A photo of the City of Chester, courtesy of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

Headlines in the Sacramento Daily Record-Union, left, and the Daily Alta California, above.

The rediscovery of the City of Chester, which sank in 1888 after a collision with the Oceanic, prompted me to go into the California Digital Newspaper Collection to dig up the original stories. The Daily Alta California devoted an enormous amount of coverage to this incident, as you will see on the jump.

Aug. 6, 1888: The City of Chester arrives from Eureka carrying passengers, seals’ hides, seals’ whiskers and $2,760 “in treasure,” according to the Daily Alta California.

Aug. 13, 1888: A week later, the City of Chester carries more passengers from Eureka. From the Daily Alta California.

Aug. 20, 1888: The following week, passenger traffic. From the Daily Alta California.

On its return trip to Eureka, it collides with the Oceanic in heavy fog.

Aug. 23, 1888: The Daily Alta California published this account:

Aug. 23, 1888: The Sacramento Daily Record-Union published the following account: