The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-09-06
EVERYTHING ALL SAFE!
The Queen Arrived at Four P. N,
SOME SPLENDID WORK AT
TIE SPIT.


hotels and docks, in search of tho pas.
sengers who had been brought up
from the Queen. The intention was
TO see that no one should be permit
ted to suffer for lack of food or shell
ter. The hotels and lodging houses
were full; the restaurants couldn't
carry food fast enough for the passen-
gers who had preserved a wondrous
appetite and then the question arose
as to beds. This was solved by pri-
vate citizens who singled ont each a
group of three or four and provided
them with quarters for the night.
Some, who had tickets for Walla
Walla and eastern points and who
seemed to think if they left the dock
they were lost, refused all assistance
and stretched themselves out on the
deck and in the cabin of the Mountain
Queen, on which the greater portion of
the ocean steamers passengers went
yesterday morning.
When the news of the disaster
reached Astoria Tuesday afternoon the
FIRST impulse was to 60 to the rescue.
In no city in the Union of its size are
there more experienced men ready to
face the element they have so often
battled, nor men more willing to
peril their own lives to rescue others.
This is no idle assertion, but has been
demonstrated time and again. The
bar pilots and crews, the smaller
craft, Capt. Gray's steamers, and IN
deed all the craft made immediate
preparations. Capt. Flavels instruc-
tions were 'Spare no expense, make
every necessary provision and get
there as soon as you can" In less
than an hour and half the Queen
had feet Of boats at her command.
Everyone worked the crews hav-
ing been all picked. Capts. Al.
Stream, of Shoalwater bay, and Al.
Harris, from the Cape, were there and
did efficient service, as indeed, did
every man there. The work of trans
ferring the passengers began at dusk,
women and children being put On
board first; the Astoria, BrenhGn.,
Columbia, Pioneer, Gea. Candy, Tom
Morris and other boats piled back and
forth, the masters and pilots working
with one purpose, to get the passen-
gers off while the comparatively
smooth water lasted. A heavy surge
bumped the smaller boats about, two
of them were upset but were quickly
righted, and the work went on. By
ten o'clock every one that wanted TO
was on shore safe at Astoria, and the
tired boats crews turned in with in
structions to 10 be on deck at siI
o'clock, two of the tugs standing by
at the scene Of the disaster all night.
The first question "Can all the
passengers be savedl" had been given
a splendid and satisfactory answer.
All that skill and costly appliances
could do had been paced in immedi-
ate service, and now came the ques.
tion secondary only in importance,
"Can the vessel be saved"
Yesterday morning at two-thIrty,
seven was high tide; TO attempt any
thing then was ont of the question.
Capt. Alexander and his men were
worn out; all Astoria was tired too
the night was intensely dark and the
dense fog that has extended over the
country for the last three days, dark.
ening alike the waters of the Sound,
the Coast Range and the Oregon
coast, hung low in thick smoky folds,
The fact that the Columbia away in
land, had collIded with vessel though
manned by a careful crew and a vete
ran pilot showed how impossible any
amount of skill or science was TO aver
possible calamity.
At daybreak yesterday morning al
was in readiness however. Dan Ora
ham, the bar pilot of the Columbia
had brought down the Astoria; the
other tugs started for the spit, Nal
colin on.the Columbia, McVicker on
the Pioneer and Staples on the Bren
ham. The Candy and Tom Morril
with smaller craft were there too, tn,
one object being to save the magni6
cent vessel if possible.
There was but one man who haC
the means and the ability to save th'
Queen Of the Pacific. That man wa
Capt. Geo. Flavel. He was aske'
"What are the chancesl" His answe
was "Don't know; will try" III
went down with the tngs and tn
early hours of morning was spent il
accommodating. The vessel lay in
bad place; to do any good cOnsidera
bic Judgment had to be exercised an,
in one sense the matter was a goo
deal like a campaign; it needed ;
skIllful general and brave man. Bot
were Forthcoming.
The Queen had got ou; one ancho
astern during the night and had mad
about ten feet from her original pos
ton. There was a heavy swell, an
the tugs tossed and bumped an
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