<Begin Segment 7>

TI: So when you were, I think you were about fourteen or fifteen was when the accident happened?

BH: Uh-huh, I was fifteen.

TI: Fifteen. Can you tell me what happened? Describe what happened.

BH: Well, we were, in the wintertime, of course, we were in Seattle, living at Seattle, and that was in early 1928, I guess, because we lived there. And then we went to a farm out in Auburn to help out, 'cause we were all finished with our farming. So they used to, people used to want help, so we used to go and help them. And that was in Auburn.

TI: And then what happened? So you were in Auburn, and then you're coming home?

BH: Then it was, I think it was, like, August or something, July. Oh, no, it was July, this accident. So it was July, we decided, I think we were all finished with helping them, so we came back to Bellevue. My mother said, "Well, we have to get ready for school, so she said, "I have to go do some sewing," making clothes for us or something. So we left, and I guess we were there until July. Accident happened right at that time, right after we got back. We were visiting friends, the Takizakis in Bellevue, from Bellevue to Seattle, and they lived up there on Fourteenth and Fir, something like that. And we visited with them, my father's very close friends. They were always visiting each other. I guess that's about all.

TI: So you were, so the family was visiting the Takizakis in Seattle.

BH: Because of, my father took the whole family and decided we'd better do some shopping.

TI: And do you recall what day this was?

BH: July the 23rd, 1928.

TI: And was it a weekend or weekday?

BH: We must have stayed there three or four days, and then we went home.

TI: Okay. But the day you traveled back, do you remember what day it was?

BH: That was July 23rd.

TI: Was that a, like a Saturday or a Sunday?

BH: Gosh, I don't remember.

TI: And so you had to take the ferry back to Bellevue, because that was before they had bridges. And the ferry dock was at Leschi?

BH: Leschi.

TI: Okay. So describe, then, what happened.

BH: Well, I don't know if you know that street from Yesler, top of the hill and down to the ferry is quite a long ways with all steep hill. So we, my father was driving an old Model T, there was nine of us in that Model T.

TI: And so tell me first who was in the Model T.

BH: Oh, my whole family, my brothers and sisters and the two Takizaki girls.

TI: Okay, so the whole family and then the two Takizakis.

BH: Two girls, uh-huh.

TI: So there were nine of you in this old Model T.

BH: Old Model T.

TI: Coming down the hill.

BH: Coming down, and you know how you keep, the brakes probably, they said the brakes were all gone by the time we got to the ferry. But fortunately, he stopped, but he didn't know about that until later. And then when the ferry was still in Bellevue, I guess when it finally landed in Leschi, they told us we can get on. So my father was, being early, we were the very first car because we were early, and it was eleven something at night.

TI: And my father, they told us to come on, so my father put the car into the ferry. And it wouldn't stop. Kept on going, kept on going until we got to the other end and fell into the lake.

TI: Oh, so you went onto the ramp, onto the ferry, and then...

BH: They had a chain, they said, one chain I guess. After that, they put two.

TI: And do you recall, while this was happening, what was happening inside the car? Do you remember?

BH: I have no idea. 'Cause we were, it was one of those old cars that was open, so everybody got out. And so they didn't find anybody in the car when they found the car.

TI: But while the car was on the ferry...

BH: Yeah, going onto the ferry we were all in there.

TI: And then the brakes weren't working. Do you recall your father saying anything?

BH: He didn't say anything but I could tell he was, that he was having panic.

TI: And where were you sitting when this was...

BH: In the backseat someplace.

TI: And so then describe, so the car goes into the water.

BH: Uh-huh. And then we all got scattered around, I guess. I remember my brother and I, we could swim, so we swam and then got up to the top, top of the ferry, water. But people on the ferry were trying to help us. All the young men were there. Some of them were diving into the lake, and they handed, somebody handed me one of those brooms that they had on the ferry, I guess. So he said, "Grab this broom." And I tried several times, and I'd go under, and then I'd come up, I kept on doing it until I finally grabbed the broom and they pulled me up. So I didn't know who was there or who was saved or anything.

TI: And it was dark, too.

BH: Oh, it was eleven, the ferry was eleven something. But it was summer so it wasn't cold or anything.

TI: So you mentioned that your brother also was able to...

BH: He was in there, and I don't know what happened to them. I thought maybe I lost him and all my siblings. But fortunately the shore patrol, they picked up quite a few. I think one of the Takizaki girls. But we lost one Takizaki girl, our friend.

TI: And so explain. So of the nine...

BH: There were seven, seven saved.

TI: Seven were saved.

BH: I think so. Yeah, because we lost two.

TI: And so two were, died.

BH: Uh-huh.

TI: And which --

BH: Well, my other sisters all died, too. So just, out of the nine, three of us were saved.

TI: Okay, so six died, and three were saved.

BH: Yeah.

TI: And so which three were saved?

BH: My, well, my father -- not my father. Just one, one of the Takizaki girls, and my brother and I, three of us.

TI: So you, your brother, and one of the Takizakis, and the rest perished.

BH: Yeah.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 2009 Densho. All Rights Reserved.