A Near-Fatal Collision on Seattle’s Waterfront

At 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon the West Seattle ferry collided with a sailboat in the harbor, crushing the boat and throwing out the three occupants, who were rescued. The steamer was approaching Seattle and was about two-thirds of the distance across the bay when a Whitehall boat was noticed a short distance away, steering so that a collision seemed inevitable. The whistle was blown and the engine reversed, but the sailboat did not tack. It was impossible to check the momentum of the ferry and the little boat was hit and shattered and the occupants thrown yelling into the water. Life preservers were promptly thrown out from the steamer, and thus Thomas A. McCarty, of Lake Union, who could not swim, was rescued. John I. James, of 10 Front street, clambered into the Whitehall, which was not moving, while Thomas Berth, who sailed the wrecked craft as an expert navigator, provided the boat and caught hold of the rudder, until the steamer could reach the slip. Berth was dragged forth unhurt.