Steamer Collision at Yesler's Wharf
The steamer State of Washington smashed into the docked Cascade, nearly destroying the smaller vessel in a chaotic wharf-side accident.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Last Thursday evening, as the steamer State of Washington was trying to make a landing at Yesler's wharf in Seattle, she ran into and almost totally destroyed the steamer Cascade, which was tied up in the slip. The tide was running strong and the wind was high, and the State of Washington was carried out of her course. She struck the Cascade’s wheelhouse and crushed her. The latter was driven almost under the wharf and had her pilot house and a large portion of her upper deck carried away. Her hull was also badly damaged. The excitement on board both steamers was at the highest pitch and some of the passengers of the Washington were only prevented from jumping overboard by the efforts of her officers. A small portion of the upper deck and the wheelhouse of the Washington was carried away. It was thought the Cascade would be a total loss, but the damage is now estimated not to exceed $2,000.
“The excitement on board both steamers was at the highest pitch and some of the passengers were only prevented from jumping overboard.”
Yesler's Wharf was the epicenter of early Seattle's maritime commerce. Steamboat accidents were frequent hazards of a working waterfront that relied on tides rather than modern navigation technology.
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