty people went into the water after the Accident. J. D. Warrack. An employee of the White House residing in Sausalito was one of the passengers on the san Rafael when she met with disaster. Up speaking of the loss of the ferry boat Farrack said last night w Quot i arrived at the ferry slip about 6 12 p. The boat was to leave at 6 15 p. M., but she was ten Man Tea late. I should judge that Between s00 and 350 people went on the ban Rafael when the ferry Gatea were opened. 1 went to the card room As soon As i got on the boat and was playing whist when the collision took place. The fog was very dense. In fact i have never been a thicker tog in the six year i have lived across the Bay. The san Rafael was going at half Speed front the time we started until the Sausalito ran into her. It Quot i heard whistles blown while we were playing Carda but i did not pay any Par. To ocular attention to them. We knew nothing of the Sauna Leto being Cloae to us until the collision took place. The Sausalito struck us on the Side opposite to the card room where i was. 1 ran out on deck and Captain Johnson the second mate told me we were n no danger. I got a life preserver and put it on. There was no difficulty in getting the life preservers. Every one around had them on. Quot there was considerable excitement but no panic. Women were a creaming and the men were trying to quiet them. When i got around to the other Side of the boat the Sausalito was close to us. She had backed off after the collision and then came up head on and tied up to the san Rafael. I helped to get women and children from the san Rafael to the Sausa Ltd. Quot Many women who were in the upper Saloon were helped through the windows to the Bridge House and then from thai Point reached the sums allot. Quot i think that about 200 people had got on Board the Sausalito when a of remap of the san Rafael came on deck and said the boat was sinking. The life boats of the two ferry boats were lowered by this time. The passengers lowered them. I helped to lower two. I saw Many people jump into the water when it was stated that the san Rafael was sinking. I should judge that eighty people went into the water. We threw life preservers Over from the Sausalito and lowered lanterns with ropes. Quot two tugs came up to the scene. One of them was there before the 8an Rafael Sank the second one came up afterwards. X saw Many people brought to the 8ausa-Llto in the Small boats. 1 think about forty were saved by the life boats. I suppose that the two tugs must have picked some of the people up. I should judge that about forty people were missing when account was taken on the Sau Sallyc. If they were not saved by the tugs they must have been drowned. The Sausalito drifted with the ebb tide for fifty minutes after the collision and people were being picked up All the time by the life boats. Quot i think that the boats were lowered in Good time and that everything was done by Captain Mckenzie that it was possible to do under the believes the Cook was badly injured in Bay collision 0. Crisp of san Anselmo hears groan ing after the two steamers Ceme together in fog. S. Crisp a Marine Engineer of the transport Sherman who resides at san Anselmo was a passenger on the boat. He a a was accompanied by Hla brother in Law e. C. Counter an electrician who was also saved. He said Quot i was standing by the engine room smoking when i heard a scraping noise. Which i instantly knew was a collision. I yelled to my brother in Law to get a life preserver and he rushed aft while i ran Forward. I ran on deck and scrambled on Board the Sausalito. My Only thought was to save my life but when i reached a place of safety i helped others. Quot the passengers seemed to have a premonition of impending danger they were highly nervous because of the dense fog. Every one seemed to be talking about the danger of collision and was half expecting an Accident. When the Shock came i heard groaning and i feel certain that the Cook was pinioned by falling timbers. If any lives were lost they were children As the elder people had ample time to escape from the sinking Steamer Angelo Brizzolara and Francis Mulhern Are rated As heroes Hiss Virginia beam. Rescued after a half hours submersion. Gives graphic account of their work. A a Angelo Brizzolara of san Anselmo a Coal dealer at 1017 Washington Street this City and his Friend. Francis Mulhern of Kent station were passengers on the san Rafael and were the first persons to jump from the sinking Steamer. But Braz Volara and Mulhern proved themselves to be heroes and assisted in saving Many uves. Both grabbed Colls of rope and with reassuring cries threw them to the Fren led Captain m key no be of the san Rafael thinks All passengers were saved captains j. T. Mckenzie master of the sunken Steamer san Rafael is perhaps the most reliable authority on just How the Accident occurred and the details of the exciting scenes that followed subsequently. His statement of the affair is As follows Quot i was in the Pilot House when the Sausalito ran us Down and Vas the last Man to leave the Steamer prior to her going Down. We left our slip about 6 20 o clock and backed out into the Bay. I made my usual round turn rather a Lovly and cautiously As there were several Craft picking their Way up and Down the Bay As i came out. Quot after turning around i shaped my course for Alcatraz. The fog was the thickest that i have seen on the Bay for Many years. I ran along on a slow Bell and passed a tug to the port shortly after leaving the slip. After steaming along a few minutes i picked up the Bell off the end of Lombard Street. It was then about 6 30 of clock or thereabouts. As soon As i got my bearings from the Bell i shaped my usual course for Alcatraz running along under slow Bell. My Lookout c. H. Jansen the second mate was peering into the dense fog at the Boz and my first mate Charles Johnson Vas with me in the Pilot House. A about half Way Between Lombard Street and Alcatraz i land i heard the Sausalito a Zoh Istle. She seas coming toward me on her Way from Sausalito. The fog was at this Tunc As dense As Ever i have seen it on the Bay and i have been navigating her Vaters since 1849. Some Little time before the Sausalito got near us i stopped my boat and blew the Dang i signal. The Sausalito ans Vered with her two whistles and i backed my boat i kept her backing All the time for i Zvan Ted to take unusual precaution. While ave were backing i suddenly Sav the dim outlines of the Sausalito s lights steaming head on under Slov Bell Toxvard my boat. She Vas scarcely a boats length away when i first Sav her. The Sausalito crashed into the san Rafael just a Little Forward of amidships Zihere the restaurant is situated. It Vas quite a crash but at the time i did not think it was serious enough to sink her. The Zvolen and children began to scream and Many of the men folks became greatly excited. I held my Post and sent my mate below to find out the extent of the damage and quiet the passengers. My Crezo took to licit proper positions and As far As they were concerned they kept their Heads and a worked according to their Accident Drill. A in the meantime i Sang out to Captain Tribble of the Sausalito to stay alongside and pass us a line Zihich he did. As soon As we made fast Johnson came Back and reported that there Vas a big Hole in the san Rafael a Side. I then set about to do what i could to see that everybody got aboard the Sausalito. We love Rcd three lifeboats and the Sausalito lowered tvo. Men women and children piled into them but we put most of the passengers on the Sausalito by handing them Over the rail. We passed the Zvolen and children Over the rail and through the windows and most of the men hustled on to the Sausalito a without any Aid. A nearly All of the passengers had on life preservers and after the first Shock they behaved themselves very Well. They were As Cool and As nervy a lot of people As i would Avant to Sec anywhere. The Steamer Vas not settling very rapidly during the time we Zverez getting the passengers aboard the Sausalito. When her hold got full of Eva tar she started to sink very rapidly but at this time All of the passengers were aboard the Sausalito. If some of the passengers did not jump overboard during the panic immediately following the collision and my personal opinion is that there Zverez not any who Zverez so foolish to do that i should say that there were not any lives lost. / am quite certain that nobody Vas lost overboard during Lutc transferring of the passengers. Those that Zverez in the Eva tar Zverez hauled aboard with ropes and Ezz Ery body who event into the Lifeboat that capsized had life preservers on. Quot As tic Steamer Sank she listed to the starboard and to going dozen her for Zvard Mast nearly smashed one of the lifeboats that a varying a Longside the Sausalito 1 Vas the last Man to leave the san Rafael and when i left the sinking Steamer there Vas not a living soul aboard i took a Good look through the Cabin and Ezz in event below and Cut the i alter rope that held our freight horse Dick. I tried to Lead him out toward the deck and he walked. There was not much time to lose so i just got him started so lie could have a Chance to get overboard when she Sank and possibly Sevim ashore. I done to Kuzov whether Dick got into the Vater or not. But when i left the san Rafael there Vas not a single passenger aboard the sinking Martin Christensen. First assistant Engineer on the san Rafael said Quot i was at the bar when the first signal came to reverse. Chief Jones had stepped outside and we were running under a slow Bell. I had my hand on the lever from the time we left the ferry slip and for the first time in my experience the bar was not taken out of the Slot. I was standing with one hand on the server and one on the bar to reverse the angina at the first Cau when not to my Surpri Seit came. It was the heaviest weather i have Ever seen on the Bay. And i knew that at any moment there would be a Call to reverse the engine. It came Shorter and sharper than i expected and before we could get Stem Way on the san Rafael the Sausalito crashed into us Forward of the Pilot House Quot she Cut us Down to the Waters Edge and a few minutes later the firemen came up and told me that the water was Rushing into the engine room. I told them to Bank the fires and come up. By banking the fires i thought that it would take quite a while for the water to get to them and if the collision was very serious that we would be Able to keep enough steam on her to make land somewhere. Chief Jones in the meantime was doing All he could to help some of the people and while getting out one of the boats was thrown against one of the stanchions and had his Scalp badly Tom. He was also rolled into the scuppers and his right Arm and right leg were badly lacerated. There is absolutely no cause that in be Given for the Accident outside of the fact that no vessel could find her Way to the a -h-1-1 i i a i a 1 i i it a i i i i a passengers. When Many saw How heroically these two men were working to k was a wild scramble to get hold of to tax ropes thrown by them but neither Man would assist the men who were trying to crowd the women and children aside. A stand Backa a done to get excited Quot Quot keep quiet a each cried alternately but the wild crush continued. During this time miss Virginia beam was swept out of the lower Cabin into the water. She says she was floating around for half an hour before she was rescued yet All tha time witnessed the Gallant work of tha two Young men. �?�1 do not know How i got into the water said miss beam last night. Quot i was near the Kitchen when the boats struck and was soon swept into the water. I saw Brizzolara and Mulhern throwing tha ropes to save tha frightened passengers. But As i am a Good swimmer i Felt a fear and easily kept afloat. Quot when mrs. Waller found that her Little boy was gone she tried to jump overboard. Braz Volara sexed her with one hand wound a rope around her and himself and the other end around a stanchion. Others came to his Rescue and. Restrained mrs. Waller. Just about this time Braz Volara saw me in the water and threw the rope to me. I grabbed it and he pulled me aboard. Quot no sooner had i got on the boat a he i Brizzolara fainted. Something to his Chest seemed to snap and he fell in a Heap on the floor. The doctor who attended him said something in his had Given Way but he could nett2% what. He was carefully nursed and was sent to his brother s House. A the Crews of both boats acted splendidly and deserve great miss beam owing to her Long immersion was immediately placed on a bad and put under the influence of sleep producing medicines As it was feared that the Shock to her nerves would be very severe. She was not allowed to be seen and the attending physician says that it will be some Days before she recovers. It was on the saturday night following thanksgiving Day. Three years ago. That the father and Sisters of Brizzolara were passengers on the Steamer t. C. Walker. The boiler of the latter exploded. Brizard Lara senior was killed and his daughters were seriously injured. The Accident of yesterday had a Peculiar Sugni Alcance to Angelo Brizzolara the Day being regarded As the anniversary of his father s death. Smashes the Cabin windows to release Pear stricken women Clinton Mason a resident of Sausalito. Wr3 a passenger on the ill fated Steamer san Rafael. For a while he was on the lower deck but because of the heavy penetrating fog he sought the upper Cabin. When the crash came or maw was Eaton Well aft in the Cabin. It Only Means of escape for the penned to passenger was through the door quite a distance Forward of his position. The Many women in the Cabin were for the moment panic stricken and seemingly unable to help themselves. A the Steamer settled lower and lower in tha water the excited and half Craven Lacuea crowded toward the Stern of the boat. Realizing that something must be Dona and quickly too to Avert a general Panio in the Cabin. Or. Mason commenced to break the windows and tear away their sashes that a Mode of egress might be obtained. As soon As a place was cleared the women crowded about and it was with some Effort that or. Mason quieted their fears and satisfied them that there was no danger if they kept Cool. One by one the women were passed through the open space. In the meantime some of the passengers had taken advantage of the Forward door. Several women were Cut and scratched by Small pieces left in the broken sashes and Mason s hands were badly Cut in breaking the windows. Once out of the Cabin the women climbed into a Lifeboat that Hung from the a Quot its of the Sausalito. Or As they crowded in the Bottom fell a lit. Some of the women reached the Dee of the Sausalito. The others were forced Back to the sinking Steamer but eventually they wore transferred without further mishap .3� the san Francisco Call sunday december 1, 1901. Opens safety valve and i Hen becomes unconscious. Chief of san Rafael a engine room at his Post. Prompt action 5aves the Steamer from explosion. Christensen ready to reverse engine a at signal. Dense fog makes him fear possible collision. Not a moment lost at first evidence of danger. It Choh follows toe collision w Iii the excitement �10 Engineer gives his version to Bluet t Dona to terrible death assistant stands at the lever

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