The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1879-04-25
GREAT MARINE DISASTER!
Loss Ofth8 Steamship Great Republic.
THIRTEEN PERSONS DROWNED !
Immense Loss of Freight.

We have now TO record the most
fearful marine disaster which has oc-
Cured in Oregon waters since the loss
of the ill-fated Brother Jonathan"
some fourteen years ago.
L4ast4 Sunday the startling rumor
reached this city that the Opposition
Steamship, Great Republic, en- ro,stefrom
San Francisco to Portland, was wrecked
on Sand Island, in the mouth of the
Columbia, just after crossing the Bar,
and subsequent intelligence proved the
painful rumor to be true.
1t appears that the vessel arrived Off
the Bar on Friday evening and the
weather being calm and pleasant the
Captain concluded to go on in during
the night, and the pilot was given
charge of the vessel Having safely
passed the Bar and entered tho South
channel, and whilo on her course, in
comparatively smooth water, and com
ing to the end of the course opposite
the foot of Sand Island, she failed to
make the abrupt turn necessary there,
the pilot being unable in the darkness
to see the beacon by which the vessels
are ordinarily guided. Capt Carroll,
the commander Of the vessel, said to
Pilot Doig, who was directing her
course at the time when tho turn should
have been made, ave are at the end Of
this course" Doig responded, mo, we
are not she wants one minute more. 4"
That minute was fatal-in less than
thirty seconds her bows touched the
sands, and as her engines were driving
her ahead, she Ploughed deep into the
treacherous shoals The darkness was
intense and the tide had been ebbing
two hours. After Il few Intellectual
struggles to retreat the vessel lay until
morning. She went on drawing seven
teen feet of water and could be ap.
preached by tugs at low water near
enough TO get out a line.
As the stranded vessel was only a
few miles from Astoria the news Of the
disaster soon reached that city, aud
every available vessel was soon sent to
the scene Of the wreck, and in a few
hours all OF the passengers some 200
in number-were safely brought OF and
landed at Astoria. The first and sec
ond officers and some ] ! of the ship :
crew, however, were drowned by the
swamping Of boat in which they were
attempting to 60 on shore. Three men
clung to the boat and drifted ashore
with it. Seven horses reached the isl.
and alive. There were 81 in all on
board. The ship WAS now going 70
pieces, and breaking up very fast Her
mainmast fell during the night. The
engines had broken through the bilge,
and the ship listed seaward. Breakers
were washing completely over her, and
bedding, furniture, etc, washing up
with the surf on the beach.
| At about eight o'clock in the morn.
ing, at hall tide, heavy swolls from the
southwest commenced to come in, and
soon lifted her stern, which still Heated
around to the northwest, presenting II
broadside to tho sea Zach swell ca
reened her over and drove her higher
on the sands. On the receding of each
swell the weight of her immense hull,
machinery and cargo, drove her deeper
into the sands. She finally became 4
total wreck, and Captain Carroll and
those Of the crew who had remained
with him and assisted in saving passep
gers, abandoned the magnificent vesse
to its fate and went on shore.
There were several thousand tons oI
freight ON board, which, together wish
almost all of the passengers baggage
was lost
The passengers were mainly imni
grants, most Of whom are left cHtireI,
destitute by this sal disaster.
Capt. Carroll, of the wrecked steam
er, gives the following ACCOUNT of the
disaster:
al gave the steamer over 10 Pilot Doig
at the automatic buoy at 1880 Friday night.
It was clear starlight, not a ripple on the
water, which was as smooth as u mill
pond. We came in over the bar on a slow
| bell all the way crossed the bar all right,
reaching the inside buoy Ia safety. The
first and third officers, freight clerk and
| myself were on lookout. had a pair of
glasses and was the first to discover Sand
| Island, and found bearings all right. / re-
ported sand Island to the pilot. lie had
not seen it. We run along probably two
minutes, and then told the pilot that /
thought we were getting too close to tho
island, and that Thought he had better
haul her up. He replied, 81 think we are
not in far enough" A minute after told
him to port your helm, and put 1t hard
aport. as think you are getting too near
tie island" He made no reply, but run
along about five minutes. Then he put
the helm hard aport, The vessel swung
mp, heading toward Astoria, but the eb6
caught her ON the starboard bow and, be-
ing so much nearer the island than he ex-
pectsd, set her on the spit. She went on
50 lightly than only few knew it; but as
the tide was falling we had no chance to
get the vessel off that night. Next tide on
Saturday morning was small one, and
we were still unable to get off. The bar